12 month old hates her car seat

[Babycarseat]

My little girl is nearly 1 year old and she's hated the car seat for quite a while now. She screams and cries even if someone is with her in the backseat. She'll scream even though her nappy is dry and she's not hungry or tired.

I've suffered with really bad motion sickness since I was a young child and I feel even worse when I'm travelling backwards or can't see into the distance. I'm wondering if she suffers with motion sickness too. She's happier in a forward facing pram. I know what it's like to feel queasy and uncomfortable from being car sick.

I know babies need to stay in a rear facing car seat until they're 15 months old (UK law), but has anyone got any tips to help my baby for the next 3 months? Thanks!

Just to add: I don't want to hear from mums who've bought Swedish rear facing car seats for their 6 year olds. That won't work for my daughter and I know if my dad bought me one when I was a child then I would've screamed and vomited. I'm following UK law as I'm British.

Is she still infant carrier? She’s probably big enough to move in to a toddler seat which she may find more comfortable. You can get spinning ones, do you can keep her rear facing for now and switch her when you choose.

Yes she's still in the infant carrier and I was going to get a forward facing car seat when she's around 15 months. Every car ride is a nightmare!

But my point is you could buy a new multi-way one now, keep it rear facing until 15m then switch her forward at that point if she is still unhappy rear facing.

Yes, I'd second the suggestion to get a good quality spin toddler car seat, so she can be more upright and see more now, whilst still rear facing, then turn her forward later. DD2 hated the infant seat with a passion (combination of boredom, sickness, and reflux pain, so entirely justified!), so we switched her to a rear-facing toddler seat at around a year old, and it made all the difference.

If you think being able to see into the distance may be important for her, remove the headrest behind her whilst she's rear-facing (in a toddler seat, it won't help much in a reclined infant carrier), and see if you can install a car seat in the middle rear seat in your car for when she's forward-facing – otherwise she'll mostly have a view of the headrest.

Yes, try a spinning seat. My eldest hated the car in her infant seat but was fine rear facing in the Joie 360. We didn't forward face with it till about two. I think it's the more upright position that helps.

I would try a spin seat as others said. W rises from birth and Ds was much higher up in car than baby seat so he could see out side and back window easily. Plus they have more sit and recline options so you might find even rear facing she’s better as higher up and more sat up

Another here to suggest you change her to the next stage car seat. She isn't enjoying being so reclined now she's older and more aware. They look so uncomfortable in baby car seats around this age. Buy a spinning one, keep her rear facing and you can tilt it back a little to help her adjust (being fully upright can take a while for them to get used to) and you should find she is much happier. It's safe at her age as long as you buy a car seat that goes from newborn up or from 1+. We have a Joie spin one that both ours have loved transitioning too and you can use it from newborn - 4.

I've seen the spin car seats but wondered if they're worth it as I won't need the rear facing function for long. Any recommendations?

They're great, even if you end up forward facing. So much easier to strap a reluctant toddler into a spinning seat.

We loved our spinning seat, our DD is 10 now and they must have come on a lot since then.
Just to warn you, both my DCs have been sick in forward AND rear facing seats so it might be less safe and still not help.

I wouldn't get a spin seat if you're primarily aiming to forward face, it would be better to get the best-performing forward facing seat, so it's designed to do that one job and not compromise. The spin seats sit them further forward and higher up, which is not as good for forward facing safety. For forward facing I would choose a brand with a very good safety reputation, probably Britax or Maxi Cosi, unless you want to splash out on the Cybex Anoris, which is not necessary but some people like to do, and look for top tether or support leg, pads which grip onto the chest and a very easy to use harness. (Personally, I would probably go for Britax Trifix 2, if it fits well in your car).

The only caveat I'd add to this is that the spin seats are situated much higher up, so that's useful in terms of them being able to see out the rear window when rear facing, which can help with travel sickness as they can see the horizon.

If she can see out the back from where she is now (try taking off the headrest off the vehicle seat) you could try blocking her view of the side window so she can't see the environment rushing past so fast, and can see out to the horizon, this may help. But the angle of an infant carrier seat might be so low that she can only see the sky even when doing this.

Also, keep the temperature in the car slightly too cool for adult comfort, this may help any nausea. You can do that by opening windows or using air con. Try to avoid travelling when she is either very hungry or within an hour or so of eating (or a couple of hours of a big/rich meal). Obviously that's not always possible but can help. Consider getting her eyes tested if you have access to anywhere that can do that without her verbal input. (They can do it with a camera thing, but I'm abroad and not sure who would offer this in the UK).

They’re definitely worth it, as you can spin them towards the door to get them in and out which is so much easier when they’re toddlers and resisting going in. I’d agree with getting one of these, they’re much more comfortable then the infant carriers and would be better for her now she’s bigger, and you won’t need to buy another seat until she’s 4 as it can rear face and forward face. You want an i size one for the safety tests, look at the Joie i- spin.