Help! My 16wo hates the car!

[AmandinePoulain]

Up until a few days ago 16wo dd2 was perfectly happy in the car and would fall asleep within a few minutes of setting off, or sit there babbling happily. Now, however, she screams from the moment the car seat goes into the car until we take it out. I don't think that it's the car seat itself - she'll sometimes cry whilst I strap her in but not every time, and just now she cried for the entire 15 minute journey but stopped literally the second I lifted the seat out of the car.

She's in a Britax Babysafe carrier with a belted base (isofix is a no go because we've also got a campervan without isofix points), and we use the wedge under the base because otherwise she looks too upright. I've recently removed the newborn pillow from the headhugger because she looked really squashed but I put the headhugger back in without it.

I'm wondering is she's getting car sick? She's generally a sicky baby, and I suffer from it myself when I travel in the back; I'm also wondering if it's because she can't see me so as much as I'd rather not do it I'm going to try her in the front but does anyone else have any suggestions? Not using the car isn't an option - I've got to get dd1 to school and we're taking a 3 1/2 hour trip on Friday that dd1 is very excited about, but my nerves are frazzled by even short journeys at the moment so I need a solution!

Might changing seats help? I wanted to keep her rear facing for as long as I could so we were intending to buy a Britax First Class when she grows out of the carrier, has anyone tried it with a car hating baby? I'd go out and buy one now if that'll help, even though it would be awkward with the travel system!

Thanks

why not try it without the base and see if that helps ( you never know). Try timing the long journey when she is likely to sleep.

Thank you. Timing with naps doesn't seem to help unfortunately. She was much happier in the front for the school run this afternoon which I'm hoping wasn't just a one off

DS hated the car from about 7/8 weeks old. Screamed non stop and it made me such a bad driver that I stopped driving pretty much anywhere. But from the very day i switched him into the bigger, forward facing seat at 9mo, we have not had a single meltdown. He even seems to enjoy it. Think it's a combination of being able to see me and look out of the window. Plus, he is a brute (98th centiler for weight and height) so think he was uncomfortable in his first infant seat. So it might make a difference for you.

Or is there anyway you can turn off your front passenger airbags and sit her up front with you? She might be comforted by being able to see you, plus you can touch her? We couldn't in our car but I know others who have.

We had this with DD when she was very little. What helped us was getting a musical toy that went round the handle of the carrier and we played it when she went in the seat and periodically during the journey. It really seemed to help her settle, and she loves going in the car now.

That's what I did this afternoon fred, she chatted to me instead of crying which was bliss! She's far too small for forward facing yet, ideally I'd like her to be rear facing for as long as we can but I may have to rethink that if things don't improve.

Thanks ann, she has a mirror mobile in front of her but it seems that I'm the one she wants at the moment!