Car rides

[SABDELLAHI]

Hi

Hope everyone is well.

My little boy has is 16 weeks old and is a nightmare in car rides. He will scream until he vomits. I have tried getting him toys, a mirror to distract him but it doesn't help.

Do you think it's the car seat? Has anyone Cheever car seats and seen the difference ?

The car seat we currently have is maxi cosi pebble pro.

I haven't drove in a week . I find it unsafe because I can't concentrate when the baby is crying in the back.

Any tips ? Will he grow out of it? He absolutely loves the pram but hates car rides.

No advice, but just wanted to say my DD is the same. We have the same car seat, although I’ve borrowed 2 other seats off my sister and it made no difference.

I’ve tried toys, mirrors, music, white noise, cat seat in the house. I’ve found someone in the back with her helps, but as a single mum there is just us to. So I have taken to walking to peoples houses (over 2hours) and them driving us back later on. Or walking to the local shop. Just to avoid the car as much as possible.

DD is nearly 6 months, and is better in the car in the last 2 weeks so hoping she is growing out of it. I make sure she has toys, dummy’s attached, and it’s only short distances. Plus do it before she is tired, so just after a nap, and not straight after a feed.

Fingers crossed your DS grows out of it too, I know how awful and stressful it can be.

My DD suffered horrible reflux and constipation (cause of the gaviscon) when she was small and hated car rides. I assumed it was because the position in the car seat made it uncomfortable for her. Does your little one suffer with either of those?

Very much doubt it's the seat. All bar one if the children in my extended family, so10 out of 11,have done this. Some worse than others. My lo and the eldest probably the worst. If it was dark I used to give a light up toy that sometimes placated my lo to some extent. The eldest had a dummy for car journeys.

Hi @DressingGown87 thank you for replying to my post ! how did you manage 2 hour walks? I get so tired after an hour.

@Vicky1989x thank you for your response. My DS has terrible gas problems. Is prescribed Gaviscon but it doesn't make a difference to reduce his gas. My DS has started to sit up which he can't in the car seat and it frustrates him being restricted.

My husband cannot drive due to having vision impairment. I want to drive l my husband to where he needs to go (mainly work) but I can't because of my DS getting hysterical on the way to work and back home. Yes my husband can take a bus (he does everyday) however I prefer to drop him at least he will get to work on time - misses the bus due to not been able to read the bus number. Taxi is expensive everyday. We have mortgage and a newborn with only DH salary and a crappy basic maternity pay.

Some of the next stage up car seats are suitable from newborn I think, eg joie 360 or nuna rebl basq (I have this one) - do double check this as I say this from memory. The one I have can be adjusted to be more or less reclined, being more upright may suit your son more perhaps? As you will eventually need this type of car seat when he outgrows his infant carrier (usually around a year) you wouldn’t really be wasting money, just spending a bit early. The main downside is that you can’t clip this sort to the pram. Please take professional advice on buying this sort of seat when your baby is so young though - I’m not an expert just speaking from memory.

My daughter is usually good in the car but if she gets tetchy in longer journeys I have had some success playing music from CBeebies shows she likes. I guess yours is too young to have shoes they like but you may find some sort of music which helps? Even just my singing helped sometimes when she was little though it’s hard to concentrate on driving and sing too!!

My dd was an absolute nightmare. So stressfull to hear them crying and trying to drive. I remember one car ride only 5 miles, I had to stop so many times to play baby shark. They only thing that seemed to calm her was music and singing, 5 little ducks on repeat. In general I avoided using the car. She's outgrown it now, loves going out in the car.

I barely left the house for a year because we lived in such an isolated area where a car was the only transportation option and dd screamed so much every time we got in the car. Dd turned out to have sensory issues and something about the car was just that unpleasant for her, but of course we didn’t know that at the time.

Sorry, my DS is still like this at 1yo I either only take him on very short trips or anything longer there has to be someone in the back with him. Not ideal.. but with lockdown we've barely gone anywhere anyway. I'm hoping he grows out of it. But it seems like it's actually really common!

I had one that cried the whole time he was awake in a pram. Not fun. Got better around 5months old.

Another one mostly cried in the car until about 18m. Sympathies!!

DD was still like that at 1, but it improved steadily and now at 3 utterly loves being in the car, chattering away about what she sees, etc.

My little girl was the same.
I had a hire car for 2 weeks, which allowed me to turn off the airbags in the front. That was a game changer. I think it's because they are so small they panic that you have gone, all they can see is a big black void (the car seat). Once she could see me she was happier. I almost changed my car as result. The good news is they do grow out of it!!