Travel sickness hell

[SleepForTheWeak]

I'm at the stage now of dreading every journey longer than 10 minutes as DD(22months) gets so sick and is a screaming banshee on long road trips.

The problem is, my parents live a 5 hour car journey away (on awful roads for the most part). We love visiting them but they journeys are hell.

I was prescribed Ucerax to give to DD (sedating anti histamine) a few months back and it worked the first time we used it. Since then, however, she is sick as soon as she takes it and I've tried to hide it in EVERYTHING to disguise it but to no avail.

She has a DVD player which keeps her much more content but think it might be contributing to the sickness?? (Although, she's sick even if it isn't on)

We are making the journey tomorrow, and I've just found out there's roadworks to hold us up further.

Just having a moan really, so so dreading the journey. Lots of muslins and clean clothes will have to do.

Any tips or similar stories would be much appreciated!!!

Can you set off at around bedtime, put her in pjs and hope she'll sleep?

Could you or her dad sit in the back with her?

I really sympathise as dd suffers too but she is 6 and it has only started in the last year or so. Can you position her car seat so that it is in the middle? I find dd is much better if she can see out of the windscreen rather than the side windows .

If you disable the airbag can she sit in the front ?
Keep the window open
No screens or books to look at, it's better to look straight ahead, keep pointing out sheep, horses, count lorries

I had horrendous travel sickness as a child. Definately watching tv would make it worse you couldn't get portable things for the car when I was a kid but reading would make it worse too.
Can you put her in the front? I didn't get sick in the front of the car.
My parents tried all sorts of travel sickness pills with varying success.

Is there a different medicine you can try? I got one for 24+ months from the chemist if you can wait till she's that age. It seems to be OK tasting, at least DC1 didn't object aged 3!

Must be awful for your DD.

Is she rear facing? Would it help if she faced forwards instead?

Could you do the journey by train?

I used to feel sick in the car as a child and it was horrible. I think the dvd will make it worse (mixture of seeing the dvd image and the moving of the road going past outside)

If you have to go by car I'd definitely try night time journeys and audio cds rather than dvds. Poor thing - she must feel awful.

Awful for all of you. Especially at that age she can't aim it in a bowl or something.

I've suffered a lot and find the only med that works in what is in kwells the Hyoscine hydrobromide

There is a kids version. Packet says over 4 tho I'd be tempted to use it quarter tab maybe. In no pharmacist I just know how shit it is for suffer and fellow passengers.

Hope it goes ok tomorrow

By the way our DS is only ever sick on trains (Pendolino) and planes. DD in the car!

Thanks for your replies.

She has an isofix seat so unfortunately it can't go in the front or in the middle. Also, I would be worried about her in the front as the roads are really bad and I'm paranoid about accidents.

She's forward facing now, although seems to be sick more in this position which is strange ( although screams half as much forward facing!!)

I usually sit in the back with her but it doesn't help at all - she's just gets even more upset as I'm right there by she can't get out.

I've tried phenegran which is another one prescribed by GPs (a friend let me try it). I managed to get it into her via a yogurt and it definitely helped, will maybe ask Dr to prescribe it, and hope the yogurt trick works again.

I get bad motion sickness too even as an adult, so I know how she must be feeling.

I'll take the DVD player out - she'll be annoyed it's away but we can see how it goes and if she's still sick ill put it back in and at least she won't cry so much.

There are no trains, there's a short flight you can take (which is expensive) or a ferry part way (also expensive and she's been sick on that too!!)

I know we just need to prepare and accept, but it's hard as she's still so small so she doesn't fully understand. I often end up in tears too as she cries so much and unjust feel so helpless!

Night time travel could be an option, by she's a shit sleeper too so who know what kind of fun and games we could have when we arrived!! To complicate it further we have a dog so have to stop half way regardless to let her stretch her legs.

Sorry, i know it just sounds like I'm moaning!! Just so anxious and dreading tomorrow which is a shame as I'm looking forward to seeing my family!

You aren't moaning at all. It sounds really hard with no obvious solution.

I had phenergan as a child. It's sedative so maybe that and night travel might be good combo. Suck up sleep issues when you get there. Traffic might be less stop start too.

It sounds like she's also got association with car seat and feeling ill and screaming etc probably doesn't help vomit factor.

My dd2 did this as a baby and it was awful. I used to sit with her and it's so hard when you can't take them out.

Look after yourself. Plan something nice for when you get there. Xx

Also. I've always found sickness was worse in day time. Night time was better for some reason.

Raining seems to be worst for it ime. No idea why.

is taking the train an option at all?

Would she wear those pressure wristbands? I don't know if she is too little (or if they would work!).

I always find a little bit of fresh air helps if I get queasy - just opening the window half an inch or so makes a big difference.

Oh no, I would ask the doc for phenergan, this helped my DD until she was old enough for quells. Good luck with your journey

Train not an option as we live in the arse end of nowhere!!

Maybe we could travel back at night time on way home, roadworks would have less impact of nothing else.

Will see doc about Phenergan - I'm thinking of picking up some piriton syrup in the morning - you think that would have the same effect? (Assuming she takes it!!)

I would definitely set off at her bed time, even if she is then awake for a few hours when you arrive it's better than the puking and screaming en route plus the grandparents can amuse her whilst you both collapse!

I've suffered all my life too.

Travel bands
Late afternoon onwards travelling
If you can sleep whilst travelling it's much better

We've left it too late to leave tonight as she's already in bed but will definitely consider it for journey home.

It blows my mind that people can travel long distances with toddlers without sickness and screaming!

I still suffer horrible motion sickness so really sympathise. For me, eating before the journey helps and so does being cold (so windows open or air con on full). Reading, tv etc, all make things worse. It sounds silly, but taking corners slowly so the car doesn't swing round and not driving fast is also a huge factor.

All of mine have been travel sick, as was I as a child. It's horrid and I really feel for you.

Second the night time if you can and open window if not suggestions. Also, if you can spot the vomit before it happens, Tupperware lined with a nappy sack (which you can tie up afterwards) is great for catching it.

Driving style really affects my DC. DH tended to try to go faster to get there before they were sick, but the swinging around corners and the obvious acceleration / deceleration made it worse. Slow and steady definitely helps.

You have my sympathy. If it helps, youngest is nearly 6 and has almost grown out of it. Since 3ish has been pretty good at getting it in a box too. It will hopefully get better for your DD as she gets older. Good luck tomorrow.

Thank you, I've tried to catch it when's she's sick but she just pushes anything near her away (such a compliant child!!!).
It'll hopefully be easier when she's older, she won't even keep a bib on or towel on her lap to minimise the mess

To be fair the roads here are awful, so even taking your time it's still easy to feel ill (I can't sit in the back without feeling sick).

I

Would she keep on a bib with sleeves? We have some of the Silly Billyz style or there's Mum2Mum which have poppers at the back of the neck.

Definitely agree re windy roads and going too fast. Lovely memories of being stopped in a layby on a country road scrabbling around for all the spare clothes we had for DD, she ended up in something enormous belonging to DS who's 2 years older.

is your car smelly?
'new car' smell od those perfume trees make me feel queasy.
poor all of you. there us no reasoning with a child that age...

Yes that new car smell is the worst!