To think this is going to be the journey from hell....

[missmakesstuff]

Next week we (me, dh, dd, 5 and ds 4.5 months) have to drive to the in laws. In Ireland. We booked the trip months ago, it seemed like a good idea at the time..

Ds now screams every moment he's in his car seat. He sleeps for 30 mins max at a time, which is ok during the day around the house etc, but as soon as he wakes in the car seat he screams bloody murder..

It's a 5 hr journey to Pembroke then a journey across Ireland to kerry the next day. Weve tried everything but a journey of an hour today was him sleeping for 30 mins, screaming the rest, dd moaning about the noise and me practically crying as I can't listen to him screaming without it just really getting to me. I'm the driver, dh can't. He can sit in the back, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. We're leaving 7 hours + to allow for stops at every services, he has toys, he has music flashing lights machine....it's still going to be hideous isn't it? I want to cry...

The ERF seat will be fine for such a large baby who can already sit with help. I've got pretty much the same one you're describing and I'd have no hesitation putting a 22lb long baby in it on full recline (which admittedly isn't much, but if he's annoyed about not being able to see much, he'll be a lot happier). Also, Benadryl. Yes it's for allergic reactions, but it's an antihistamine and makes most kids sleepy. I've used it with my DS for long haul flights and it makes a hell of a difference. But you need to try it at home once a few days before travelling. There's a small proportion of children who react with hyperactivity and you don't want to find that out on the day!

missmakes we found that non-sleeping DD would sleep in a car if it was at her normal sleep time. She never slept in the day, so it made sense that she never slept in the car in the day. If your DS sleeps well at night then tbh I'd take the risk esp if you can get him into a larger more comfortable seat. For our night drive, we moved dd up to a larger front facing seat which helped. She was borderline for weight, but had been sitting and crawling for several months and was close to walking. It wasn't ideal, but avoiding an accident has to be a priority and it is obvious to me that at a distracted driver increases the risk for all occupants of the vehicle.

Re antihistamines. Test first! They have the opposite effect on some young children and can make them hyper rather than sleepy. Piriton usually has a mild sedative effect and is safe for babies, most other sedative antihistamines are not suitable at this age. Personally with a small baby I'd be looking to change travel arrangements to fit with sleep patterns rather than use medicines which can have unpredictable side effects.

Thanks all, we've booked a travelodge in Carmarthen, leaving Friday evening now, which means a few stressy days getting everything ready to go and getting ds to sleep in the seat at his usual time..fx he will and we get there with no screaming from anyone!
Will take piriton just in case

Can use it on myself to avoid listening to mil witter on about early weaning

Good plan - hope you've a good journey....May the road rise to meet you and the wind be at your back etc.

Honestly, I'd consider piriton. It might just make him sleepy enough to take the edge off the oveetiredness.

I really sympathise. Ds1 and 3 were appalling in the car and the pram, and the Moses basket, and the cot

I travelled back from my parents on my own with the kids once in the winter. After an hour of non-stop screaming from the baby I had to pull over in a layby. When I opened the door and let the cold air in, he was literally steaming like a racehorse! It only really improved when he went front facing. Wish I'd tried piriton, it was so dangerous driving like that with hindsight.

Can dh and ds fly and you meet them in Ireland?

i was about to suggest drugging him, and thought it was a bit much but I see piriton has been suggested.

Will he take a bottle? It might give you a few mins relief.

I'm sat in a travelodge in Carmarthen, with a mug of wine and a very nearly asleep dd (after a screamy kicking episode when we got here) and an asleep dh and ds. We finally left at 8pm, ds slept for an hour then woke and screamed, we got on the road again at 10 and got here at 2:30am...so not too bad. Just hoping I can get to sleep after the litres of coffee I drank and that dh will actually feed ds in the morning as he agreed to let me sleep...stage 2, ferry, tomorrow!

You have my sympathies op. My dd2 screamed in her car seat non stop until she was about 6 months. She wouldn't even sleep, she would be too distressed and on the rare occasion she did fall asleep, she'd wake up 10 mins later and start screaming again.

It is incredibly irritating, as there's not much you can do about it...you have to drive places and they have to be in the car seat.

My solution: I went into homebase, found an assistant and said 'hi, do you sell chainsaw ear defenders?'

Shop assistant: do you need them so you don't have to listen to her?

Me: Yes.

Shop assistant: erm, ok, just over here.

It made me look like a bit of a plum driving about but it made it more bearable and definitely made driving safer, a baby screaming at full volume is quite distracting.

I haven't read the whole thread. The first stage car seats often have a removable wedge to support the tinies which is very uncomfortable when they get a bit bigger as it bends their back in the wrong places. Has your seat got one and have you tried removing it? Hope you find a solution.

I would try the other seat. Dd went out of the maxi cosi to the more upright seat quite early because she hated it.