Car seat / buggy non sleeper and def doesn't transfer!

[Catheroooo]

Hi. Anyone have / had one of these? Lucky that she does sleep at home but I'd love to go on holiday to Wales which is a 5 hour drive away. If we went at naptime the most I get out if her asleep is 45 minutes. I'm worried we'd have a lot of screaming! She's 7 months old.

If she does sleep she def won't transfer without waking so I don't think driving at night is any good either.

Anyone had this, and does it get better with age? I will always meet her needs but wondering if when she is a year or so thus then becomes do-able... Anyone with experience? Thanks.

It may be that DD isn't comfortable in the car seat. I've certainly known of babies dislike their infant carrier and then suddenly become good travelers when they move up to their Group 1 seat.

My car and buggy sleep refuser finally dozed off for half an hour in her car seat at age 9... 9 years, not months. Some of them just don't.... Sorry.

She's now old enough to be over tired quietly, that's the big difference.

Thanks. How did you cope with long trips?

I used to think she was uncomfortable but she doesn't cry much. I know she would after 2 hours though as would be bored! She's just so alert and everything is interesting.

One of us sits in the back and distracts/entertains the baby for the journey. It's not easy. Frequent breaks help as well.

Didn’t use the car much (which is relatively easy in London) and when we had to use the car we aimed to have two adults (one to try and distract her). Mostly I went to places by public transport (she’d sleep in the sling).

I must admit we just ploughed in and went on long drives ( plenty of stops).
DC1 was no real trouble in that they slept or could be easily distracted if awake.
DC2 used to sleep well in car and when awake would sit quietly , fingers in mouth, looking rueful.
DC3 would scream until exhausted!
We still visited relatives and went on holiday as the ends justified the means.

Thanks yikesanotherbooboo. Did it get any easier? Did your third sleep in the buggy, what kind of sleeper were they at night?

I'm just feeling work out I genuinely though babies slept in carseat and buggies and my DD just won't. She's not hugely unhappy with it but if she gets overtired she will be. I had been trying to stay at how for all naps but it's just not practical. Today I went to my best friends who lives an hour and a half away. She napped thus morning at home. Wide awake in the car until the last 10 minutes but as soon as I parked her eyes pinged open. She was rubbing her eyes so I popped her in the buggy at the side of the house. I had been getting 30 min naps from her but she refused it today. Then as soon as we started driving in the car she dropped off, for 45 mins but she was so tired. If I don't 'force' her into sleep I swear she would go all day and night...

Mine doesn't sleep anywhere during the day but on one of us, and NEVER in the car or buggy, but she slept perfectly in the car when we drove through the night - from 7pm-2am. Screamed the place down when she got there, bless her, but slept the whole journey. You just never know what they'll manage!

Thanks Peachgreen l. How did she transfer?

Neither of my kids (DS age 3 and DD 9 months) have slept for more than 45 min in the buggy or car seat since newborn. And lots of my friends have that issue too. They sleep well in their cots though, which I prefer.

I just accept that DD won’t get great naps as she’s the second child and we can’t stay home all day, and try and aim for one decent nap a day. Move bedtime forward if it’s not been a good day.

A 5 hour car journey id maybe do after the morning nap? Get a few hours on the road then stop for lunch and hope she drops off for a bit. For people’s houses you could take a travel cot? It’s worse in my opinion when they are a toddler on one nap as then your whole day depends on the single nap, whereas with 2 naps you can still usually salvage some daytime sleep.

She woke up and screamed! She hasn't transferred since she was a newborn. Wakes as soon as the car stops. But she went back to sleep once we resettled her.

Sorry OP;
It got easier when DC3 was old enough to engage properly ie about 18 months. He has always been a poor car sleeper and to be fair was never good at naps or nights!!! He used to sleep in the buggy better than the car.