Days out with crying baby

[CMS20]

Hey everyone, just looking for some advice on how to navigate going out with a grumpy 4 month old. Since I had her I have been trying to go out almost everyday to get us both out the house since DH works and it’s just us, she has started this new thing where if she doesn’t sense any motion (car, pram etc has stopped moving) she will start absolutely screaming! I don’t drive so I have to rely on public transport when DH is at work and whenever the bus will stop in traffic or stop at the bus stop she will start getting so angry and start crying which gives me so much anxiety as I feel on edge and just waiting for the meltdown to start. His only day off right now is a Sunday and we go out for the day but we have been recently having to come home early because she just has an absolute meltdown suddenly, is there anyway to navigate this as I feel she can also be getting overtired/overstimulated when we are having days out? She currently has 4 naps in the day, one shortly after her feed when she wakes up in the morning. 2 in the afternoon and 1 in the evening when we are home. She will not nap when she is outside and it’s really affecting us now, I am having to spend almost everyday at home with her alone now because no one really wants to be around us anymore when she is constantly screaming and I just feel so isolated. How do you manage naps/content baby when out and about? Sorry if it’s so jumbled lol not sure how to put everything in the one bit! Appreciate anyones input

Have you tried a carrier rather than the pram? Will she have a dummy?

I recently just bought a baby carrier so she can have some comfort but she’s not too sure about it lol, yeah she does take a dummy but it doesn’t make much difference when we are out! Just not sure what to do to help her

I’d carry her. Get a Baby Bjorn and walk with her while you do your shopping etc. Take the pram to carry the shopping.
It does pass, don’t stay at home, people don’t think anything of babies crying. Every mother has been there with a screaming baby!
Dummies are also worth trying.
She is normal, don’t stay at home. My first was like this - screamed every time there was no motion. It settles down

Ps babies this age are frequently grumpy 24/7

Abs before you go out make sure she’s well fed.. just to rule out hunger

Agree to get a sling or carrier x

Definitely a sling. Both of mine would’ve been horrendous if I’d only ever taken them out in the pram - they both hated it from day 1. They were both fine in a sling. I probably would’ve had to sway whilst sat on the bus so that when it stopped they carried on moving - if that makes sense?

Also, if she's lying flat in the carry cot, try her sitting up in the seat, she may want to see more.

It gets easier! I didn't drive so used a carrier mostly and I fed on demand if she was grumpy (most of the time) no set naps either. She's adult now. I went out a lot because we lived in a tiny flat and I'm not keen on my own company - baby groups, market, park etc

Oh and she hated being flat and liked looking forwards, hated the pram until we turned it around and propped her up

@CMS20 Firstly, please don’t stay at home! Get out and about as much as you can. If anyone gets arsey with you over a crying baby then make sure you give them a good talking to! Babies cry, it’s normal ❤️

Agree with others, keep giving the sling a go - mine hated it but I know lots of babies love them.

As for not sleeping when you’re out and about - have you tried white noise in the pram? I don’t drive either and I found that white noise helped on the bus or the train, along with rocking the pram. It gives them another noise to tune into rather than the noise of the engine.

Thank you so much everyone will definitely put the carrier to use now, and also try propping her pram up so she can see. Really appreciate all your replies

Hi @CMS20 I have a 5 month old who was like this....

I got the tommee tippee pip the panda travel toy - he makes white noise / lullaby's that sends dd off to sleep when we're out
I also got the rockit stroller rocker for the pram - she seems to like it and picked it up on Amazon for £9.99 on a deal
She also liked having her blanket & being propped up in the buggy so rolled a towel to wedge one end of her carrycot (just until she can go in her seat)

I have almost 5 month old and we don't go out. She basically hates car seat, pushchair and carrier so we stay at home. last week I had to bring her back home as she started crying (high pitch) in the middle of the park. I only take her to children centre for sensory play and baby classes but children centre is only 5 minute walk from my house so feel blessed ! I feel like I have been self isolating since almost 2 years now !!
I really feel you OP !!

Thank you @HowToSayNo7 I’ll have a look at those now! @Theeasypeasywoman I honestly relate to every bit of that, anytime I go out now with her I have to rush around to get shopping done which puts me on edge and days out are just completely out the window lol. I feel it’s so isolating staying home with a baby but not being able to get out the house for sanity just makes everything seem so much worse when you’re looking at the same four walls everyday! Really hope things get better for all of us feeling like this

My DD was just as you describe at 4/5 months. I couldn’t stop moving the pram for a second and only went out for walks and never into shops/for coffee etc. Literally everything changed when she got to 6 months and I had her in the stroller attachment. She suddenly loved being awake in the pram and being able to sit up and see everything. I really hope the same happens for you - it was a true game changer for us

I feel seen!
This is very much my situation OP and it's really really hard! I feel like I am taking a risk every time I leave the house- how long until she has a meltdown!? Makes me feel very on edge. She does sleep in a sling, so that has been a saviour for us, but cries in pram and car seat. She is a poor napper too. I want to take her to groups and keep pushing ourselves to get out, but do find it tough. I think it would be easier if there was someone to come with us, but partner is working during the day. He does help at the weekends.
Hoping it does get better, sure it will, but solidarity with you! I don't know if it's the same for you, but my LO has such a loud cry/scream- I don't think others get it until they see her in action! She's very difficult to soothe when out too, otherwise wouldn't be so nervous to take her out.
This too will pass...as everyone says!!

It definitely does pass - my baby was like this. It just got gradually easier as she got older and started to need less sleep - think she was a chronically overtired baby. Although she was even worse at home than out so I was out as much as possible. I used to go to a few groups at children's centres and churches about that age, more for my own benefit than hers. Is there anything local for you like this? My husband used to carry her in the baby carrier a lot too and she would scream initially but then she'd fall asleep. Also if I took the pram out I basically had to keep it moving permanently so I'd rock it back and forth in shops/whilst waiting to cross the road to keep her quiet. Also persisted with dummy wherever possible, she took to it more and more the older she got. But really it does just get so much easier as time goes on. Although I'm going to be honest I couldn't comfortably go in a shop with DD without her kicking off until she was about 2.5...