If your baby/toddler hated the car seat and sitting in the pram

[Questionablecheese]

…did it ever get better? In your experience

Yes, although we still avoid long journeys in the car and she is front facing at 2 years old (I will get shot down for this on MN). She cried for a whole hour on one motorway journey at about a year old. We time all long car journeys to coincide with a nap so she's asleep for at least a part of it.

She had severe silent reflux as a baby and had to be carried up high and in constant motion. She would never entertain lying in a pram. A sling saved my sanity. She was medicated and things improved. I'd say she was happy to sit in a pushchair for short periods at about 6 months, and was happier generally as she could sit unaided.

Yes. How old is your baby? DS screamed solidly in the bassinet attachment of the pram. We gave up using it until we could sit him upright in the buggy attachment at about…5 or 6 mo old? He got progressively better and now likes it a lot at 1 yo (except when he wants to try and walk 😬).

Similar story for the car seat really - still won’t tolerate long journeys awake but will happily nap in it now.

DD (now 9 months) hated the car, like REALLY hated it. But she was ok in the pram. Things that helped where short journeys, try and time the journeys. Not overtired, but near nap time, or just woke up. Toys to distract her, nursery rhymes. She is better now, I would say it got better around 6 months, but the turning point was around 7.5months. Got a new car seat at 8 months too, I was worried about the change, but she was ok. I never thought it would get better.

Thanks so much for responding. It’s good to hear from other people.

Currently dealing with nearly 2 year(!!) who cannot and will not sit in the car seat without screeching and fighting it. Constantly. Has always been like this since very very small. I understand some people might say “just strap in and get on with the journey” which is fair, but it’s still hard to listen to. We don’t drive often but family live a fair ride away so to visit occasionally, we have to. Even some drives to the shops are a nightmare so we do have an iPad of cartoons always on standby but I’m just curious to see if it ever gets better. I think it is their personality - they are a go-getter and a ball of constant energy so I think the being strapped in/no access to running about freely really sends them over the edge. Same with the pram. If the pram stops moving for 0.3 seconds, they’re trying to escape. Frantically. Not an option of them walking with reins next to me yet as they are an athlete and will run away 😂 when held by the reins, they flop to the floor like a fish and we’ve got places we need to be. I do pick my battles but again yeah just seeing if this is something to continue to brace for, for the foreseeable

Train journeys still a pain - if they stay in the pram they’re writhing around because the pram has stopped moving. We move to the seats and all they want to do is run around like a headless chicken and still a bit young to reason with 🥲 it’s all fun 🤣

My dd is 2 and exactly the same. Or she was, before she was medicated for reflux like a pp. it’s made a huge difference, before I could barely even drive down the road without ear splitting screams, and she was never put down for a nap EVER as she’d ping awake as soon as she was put down. It’s worth investigating reflux if you suspect there’s a correlation. My dd is also forward facing in the car now and tbh fuck anyone who has a problem with that. It was far more dangerous for me to be driving with her rear facing and screaming blue murder.

Sounds so tough OP. Came here to suggest trains - DS is still prone to screaming in the car if he’s awake (same as yours, can’t stand being restrained). He’s not fully walking yet though so more containable on/around the seat! I hope things get better for you x