baby hates car journeys

[lucyA1308]

Hello there.

Has anyone else experienced earpiercing car journeys with their little ones? My older daughter loved the car, and it was often (and sometimes still) the only time I could get her to nap. My little one (2 months) has hated the car since about 3 weeks old.

People have given me lots of advice, like putting pictures of me and my husband on the back seat for her to look at, giving her distraction toys or playing the car radio.

We can't hear the car radio above the noise so that doesn't work.

I have got one distraction toy, wuhich works for a little while. It is a toy with a morror which hangs down, and she does her best to enjoy that, but fairly soon the crying starts.

I just wondered whether she gets car sickness, and if so, how will I know - she hasn't ever actually been sick in the car, just sends her self such a violent shade of red, it can't be good for her. I haven't yet attempted anything longer than a couple of miles, for her sake and mine.

Other than this she is an incredibly placid and happy little girl, and never really makes a fuss about anything else.

Any advice would be great. Thanks,

Lucy

[Fuschia]

My latest baby was similar

He seemed to get mOre used to

It from about 8m

I think small babies can feel

Very lonely if they are rear facing and can't see any familiar faces

It must be very scary, if you think about it

Sorry that's not much help in the short term

[corbella]

My little one, now 11 months, has never been good in the car either, actually that's putting it mildly.... she hates it!

I dread all car journeys and need to be mentally and physically prepared to even consider doing a trip longer than 10 minutes.

I think I have tried almost everything.... her favourite toys, food, books, radio, baby jake... but nothing stops her from crying.

I have often wondered if she suffers from motion sickness too, but I doubt it as on occasions, when her crying has become too much, I have taken her out of her chair and she calms within seconds.

She doesn't like her pram much either and she never liked her baby swing or jumperoo, so I think her issue is that she doesn't like to be restrained. She has always been a very active, mobile baby and would much rather be free to investigate her surroundings than tied in to a chair.

I wish I could say she's got better with age, but she hasn't :(. I'm just hoping that one day we'll get in the car and she will either fall asleep or just sit there happy, without a tear in sight.....I can but dream!!

I'm sorry that this post isn't at all helpful Lucy, but I wanted to let you know that you're not alone and alike you, if anyone has a magical solution...please help!!!

Good luck

[lenster]

My little one also hated car journeys and I tried all sorts to stop her crying. She also seemed to hate being restrained and the only thing that helped a tiny bit was trying to get her to have fun in the car seat.

I bought the Baby Einstein travelling melodies cd and would pop her in the car seat at home (not strapped in), put the cd on nice and loud and just spend a few minutes playing with some toys or just making her laugh. It seemed to help a little when the crying started in the car as I would then pop the cd on and she tended to settle (after a shorter scream than usual).

Having said that, I do think there was also an element of just 'growing out of it'. Good luck... I know how painful it can be!

p.s. the car radio didn't work for us either, but for some reason the cd had better results

[jennyh]

Could you go on a few journeys with both you and your husband and one of you sits in the back with her entertaining and trying to calm her. She may gradually find it is a comfortable and safe space an then you can gradually withdraw yourself from the backseat?! Just an idea, no idea if there is any sense in it. Good luck!

[shelby]

Hi,im a nanny and have been for the last 22 years with plenty of experience with this problem, it seems to bowl down to there car seat not been comfortable enough for them,try swapping it over its worked for me.good luck

[womanofdulwich]

I do wonder if a quiet prius would settle them?

[Mens]

My middle child stopped screaming in the car once she was in a forward facing carseat (she clawed at her eyes once and made them bleed). My youngest is now 7mths and has finally stopped screaming (she just leans forward and arches her neck so she can stare at me round the carseat the entire journey).

I think it's mainly babies who like being carried alot that cry in prams and carseats. I know two children who have always been carsick but they actually vomit rather than scream.

No useful advice except to say that they really do grow out of it and seem to forget that they ever felt that way.

Oh, a small piece of advice: work out whether she cries less if she needs a nap or has just had a nap and fit journeys around that. I only drive places at certain times of the day.

[mum2besoon]

I have the same problem with my 3 month old, though if I was to compare him to when he was 2 months I would say he s a little better.

Personally I try to get him in the car as much as possible as my belief is that one day he might just get used to it..

good luck

[mibbious]

hi, i had a similar problem with my lil girl. she hated goign in the car with a passion! thankfully i dont drive, so it was only when my family were driving us somewhere. i used to sit with her in the back seat, but that would only work for a lil while. finally, last week me and my friend put her in a front facing car seat (the ones that allow them to sit up) and she couldnt have been happier! she was all gigles and smiles, and played with her toy the whole time. so, if you can hang in there until your lil one can sit up in a car seat id suggest giving this a go! x

[jennyh]

I can also add that a forward facing seat has made my daughter much happier. She never screamed like your girl but she did cry as soon as she was put in, no more crying now she looks forward!

[lucyA1308]

Mumtobesoon - thank you. My baby is 2 1/2 months. I am also trying to just get her used to it by submission, but it is so hard, when I know she hates it. We never go very far, and if I can do public transport, then I do, but some journeys I can't do on public transport and I sort of think that if we avoid the car altogether, she will never get used to it.

i do remember that when my first child was born, we were able to have one adult in the back with her when ever we could, and especially on long journeys. I imagine that she then just got used to it, and realised that it wasn't so bad. We can;'t do this now with 2 car seats in the back, there isn't room for any extra adult.

Womanofdulwich - nice thought.

[MusicoSouth]

Lucy I do feel for you. My daughter (now 7) screamed ear-splitting screams from the second she was put in the car seat on the return from hospital and every journey from then, until she was old enough for the front-facing seat. We tried everything, dad in the back, black & white pictures, mobiles, music, little friends in the back, but nothing worked until she moved into the front facing seat. My best friend's daughter was the same, and in one harrowing day, we drove 8 hours to Cornwall together with each baby taking in turns to keep up the screaming when the other one paused for breath...I knew things had got really bad when on a soaking wet winter day, a friend turned down a lift rather than travel in the car with us....In the end we just turned the stereo up loud and gritted our teeth. From my own experience and friends', I'd be very confident it will stop when she moves into the new seat - ours stopped instantly and has been a very happy traveller ever since, no car sickness or anything - I know that's not much consolation now, but some hope to cling to....my sympathies..!

[lucyA1308]

Dear MusicoSouth. Thank you. It sounds like the front facing seat seems to be the answer in most cases. Thanks for your honest but reasuring response. Also good to know that although it was probably a nightmare, you all survived the trip to cornwall. I haven't yet managed more than 30 mins in the car, but my mum is wondering when I will be able to visit her - a 3 hour drive away.

[cazbee]

Hi Lucy. I had a similar experience with my son who suddenly at about 5 1/2 months developed a screaming, red faced aversion to the car. It was timed perfectly for our first family holiday driving up to Scotland just when it became mega expensive to change our plans and fly or go on the train! I bought him a large mirror like this one Bear mirror not so I could see him but just to put in front of him so he could see the "other" baby. This seemed to really help and is still a firm favourite. I also used to give teething powder to distract him/calm him down mid screaming fit. He did grow out of it and went on to have many happy months in the maxi cosi before he outgrew it and went into a bigger seat.

[oimissus]

could you disable the front passenger airbag and put the carseat next to you, then she'll be able to see you? I quite often had the baby next to me, mainly so I could see her TBH, but it might work!