To forward face my carsick toddler?

[carseatnightmare]

DC1 is 2.5. A few months ago we forked out for an expensive rear facing car seat that we were hoping would keep him safe for a long time (axkid minikid). He's always been rear facing, but a month ago he suddenly developed awful travel sickness. Even the 5 minute drive to nursery has on several occasions caused him to be sick, especially when in stop start traffic.

Is there anything I can do? We chose a rear facing seat as I'm fully aware of how much safer it is, but I can't face him throwing up for every small car journey we make. He's still so young he doesn't even understand to be sick in a bag etc so just ends up throwing up all over himself and the car, and I just feel so bad for him.

Exh has apparently been massively improved by driving and automatic (not suggesting you change the car!)

Definitely driving g as gently as possible too. Imagine e you have a bucket filled to the top with water and try not to spill it.

Do you have a bike? 20 min walk would be 5 mins by bike which is definitely faster than I can clean up sick? Or leaving car at nursery then walking to/from with buggy so you can go on to work?

Have you tried taking head rest off the back seat so he can see out. People also say sea bands and sitting on newspaper.

Borrowing a FF seat to see if it helps sounds like a good idea.

We turned our daughter round a lot earlier than 2.5! The horror of her choking on vomit whilst frantically looking for a place to pull over to help her is etched in our minds.

She is still travel sick but it is improved and at least then a passenger can turn around to help! If I get ahead of an 'attack' opening the window helps and encouragement to breath slow and deeply and to stay calm. Sea bands used to work, have you tried those especially for small journeys?

She's 4 now so I have bought travel meds for long travel but haven't tried them yet. Music on headphones was also a very good way of avoiding sickness, she managed a 3 hour trip with just a bit queasy right at the end.

I've also noticed she runs hot in the car, she is always sick when she gets warm so I put less on her and we had a Joie elevate when she could with mesh sides to keep her cooler.

Forward facing definitely helps

Slightly off topic but try and get him to be sick in a bucket (along the lines of a small sandcastle bucket). Much easier for them to use than a bag and my toddler could manage it from the same age

@DonnatellaLyman

Do you have a bike? 20 min walk would be 5 mins by bike which is definitely faster than I can clean up sick? Or leaving car at nursery then walking to/from with buggy so you can go on to work?

Have you tried taking head rest off the back seat so he can see out. People also say sea bands and sitting on newspaper.

Borrowing a FF seat to see if it helps sounds like a good idea.

I also have a young baby DC2 so a bike wouldn't work sadly, and there's no long term parking near the nursery.

Will try taking the headrest off so he has a better view though- very good suggestion thanks!

My just turned 3 year old has been forward facing since he was around 2 years old. He doesn't suffer with travel sickness but is very large for his age probably the size of a 4 year old and although I was adamant that I would make sure both my ds's were rear facing for the correct amount of time to keep them safe I had to relent as his legs were up to his ears and very uncomfortable. Also as someone that still suffers woth travel sickness going backwards makes it so much worse so I would 100 % change to forward facing.

My dd went forward facing at 1 because of car sickness.

She choked on her sick and I never put her rear facing again so it's not as simple as "I would rather have a child covered in puke" I couldn't drive 5 minutes down the road without her vomiting everywhere.

Instead of towels, stick them in a bibado bib for car journeys. I put them in DD (18 months) when she has sickness bugs!

I am pro extended rear facing, but would absolutely try FF OP. Have you got any friends with seats that FF that you could try (bibbed or towelled up obviously!)?

We rear faced til 4. But you have to say up risk/discomfort. Also risk of choking. I think I'd forward face.

I decided to FF my DS at a similar age after he learnt to silently undo his strap. I felt it was safer being FF and strapped in than RF unstrapped.

Mine only vomited when we started forward facing them. Just need to try it and see I guess.

If its only happened in the last month or so could it be something else? Are you giving him a book he's getting engrossed in, or an ipad? Only because reading/not looking out of the window often makes people car sick

Just a thought!

@UnbeatenMum

I decided to FF my DS at a similar age after he learnt to silently undo his strap. I felt it was safer being FF and strapped in than RF unstrapped.

Just out of interest, no judgement, but if he could unbuckle himself rear facing, why not forward facing?

I get horribly travel sick.

Definitely do forward facing!!!

@SouthOfFrance

If its only happened in the last month or so could it be something else? Are you giving him a book he's getting engrossed in, or an ipad? Only because reading/not looking out of the window often makes people car sick

Just a thought!

No he doesn't have an iPad and I'm careful never to give him a book in the car either as I know first hand how triggering that is for me to this day!

Could you try moving the mini kid tomthe front seat to see if it helps?

@KnobJockey

Could you try moving the mini kid tomthe front seat to see if it helps?

Possibly! Is a rear facing seat in the front still safer than a front facing seat in the back though?

@carSeatnightmare

Yes, as long as the passenger airbag is switched OFF x

As an adult who is carsick unless driving....... You can't put the poor kid through feeling that bad every time he gets in a car!
Two of mine were carsick rearward facing or if they were looking down at something as they got older, like a hand held games console. I know it's not the done thing now but my first was forward facing from 4 months or sick but in those days rearward facing seats only went up to 9 months. If possible in the middle seat seemed to work best so they can look through front window but my first had to go in front seat as he got older or he would be sick. If you don't do something to stop it he will develop a real fear of going in the car. I do think it became psychological with my eldest who insisted he had to sit in the front to stop it.

Yes, according to the experts on the extended rear facing Facebook group- there are a few actual experts on there ☺️
I use this one, posts are published immediately. There are a lot of RF fanatics who will jump you for suggesting FF though.
www.facebook.com/groups/1376541652674823/?ref=share

This was the exact same situation which forced us to change DD to forward facing after forking out for a rear facing seat. So much sick, nearly every car journey. It was horrible for her, and for us, so we had to clean and sell the seat. She was so much better when facing forwards. :)

My dd was forward facing from 2 yrs. I am really at peace with this decision. My nephews at 3 were in boosters! ( 10 yrs ago). I am all for keeping children safe, but risk assess your own trips and child. If i was moving forward but facing the wrong way i would be sick as well. I think these were eu mandates, which are thoroughly ignored in the eu country i live in! Here they can be and often are on boosters at the height of my daughter ( but everyone is tiny here!) . Turn your kid around so no more puke. Poor wee soul.

We did this at the same age for the same reason. No regrets.

My niece and nephew have forward faced since about 8 months as they got so carsick. My sister made the decision to turn them round so she could see them after niece choked when vomiting and if it wasn't for my older nephew (7) sitting next to her she wouldn't even have known it was happening. It was completely silent which is what scared her so much.

Luckily her eldest was next to the baby, saw it and immediately unstrapped her, pulled her upright and slapped her on the back a few times until she started coughing.