screams in pram/car seat

[Pebs]

I am at my wits end with my 5 month DS. He screams (and I mean really screams) in his push chair whenever I put him in it. I have a travel system and thought that it may be a problem only with the car seat, so I started to use the cosy toes bit of the push chair instead with the theory being that he is not restricted as much but this seems to have made the problem worse! At least he will fall asleep within minutes on a car journey but this is becoming really embarassing whilst shopping. DS is screaming so loudly that you cannot hear anyone talk to you in the shops and he has snot/spit all over his face and gets lots of sympathetic looks. I am suprised that I have not had any comments from people yet but maybe the look on my face stops them. I make sure that he is not tired or hungry on any trips and has something to play with but nothing is working. I am now avoiding taking him out at all which is beginning to really frustrate me. Do I persevere and ignore the stares or become housebound for a while and try him again? Has anyone else experienced this as all the children and babies that I see seem to thoroughly enjoy being out and about?

The only time I experienced this when dd was under 18 months (as now she prefers to walk) was when the straps were too tight and she was very uncomfortable. It just wasn't right at all - the straps have to be shoulder height rather than too much above or below. The car seat harness is going to feel different from the pram. Could you try adusting it?

DS went through this probably at much the same age. It coincided with screaming at having things with sleeves put on too (I bought a couple of body warmers on eBay!).

It was very taxing while he did it but it was a phase and it took a couple of weeks (a month?) to pass.

I used to get him ready and strap him into the buggy and put him outside the front door while I got ready. I figured it was along the lines of putting the baby down in another room if its screaming is getting to you when they are little.
It was a bit like controlled crying and he soon realised he wasn't getting any attention.

If we were in the car then I just used to put the radio and focus on singing along to the music.

You have my sympathy. I can remember phoning DH as I walked down our road almost in tears with the stress of it all.

Yes, we have one of these babies!

I think she just has a definite preference for being able to see around her. She is 6 months old now, and I have to say I have largely given her a bit of choice in the matter. It seems like a reasonable thing to like! Obviously there's not a lot you can do about the car seat. But my DD enjoys being carried in a baby carrier, either front or back style. It's nice to have it as an option, anyway. When she is in the buggy I really have to plan for a tantrum.

My 2 year old was like that. Finally, I had to stop bringing him shopping, as people would keep coming up and saying things like 'Oh he must be hungry'. I figure that he just didn't like the motion of the buggy. He couldn't fall asleep while we were out, as the motion just annoyed him. Often me or dh would end up carrying him, while the other pushed the buggy. In the end, he grew out of it, at about 6/7 months. HTH.

Thanks everyone. I've tried a sling, which he prefers, but I can't stand the shoulder and back ache and have to sit down every 5 minutes. It isn't too bad in the car as I turn the music up like you Gem13, but I will keep trying with his cosey toes thingy and hope that it is just a phase. I will grit my teeth and try not to look cross or upset.

could he be bored? is he sitting up in the buggy looking outs? would a few toys help to make the buggy/car seat fun?

Pebs,
You have my complete sympathy. My DS was like this too. He enjoyed being in the trolley at tescos but that was about it!!

We found we couldn't even pop into town for 30 mins on a Saturday without him creating and crying. We soon realised that half of our problem was that when he complained at being in the pushchair, usually after 10 mins, one of us would carry him. So.... we stopped taking him out. I would talk to him in shops and tell him that he had to stay in the pushchair and that I knew he didn't like it but I would give him a cuddle soon. Then we'd stop in a cafe/coffee shop and take him out and tell him what a good boy he was and give him lots of cuddles.

It did work and now he will sit in the pushchair quite happily, although I've never left him in it for more than an hour. We don't tend to spend ages shopping anyway as I find it too hot in shops generally so I can see that a wrapped up baby would find it uncomfortable.

DS is 14mths but we still have problems at times:

Saturday in a cafe, screaming tantrum at I put him back in his buggy. Me saying 'DS, this is not acceptable behaviour. You are going in your pushchair and you are going to be strapped in' over and over mantra style whilst trying to fold one ramrod straight toddler into a cosy toes hoping that no one would report me to Social services for man-handling a toddler!!

BR

Thanks bunnyrabbit. Glad to hear that your tactics worked most of the time at least. It is a good tip to vocalise what you are doing for the child but it will also ward off critical looks and comments, hopefully.

I'm not holding my breath but DS has not cried at all on the last couple of days dog walking trips. I gave him a toy from the house to play with and talked to him the whole way round the walk. I must have looked bonkers to most people but I don't care so long as it works. I may even venture into the town centre before the end of the week if this keeps up!

I used to take the toys off of his baby gym and attach them to the straps on his buggy so he couldn't lose them...... In fact one of them is still on his big buggy!!

BR