Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

Car seat craziness - ideas please!

21 replies

LadyMC1 · 02/09/2016 18:49

DS (4 months) hates the car seat. I've tried... White noise, singing, a massive mirror so he can see me, toys strapped on to the seat so he can play. We can do about 5 mins before the screaming starts and then it's scream until he's sick (and then continue). Any other suggestions or coping techniques? I just can't go out for anything longer than 15 mins - it just seems so cruel.
He doesn't have a dummy at home, but I thought I'd try it for the car to see if it helps. It does but only for the few seconds he keeps it in!
Oh I've also tried him in the car seat at home and he's fine, so he's not uncomfortable in there. Help!!!!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

mrsmoomoopoopoo · 02/09/2016 21:22

Sorry no suggestions but could he suffer from car sickness? Not sure if babies get this.

Sleeperandthespindle · 02/09/2016 21:33

My DS was particularly awful in the car at this age. Screamed constantly and it was awful. He was admitted to hospital for 3 weeks with failure to thrive after a nasty bug, and when we finally got out he was completely fine in the car.

No solution, but I never knew if it was hunger, tummy pain from his feeding difficulties, some pain from positioning in the car seat, or separation, or what. But it stopped, and never came back (until he started being car sick at 4!).

It's horrible though, so you have my every sympathy.

skankingpiglet · 02/09/2016 21:51

Not ideal but how about putting him in the front with the air bags off? That way he can see you and you can keep stuffing his dummy back in at the lights. It's certainly a better option than a distracted parent behind the wheel and a baby who's sicking up all over himself.

I'd persist with the dummy if it helps at all for the time he keeps it in. I've found both of my DCs have had to learn how to keep it in their mouth. DD2 is 10wks and is beginning to get the hang of it now (had it since 4wks) but will still sometimes spit it out accidentally if she gets a bit over-exuberant with the sucking.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

golfmonkey · 03/09/2016 06:13

I had the exact same problem, as skankingpiglet says, putting them in the front with the airbag switched off is the only thing that has helped. I drive much safer even if there is no isofix, and don't feel as limited now. Then the minute my dd2 can legally do it she is getting turned round. I know rear facing is much safer but when you drive like a maniac because you have a screaming baby in the back it can't be safe either. I honestly tried everything before I did this.

Original poster

LadyMC1 · 03/09/2016 09:13

Good idea to try the front - will definitely give that a go.
Isn't it horrid?
Hope your LO is ok now X

OP posts:

Nan0second · 03/09/2016 09:21

One of us sat in the back. Taught her how to have a dummy.
Severe reflux and undiagnosed cows milk protein allergy meant she was in agony :(

Original poster

LadyMC1 · 03/09/2016 10:23

Oh goodness Nano, that sounds awful. Poor thing. Hope it's better for you now

OP posts:

melonribena · 03/09/2016 10:34

4 years ago, my ds was just like this. It didn't help that every health visitor and friend I spoke to just declared that babies loved the car!!
Anyway, it was awful and randomly he had an undiagnosed milk allergy too??
What worked for us...
Someone sitting in the back reassuring/distracting him as much as possible
Persisting with a dummy
Keeping journeys short and trying to make sure it was nap time
Using a musical mobile

However, it only ever really stopped when he was able to be forward facing.
Good luck

5minutestobed · 03/09/2016 10:40

I have a thread in chat about this atm. My four month old is the same. ( and also has reflux and CMPI)
I am trying to find out if different seats would be better as I've heard the birth to 4 type of seats can be more comfortable/higher up.
My first was the same until I faced him forward at 11 months.

golfmonkey · 03/09/2016 12:24

My lo just stares at me with her big eyes the whole time now LadyMC1 - no reflux/allergy problems as far as I'm aware, just very sensitive and loves me a bit too much! Literally all the other stuff - mirror, dummy, music, white noise, opening windows, reassurance, toys, taking out insert, different seat etc etc did nothing. A friend suggested it and it's been a revelation. Occasionally she gets upset but it's so much better now. Hope it goes well for you.

