crying in car - relentless

[Greenstone]

Dd1 is 3 and goes to playschool every morning. It's about an 8 minute drive away or a bit more with traffic.

Dd2 is 12 weeks and hates hates hates the car seat. For about 6 or 7 weeks now I have been trying in vain to time things so she is asleep at drop off/collect. It works about 10 percent of the time. The rest of the time she just screams. So that's 4 short trips a day of screaming. I hate it so much and so does dd1. I feel like I'm leaving her to CIO which I would not do if she were in a cot but I can't really stop the car.

I just thought by now she would have given up and accepted the car seat. I dread these journeys every day.

She will not take a dummy. I try every day.

Is there any light at the end of the tunnel?

Ah I'm sorry my 6mo DD is the same. I've tried everything but she just hates the car seat. I just avoid going further than 5 mins away now it's not worth the stress.

Has she got toys to look at? Music on? The baby einstein toy distracts mine for a short time.

try pulling the hood forward as far as it will go.

dd was like this a bit and I always thought it was things whizzing by that used to frighten her.

I used to put a blanket over her . worked though.

This is probably a dumb question, but is something hurting her when she is in the car seat? eg straps too tight, or the back of her head pressing on something hard? Or is she definitely warm enough?

One of mine would scream his little head off in the pushchair, until I figured that he needed a much warmer outdoor suit, then he was fine about it.

Apologies if you have already thought of these matters.

Mm dd was the same I thought all babies fell asleep in the car-how wrong was I! I can't remeber when it got better maybe not long after the 3/4 month mark she's 7 months now and is fine, it's stressful I feel for you!

I bought britax first class plus as they can stretch out and see more. crying in the car all gone the first time we used it. dc3 was reflux baby so maxi cosi squashing stomach. best 80 pound ever spent. I don't work for britax btw.

No it's not a dumb question It's possible, I've checked but will have another look. I don't think she's too cold but have Googled and it could be the opposite - too warm and I should remove hat once in car.
Dd1 cried in the car lots too but had given in to liking it by this age I think. So there must be something bothering dd2.

Can you walk instead? 8 min car drive isn't a very long walk. Baby will fall asleep in sling/ pram, you and ds1 get excercise and everyone gets fresh air

Oh interesting junior - dd2 has reflux also and we have a maxi cos pebble. I am nearing the stage where I'll try anything.

Absolutely cannot walk. It's about an hour and a half with pram along a busy road.

No advice but my 13 week old is exactly the same -
I think for us it is a hat/hood issue coz it doesn't seem to be the straps. But in jan she has to have one or the other. If it makes you feel any better, I feel doubly bad coz she has hearing loss so can't even hear me trying to sooth her.
Fingers crossed it's just a phase & improves soon x

Def remove the hat! Don't need that in a car. And obviously coat etc. My dd used to get really hot.

seriously if you can find someone else with one try it out. Or buy from ebay cheap to test then buy own. Fantastic for dc3. There is a french make (joie?) that make similar style but more expensive. Britax doesn't have handle so tricky to move once asleep but the mere fact he sleeps in it rather than screams has changed my life.

Ah Twisted Well dd can't hear me trying to soothe either as she's so busy crying! I put on the fan for white noise and play classical music over it, sometimes she quietens to it but usually not.

Mine used to both scream, singing to them helped.

My DD screamed in the car for ages. Lots of sympathy, I know how awful it is. Interestingly my DD had reflux too, which backs up junior's suggestion.

I did find that one of those mirrors which you attach on the back seat so that she could see my face helped, but I only found out about them when she was a bit older, at about 6 months.

Oh, and if you are having trouble with the cold-outside/hot-in-the-car thing, I found the morrk baby hoodies great.