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Please help! DS Hates his car seat.

12 replies

GemmeFatale · 22/09/2019 09:46

Absolutely desperate for advice. DS (four and a half months) HATES his car seat. Screams from the second he sees it and takes time to calm back down when we take his out as he’s so hysterical during journeys. I’m utterly terrified I’ll crash because it’s so distracting.

The seat itself is fine. It’s not wet or spiky or anything like that. I’ve tried: additional window shades, singing, playing music, different toys, a blanket, no blanket, cooler clothes, driving at different points in his routine (in case it’s something like gas that feels worse in the seat), chatting to him before and during the journey. Nothing makes the slightest bit of difference and I’m out of ideas.

It’s now at the point where I’m avoiding going out in the car when possible. But that means no swimming, limited baby groups, no meeting up with family or friends, etc and thats doing my PND no good at all. And I still need to drive to do the big shop (Aldi so no delivery) and to drop DH at work once a week (weird parking rules).

Has anyone got any suggestions that I haven’t tried? I’m utterly desperate.

OP posts:
rottiemum88 · 22/09/2019 09:54

My friend had a baby like this. Was like it from day one all the way through to 6 months when all the fuss just stopped overnight 🤷🏼‍♀️ Until that point, she didn't really have the option of not going out due to having two older children, school runs to do, etc. So she just learned to tune it out. Have you maybe tried earplugs OP? I mean, as long as you can see baby and know they're completely fine apart from being unhappy in the car seat, it might at least make the journeys a bit more tolerable for you so you can get out and about?

AloeVeraLynn · 22/09/2019 10:01

I wish I had a tip to sort it out. My dd was exactly the same from birth. We had to drive to go on holiday when she was 10 weeks old and what should have been a 4 hour journey took us over 7 hours because we had to keep stopping to calm her down Sad
Unfortunately she did have to just grow out of it and it just improved steadily rather than suddenly stopping. We kept to short journeys and it helped if her dad was with us and could sit in the back. I really feel for you.

childbenefitQs · 22/09/2019 10:10

Can you try out a friend's car seat to see if a different brand helps? I have heard of that before, with no explanation as nothing wrong with the first one, but it just didn't suit them for whatever reason.

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RandomMess · 22/09/2019 10:11

Try a cranial osteopath in case the angle is causing pain?

I agree with trying a different seat too...

NuffingChora · 22/09/2019 10:18

Can he see you? Either mirror or trying in the front seat with the airbag off? Failing that then it may be time to whack out the iPad/tablet (in a suitable holder of course) with something suitably trippy and mesmerising! Mine was like this but she did grow out of it eventually and is a complete breeze now, and still rear-facing quite happily at 3. Solidarity!

RobotNews · 22/09/2019 11:16

Bring the car seat indoors. Play next to it, graduate to putting him in it for short periods of time (literally straight in and straight out again), then for longer periods of time... just to get him used to it

usarae · 22/09/2019 15:48

My little girl was the same. She's almost 7 months and has grown out of it. It just happened. We didn't do anything specific, but all of a sudden she was just fine with it. She occasionally has a melt down if she's overtired but mainly she's happy awake for a short journey and if it's a long one then we time it for nap time and she falls asleep within minutes. Hopefully your baby will be the same and he'll grow out of.

sniffysnifferson · 22/09/2019 17:17

Have you tried putting the carseat on passenger seat so he can still see you whilst your driving?

MatildaCat · 22/09/2019 18:01

No advice but my DD was exactly the same, it was really horrific and then she just stopped!

Baggins83 · 22/09/2019 18:44

This could have been me writing this as had exactly the same issue with my little boy, now 17 months old. People used to say "doesn't he just fall asleep in the car". No, no he didn't!! I took him to see a chiropractor and after the first visit it was like driving a different baby back home and I have never had a problem since. Definitely worth a look into, I wish I had done it sooner with my little boy because the first couple of months before I did were awful, I really do feel your stress.

KatharinaRosalie · 22/09/2019 18:46

Try different car seat. My DD hated the baby seat, but was fine in the 0-4 version.

cliffdiver · 22/09/2019 19:10

Both my DDs were like this until old enough to forward face.

You can get car seats now that lie completely flat (I've seen a Jane one) - would that be an option for you?

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