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Original poster

Long car journey = upset baby

16 replies

MistressMary · 22/09/2004 21:41

How can we travel for a 4-5 hour journey with a ten month old who gets stressed out.
We have done one journey before like this and after the first hour then falling asleep he is fine. Then he wakes and after about about 20 mins have passed, he gets restless and stressed. Any tips appreciated for a happier car journey.

OP posts:

Chinchilla · 22/09/2004 21:44

Is it a necessary journey? We took ds to Wales when he was nearly 1, and had 4 hours of him screaming (literally) on the way home. Dh and I veered between laughing and shouting. I think that they get really uncomfortable in their car seats at that age.

pixiefish · 22/09/2004 21:44

Can one of you sit in the back with him. Get a cd/tape of nursery rhymes etc for the car. Any toys you can take and play with him in the back of the car.
Frequent stops to allow him to stretch. keep fluid and food/snack levels up.
Any chance of you travelling at night when he's asleep? HTH

cuppy · 22/09/2004 21:44

Travel at night?

Original poster

MistressMary · 23/09/2004 09:03

Night travel would be ideal, however it will be an early a.m. start now, we are going to try for.
Just hope he wakes early on this occasion naturally.

OP posts:

gscrym · 23/09/2004 09:14

Could you borrow a portable DVD player? Argos were selling one for about £100. We got one for DS and he's now an absolute star on long journeys. He's 2 though but he still had his favourite programmes when he was little.

pixiefish · 23/09/2004 09:24

Or a laptop with a dvd player in it?

acnebride · 23/09/2004 10:09

Is it really essential to go by car? Could you go by train? If you need the car there, could one of you go by train with the baby and the other by car, to meet up at a station nearer the other end? All sounds over the top but think of 3 hours screaming...!

Otherwise, factor in a fairly major stop at least every 2 hours?

bundle · 23/09/2004 10:10

who's in the car? are you on your own with him?

Marina · 23/09/2004 10:20

Try and include breaks. We often have to do a trip of 300 miles plus and I found it sooo hard to accept that instead of hammering it up the A1 we have to stop every 1.5 hours to cheer up the children. Once you resign yourselves it does make a difference.
Is he in a second-stage (forward-facing) car-seat yet? Some of them can have trays attached and we found this a real distraction.
Would also really recommend sitting in the back with him if logistically possible. Just holding ds' hand helped (him. It bored me rigid )
My final tip is a bit drastic...have another PDQ. We never hear a peep out of dd because she has her brother to entertain her!

MumtoLaura · 23/09/2004 10:59

My DD was just the same at that age. I agree with Acnebride, I used to take DD on the train and DP took the car - this worked out more expensive, but it was a lot less stressful. Frequent breaks on the car journey were fine, but getting DD back into the car was difficult! It does get better though, DD is now fine in the car, even for long journeys with just the two of us.

Original poster

MistressMary · 23/09/2004 12:23

Sorry a bit more info.
Three adults with the babs,he is in second stage car seat in the front of landrover.
Going to Center Parcs in sulfolk.
Train is a good idea,will have to look at times and stations etc.
We got a Cd player and a nursery rhyme CD on hand.
We plan to stop for food and rest, but the journey will be considerably lenghtened if we stop too many times, prolonging the agony for us all. Thanks very much for your help, much appreciated.

OP posts:

edam · 23/09/2004 12:34

MistressMary, car seat manufacturers recommend that you don't use the seat for more than two hours without giving the child a break; I think it's bad for their backs or something. Anyway, makes them pretty uncomfortable to be held so securely in one position for so long. So irritating as they are, frequent breaks are necessary.
Safety advice is also NOT to put infant seats on the passenger seat but in the back - if you look up past threads on this you'll see links to further information. Maybe if baby was in the back he'd be more easily entertained by sitting next to other people, too?

Original poster

MistressMary · 23/09/2004 12:41

Yes, I would prefer in the back too, but the back seats are inward facing unfortunately.Unless anyone can confirm whether thatit is safe to put a second stage seat in the side facing back seats? Thanks Edam, I'm we all will want to get out for a break in any cas after two hours!

OP posts:

edam · 23/09/2004 13:03

Oh, I see, didn't think about the landrover bit. Well, as long as you don't have passenger airbags sure it will be OK!

suedonim · 23/09/2004 17:04

We often do long journeys from N Scotland to Kent. I'd also recommend having breaks. To make the actual breaks a bit shorter I pack a picnic for our first stop, which is quicker (and more edible!) than queuing at a service station. Then we have a longer stop for a meal and another later just for coffee. Hth.

Original poster

MistressMary · 23/09/2004 17:22

Thanks everyone. It is all helpful stuff.

OP posts:

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