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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

5 month ds hates cars - can anyone help?????

7 replies

stairs · 10/02/2006 21:00

I am having a real problem with taking my 5 mo ds anywhere at all in the car. He starts to scream when you do up the straps of the car seat (gently) and struggles to get out of it. He then screams an unbearable scream for the whole of the car journey, whether it be 5 mins or two hours. He has been like this since about a month old, and I have tried singing, silence, talking, radio, music, no music, toys, no toys..nothing makes a blind bit of difference. It also makes little difference if someone sits in the back with him - just delays the start by about 5 mins. He can see me though a mirror in the car, and he starts off looking annoyed, but ends up so distraught that I worry he will stop breathing and it makes concentrating on driving safely really hard.
It is a real nightmare, my husband works away a lot and this problem is making it hard to go to see my family or friends, shop or see anyone that isn't a walk away. I am sure he is not travel sick (never, ever sick and it starts before we get in the car), I know it isn't wind/food as I always take real care to attend to anything like that before we go out - also, he stops the minute you take him out the seat. I wouldn't let him cry without intervention anywhere else, so it breaks my heart to hear him, but if I stopped then I just prolong his agony as the minute we get back in the car he starts again. Everyone other baby I know sleeps in the car, and I am so desperate to be able to go outside my own town now....does anyone have any ideas??? Please???? It is so bad now that if a journey starts in the car, he screams all the time you are out (i.e. shopping ...screams in car, screams in pushchair, screams in car again), even though he is generally fine in the pushchair. I have a Britax Cosytot Premium seat..has anyone else had trouble with them?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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ambercat · 10/02/2006 21:11

Hi, my ds2 hated the car til he was about 4mths and then it just setlled down, not as bad as your ds though.
have you any friends with different car seats you could try?
or try him in the front next to you (if no airbag)
sorry not much help

tribpot · 10/02/2006 21:17

yes, agreed a different car seat might help. My ds loathed the car because we had a lie-flat car seat but he had reflux, so it was torture for him A lot better since we tipped the seat up to its sitting up position, but even so, we couldn't go anywhere for months unless one of us sat in the back with him and fed him off to sleep when we started the journey. Obv this is not so easy for you, but could a friend come to yours first and then one of you drive and one sit in the back with him? (I know you have tried with someone else there, but what about feeding him as you go?).

Does he hate being constrained in anything, like high chair, buggy, etc.? (Not sure what the answer is to this, my ds is not keen).

hub2dee · 10/02/2006 21:31

Could you start to create a sleep association with the car seat by putting it next to crib / cot ? IYSWIM...

Original poster

stairs · 10/02/2006 21:34

He doesn't seem to mind being restrained in the buggy or highchair (although he likes rolling and tries to do that every now and again - he is a wriggler), and I have tried feeding him in the back...no joy.
I forgot to say that today he had a bit of a cold so I gave him some Medised an hour before we set off. Even with that he had no desire to sleep and screamed for over 40 minutes.....
Might try another car seat if I can borrow someone elses...but can it really be that? Is the Britax more uncomfortable than other seats?

OP posts:

Original poster

stairs · 10/02/2006 21:35

Forgot to say...can't put him in the front as I can't turn the airbag off...

OP posts:

ambercat · 10/02/2006 21:44

once he is bigger he can go in a forward facing seat and may be happier cos he can look out the window. Maybe get one of the forward facing seats that can be used rear facing, he would be higher up and can see more?? not sure what car seat you have already.

chickaboo · 10/02/2006 21:50

My daughter is 7 months and we have problems on car journeys too, and she is always in the front but its mainly at night. My sister-in-law has the same problem too with her 17 month old (only at night is he a problem). Why can't they just fall asleep? Short journeys are ok and we can pacify her with a toy but the 125 mile journey to my parents has to be done once she is asleep already which isn't always convenient! Sorry, I can't offer any advice just wanted you to know you aren't alone! Maybe when they can get into the next stage car seat and they can face forward they may be better (lets hope so anyway!)Maybe playing a lullaby tape/cd in the car could help?

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