Baby HATES THE CARSEAT. Help.

[Feedingnightmare]

Hi all

DD2 is 3 months old and my GOD. Every single journey is a fucking nightmare. She screams from the second I put her in the carseat to the second I frantically latch her onto my boob for comfort whenever we arrive anywhere. Screams like I'm bloody amputating a limb off her. DD1 was like this but only once she was a bit older and just didn't like being rear-facing. I literally haven't been anywhere that's further than a 30 min drive because I cannot take the screaming. I took the newborn insert out in case it was making her feel squished - no difference.

I doubt there is a solution but just needed to vent.

My DC3 was the same , it made the school run an absolute misery for months. They eventually grew out of it .

Try those real sheepskin liners, they worked a treat with mine. Was years ago tho!

A mirror facing DC and few squishy toy attachments saved us in this situation.
Went from precisely as you describe above to a bit of fuss in the beginning being secured into the seat then ten minutes into the drive was murmuring away quite happily... then the motion became helpful to get naps happening too.

Perseverance with these things I think is key-but I do remember how hellish the screaming was initially, hope you find some happy solutions OP.

one of my dc wasthe same.
we got a different car seat and that helped. seems like dc was just not comfortable in the first one.

My youngest was like this, he didn't like being out of sight of us. Eventually tolerated being sat next to someone (one of us in the back or him in the front next to me driving) about 3 months and finally grew out of it about 6 months. Hang in there. It's really bloody hard and we just stopped going out in the car if we could avoid it and used the bus/walking/Tesco deliveries.

My DD2 was the same. You have my sympathy! Unfortunately I just had to time car journeys for when she would be due a nap.
They do grow out of it 😐

We had this and bought a seat that basically likes flat (we went for Nuna Arra). My logic for the extra cost was that it was cheaper than paying the excess if I had an accident due to stress! Bonus is that we can drive longer with him in it too as it's a better position, and he loves it.

Every sympathy for you lovely, ds2 has hated his car seat and pram and sling and high chair and the supermarket trolley from birth and he's now 21m!! I keep hoping today will be the day it improves 😂😂 we just navigate it as best we can - ie avoid the car if it's unnecessary and tolerate the crying when it is necessary.

My second was the same, it was a nightmare! From when I could drive at 6 weeks to about 4 months when he found his thumb. If I was with my husband I’d sit in the back with my little finger in his mouth. It was awful, I stuck to short journeys unless I was with my husband. He grew out of it by 4 months.

Time. DS wasn’t happy awake in the car seat until close to 1, but he’d sleep quite readily in the car seat from maybe 5 or 6 months.

Can you put her in the front passenger seat? (turn the airbag off)

Same problem here. I only drove when she was due a nap for months. Then once she could put her dummy in herself it got a bit easier. She still doesn't like the car though (18 months) and journeys are generally stressful. Sympathy and solidarity!

Car seat manufacturers will tell you not to add 3rd party products like this. They’re untested and cause babies to not be fully secure in the seat and could cause serious injury or fatality in an accident. Don’t do this OP.

Stupid question but does she have a dummy?

I've been told some babies just do this. My DD used to cry in the car seat (although not as badly as what you've described tbh) the only thing which stopped the crying was to sing to her. Have you tried singing? Worth a try if you haven't

Also, another suggestion, but you could have her rear facing in the front seat so you can at least see one another and touch her. This is perfectly safe as long as you turn off the airbag. Not something I even thought of myself, but I'm in a 2 car seat fb pages and I've seen it suggested.

My 7 month old was like this. Pure hell. Took him to a chiropractor and after some sessions (including me doing homework in between) he started to seem more comfortable. She showed me how his muscles were tight down one side, when lying flat his legs were always swung over to one side.

I think it's just a case of time though. I'd say you are over the worst!! Once they can engage with toys it gets better. My little one was truly horrific. Then began to really wake up to toys. Cue me spending a fortune on all manner of car seat toys!

Journeys are usually OK now as long as baby isn't hungry or tired. There is hope!!

Same with mine. Nothing worked till we were able to forward face her and she was nearly 2.5!!!

Mine were the same. DD wasn't quite as bad as DS, who was exactly as you describe. I used to drive shaking a rain maker, or I played loud white noise through the radio until we moved to baby shark on repeat!

My 5mo old was the same up until very recently.

Around 4 months she got better, but by coincidence I tried a different car seat and wow the difference. My mum bought a maxi cosi for her car and DD did not cry at alllllll.

FYI it was the silver cross one DD would scream in. Safe to say I've taken my mums car seat.

My baby was the exact same. She's 6 months now and gradually got better from about 4 months. I put toys on the car seat and sensory pics on the back seat to entertain her, if I could then someone would sit in the back with her. She only cries now if she's hungry or tired.

OP does your car seat fit onto a travel system? We had the same - so we used car seat attachment for buggy as the main carrier for walks and DS got used to it really quickly - within days. After that he was fine in the car seat.

Mine was the same until 6m then suddenly started to be entertained by car toys and looking out the window and me singing along to the Happy Song etc. I think they all either grow out of it or are able to tell you from about 2 they feel travel sick even if not actually vomiting. Until baby grew out of it I'd really limit journeys and try to sit in the back. As I was ebf going too soon after a feed wouldn't help with reflux so would also ensure I waited until 30 mins after a feed and not during nap time as this made it worse.

We got a portable dvd player and strapped it to the headrest. No crying again.

That's a very good idea. I wish I'd thought of this before changing car seats!