Nan0second · 03/09/2016 13:11

Thanks. Yes once treated and dairy free at 6 months she improved but would still get upset sometimes.
Then at 10months she outgrew her infant carrier so I got a 2 way pearl (0-4years, extended rear facing). It's brilliant. It's higher up, she looks way more comfy and sometimes she even falls asleep in the car now!!

gruber · 03/09/2016 19:52

I'm sorry, my LO had this too. I put him in the front if I was driving on my own, tried to keep him as comfy as possible (eg not tight trousers, preferred baby grows as no waistband to dig in when sat in car seat), gave him his Muslin comforter, put sun shades up etc.
Unfortunately, he never really grew out of it until about 2. One of us had to sit in the back with him for long journeys (+20 mins) until then. Switched him forward at 15 mo much to my regret but it worked and he gradually got better.
He is now 3 and fine on long journeys. There is hope.

ODog · 03/09/2016 19:58

I have had 2 car haters. DS is 2.3yo now and absolutely fine and DD is 4mo and improving slowly so rest assured it does improve. Things that have helped on or the other or both:

Car seat in front
Ditch infant carrier for group 0/1 erf car seat
Dummy (need to use it at home too so they get used to keeping it in)
Singing
Toys/snacks they can hold when old enough
Timing journeys around naps
Removing infant insert
Time

MaisieDotes · 03/09/2016 20:01

DS2 is the same. The angle of the recline hurts his reflux.

Although he's 7 months now and we have some journeys with no screeching.

MaisieDotes · 03/09/2016 20:02

Hurts his reflux? Aggravates his reflux, really.

PirateFairy45 · 03/09/2016 20:14

It may be the car seat itself.

Have you walked around with him in his car seat? (Preferably attached to a pram) See how he reacts? If it's the same way it could well be the car seat.

If he doesn't do that just walking around whilst in it, it may be car sickness.

Where is he placed in the car?
Is he in the back? is he alone in the back - meaning any other person in the back too?.

My DD was in the back and she did this unless someone was in the back with her.

I drove mainly just her and myself so I couldn't go far.

I moved her car seat up to the front passenger seat. Yeah I'll probably get flamed for that but it worked for us, it was safe. I turned passenger air bags off and her seat was secure. After I did this and placed a toy mirror on the seat facing her, she could see me and she was fine then! Never screamed again like that unless she was tired

We even drove to Glasgow from Bolton and she was fine. She actually slept most of the journey!

Owlytellsmesecrets · 03/09/2016 20:22

We went 40 miles with my DS screaming in Dfil 's Alfa Romeo once ... He hated that car .... Fine in any other one though !!!

Summerdays2014 · 03/09/2016 21:01

My son did this for about a month when he was around 4 months. It was very stressful trying to drive whilst he was screaming. Then as soon as it started it stopped! He is fine in the car now. Never worked out what caused it... Fingers crossed it's just a stage for your son too.

Newlywed56 · 03/09/2016 21:03

Nursery rhyme cd , Has been a game changer for us. Is quite hard to listen to on a decent journey

ChipIn · 04/09/2016 03:17

My DD did the same thing and would stop breathing from crying. I was scared to go anywhere by myself as making sure she was full/ clean/ had toys didn't help. Went on for a month or so and one day it just stopped happening. Nothing had changed in terms of positioning or her diet so put it down to a phase.

Coconut0il · 04/09/2016 21:53

DS2 is 12 months. He cried on the journey home from the hospital and has cried on every journey since then DS1 would fall asleep so quickly but DS2 just hates it. We've tried all the things you have, he's had 2 different seats, we play him youtube videos of nursery rhymes which sometimes work. The only thing we haven't tried is forward facing.
I'm hoping he'll grow out of it but for now we've never done so much in the local area.

Flip