Best Car Seat for Baby With Reflux
The best car seat for baby with reflux will not only be good for you as a parent but will also help ease your little one reflux problem. My third born son had trouble with reflux. He would always cry whenever I put him on the car seat.
Whether your little one has silent or projectile reflux, below are some car seats to help ease the problem. (Also read my guide on best stroller fan )
Which is the best car seat for babies with reflux?
Because reflux is common in infants, you might be thinking that your baby reflux would be eased using infant car seats.
But that’s quite the opposite. The best car seats for reflux are the convertible car seats and not infant seats. Here’s what I found out.
All infant car seats are bucket shaped. This means they exert more pressure to your little one tummy despite offering a more relaxed and comfortable seating position.
Choosing a car seat for infants with acid reflux
· Car seat angle
Comparing infant and convertible car seats, can you spot the difference? Well, there’s one major difference that you can spot. Infant seats have a “well” or what I call bucket shaped. They are designed such to keep your little one secured in place even when on a bumpy ride.
While this design truly helps, it does more harm than good for toddlers with reflux since it tends to exert more pressure to your baby tummy, which can make things much worse. For this reason, I would suggest you go for a car seat with a more relaxed angle, and that’s also shallower.
On the other hand, choosing a seat that’s too upright will also exert more pressure to your baby tummy. How does this happen? Well, you may have noticed that your baby tends to fold in the middle when he’s seated upright, right?
In addition, make sure that the crotch clip doesn’t exert pressure on him.
· Car seat material
While a convertible car seat is only a remedy, it’s used doesn’t mean that your baby won’t make any mess. He/she might throw up or not- but if the baby doesn’t, you’d want to get rid of the mess.
Therefore, you should opt for a car seat with removable and washable for easier cleaning. You should also carry an extra car seat cover just in case your little one experiences reflux on the road.
Best Car Seat for Baby with Reflux Reviews
Safety 1st Grow & Go 3 in 1
As its name suggests, the Safety 1st is built for the safety of your little one. It meets all the features that would help remedy reflux in babies on the road. It’s almost flat and offers a more relaxed seating position meaning no pressure is exerted on your little one tummy.
It’s a three in one car seat. You can use it as infant, booster and convertible seat and grows with your child right from birth until when he’s 40 pounds. You can use it rear facing for infant and toddlers and as a booster seat when your little one is grown up.
Just in case your baby becomes messy back there or spits up, you won’t have to worry. The Safety 1st 3 in 1 comes with a removable seat pad which can be easily removed without taking off the harness. The seat cover is machine washable.
Britax Marathon ClickTight
My husband and I tested out the Britax Marathon on one of our boys who had reflux problem right from birth. I’m happy to say that we noticed a significant difference. We could hit the road for 20-30 minutes, and the out little boy would still be okay back there- though I would always sit next to him while his dad drove out to the grocery store.
A simple look at this car seat will confirm that it meets all the requirements mentioned above. It’s not bucket shaped, offers a more relaxed seating position, and the best part the patented ClickTight technology makes the installation process simple.
The car seat cover is washable, and the 7 recline positions will allow you to adjust the perfect position which doesn’t exert pressure on your kiddo’s tummy.
Graco 4Ever Extend2Fit
With Graco 4Ever, your little one will use it until when he/she is 10 years. It’s a 4 in 1 car seat. You can use the seat as an infant car seat, forward facing, booster seat, and backless belt-positioning booster seat.
The seat has passed a series of rigorous safety tests including crash tests, side impact test, and extreme car interior temperatures. Even though this car seat will cost you above $300 mark, it will save you cash in the long run since it’s a 4 in 1 seat.
The harness and headrest can be adjusted according to the size of your little one. Therefore you will be able to adjust this as your child grows up.
Graco Extend2Fit
Another of the best car seat for baby with reflux is the Graco Extend2Fit. It’s recommended for use rear facing for kids weighing between 4 to 50 pounds and forward facing for kids weighing between 22 to 65 pounds.
It comes with a machine-washable seat pad, so you don’t have to worry when your child messes back there. The six position recline will allow you to find the perfect sitting position for your reflux baby. Additionally, the headrest can be adjusted in 10 different positions.
It’s equipped with two cup holders that will allow you to store your baby’s essentials such as snacks, trinkets, and drinks close for convenience.
Evenflo Tribute LX Convertible Car Seat
Evenflo is a compact car seat great for infants with reflux. It combines safety, comfort, and ease at an affordable price.
It comes with a Latch system making it easier to switch between cars. One downside with this car seat is that it can be “too upright” for infants less than two months old but works well for babies older than 3 months old. Here’s an Amazon reviewer who claimed that the car seat saved his daughter’s life at they were involved in a fatal car crash. (Read his story and photos of the crash here).
Final thoughts on best car seat for baby with reflux
Reflux will not only cause discomfort to your little one but can make your car messy. And because your baby has reflux doesn’t mean you can’t travel with him. You will need something to ease his pains and the best way to do that is by use of a car seat that comfortable for your little one.
Before you go, here are some important things to remember: make sure the harness doesn’t exert pressure on your little one. Additionally, remember that convertible car seats lack bucket shape feature you find in infant car seats making them best for baby with reflux.
If you’ve got any other question, please do let me know in the comment section down below. You can read my guide on balance bikes for 2 year old toddler, diaper comparison and formula for sensitive baby.
