What do you do when LO cries in the car?

mikeandjenn

Ok this is probably a really rediculous question but I am curious - what do you mom's do when LO starts crying in the car? I am talking about the "I am hungry" crying that you can't really resolve with anything but feeding them. I really try to time my outings around her feeding schedule, but that isn't always possible. Do you stop and feed? My LO takes FOREVER to eat a bottle. Do you stop and give the baby the pacifier (I find myself sometimes having to pull off the freeway to do this, because I feel bad when LO is crying, but she loses the paci because it's really not what she wants and it's frustrating).

How do you handle this scenario? I feel so guilty having her cry until we get to where we are going. It isn't like it happens a lot, but it's probably the most frustrating thing for me that happens with LO.

Jill070707

If it's the hungry cry (which means she won't fall asleep in the car), I pull over and feed her unless I'm close to home.  But she's a fast breastfeeder, so I know it's different.  I guess it would depend on how close I was to where I was going, you know?

tlxh7

It depends on how long it'll take to get where I'm going.  Typically, my rule of thumb is that if it's less than 15 minutes, and she's not full-out screaming/crying, I keep driving while singing, talking, etc.  If it's going to be more than 15 minutes or she's in full-screaming mode, I pull over and feed her.  I don't give the paci, as it makes her more angry.

ARC 07

I agree with PP. If we are more than 15 minutes away from home or our destination then I will stop(not on highway though). If we are less than 15 minutes from home or desitination, I try to make it there first and then feed him. I have a 2 year old as well, so stopping and feeding means the 2 year old has to sit and wait too. His patience is not the greatest.

ekfritsche

I also try to space our outings with her feeding schedule but sometimes that isn't possible.  When it's not possible and she's hungry I'll pull over and feed her.  If we're close to home (within 5 minutes) I'll give her her paci and hope and pray that she doesn't have a complete melt down, lol.

mari_gold

I always feed her right before we go anywhere, and it's very rare that we're still out for her next feeding. If we are, I feed her before we start driving to avoid that problem.

etta79

I'm sorry that you are experiencing this problem.  Don't freak out, nor worry, I personally feel that they eventually grow out of it!  My kid has been known to scream in the car for 45min on a one way road trip--nonstop. It's not always possible to stop and pull over when they get fussy, call me a cruel mom.

 My son cried in the car all the time, it all started when he was two weeks old and continued until he was almost 6 months old, he's now 11 months old.  I tried everything from feeding and changing him before leaving, offering pacifiers, placing toys on his car seat, and even tried cushioning his seat, etc. At one point that thought he may have been car sick but that wasn't the case.  After months of failed attempts to help him relax,  I realized that he just didn't like the infant car seat, in my opinion I feel that the infant car seats leans back to far. 

 After a while, I just became numb to the screams, fake coughs/chokes, which made me pull over several time in a panic.  I noticed that once I stopped and picked him up he was absolutely FINE, the screams, etc stopped. Recently, I bought him a convertible car seat and he's much happier with sitting up like a Big Boy  .  .  What also helped me was  that I scheduling trips out around the time he naps so he started sleeping more in the car..

 Hang in there, it does get better/easier.. 

 

Hendrixs Mommy

 My baby boy cried after 10 minutes in the car EVERY time we were in it until about 6 mths old. I would FREAK out. I would stop and feed him and cry. Thank God I didn't have to go anywhere except the dr. It's more normal than you think...just prepare to stop and feed LO. And BREATHE mommy! BREATHE!

Hermione11

My DS cried in the car until he was 8.5-9 months.  Not an exaggeration.  He finally stopped but it was long and hard.  Several times I had to pull over because I was crying so hard that I couldn't see.  Driving with him still make me a little anxious.  But I hope it doesn't last as long for you.

mganthony

I pull over to give a pacifier.  I have pulled over to breast feed.  I actually drive in the right hand land just so I can pull over if needed.  What's so funny is the whole "car is soothing" think does not apply to my newborn--4 weeks tomorrow!

 You have to do what you have to do, especially depending on how old they are and the circumstances, i.e. distance to next stop, how much your heart bleeds when they cry, etc.!

 I just keep saying it won't last for long. 

egnazzio011811

if i know it's because he's hungry...i pull over and breastfeed. but the first 3 months of my son's life he screamed for the duration of every car ride no matter how long or short. i would freak out because i couldn't see him bc of the whole rear facing carseat situation. so i got a mirror so i could watch him and make sure he wasn't choking or worse whenever he did stop crying for a few seconds. i hated driving those few months but once i realized he was going to cry and not sleep as i thought ALL babies naturally did in the car LOL i began to turn up the radio so i couldn't hear him but i could still c him thru the mirror. i did this so i wouldn't lose my mind with the guilt of hearing him cry. i would sometimes borrow my dad's truck and put him right next to me on drives i knew would be longer and he was just fine but that was because i held the binky in his mouth while i drove or i put my finger in his hand. but the car rides where he was in the back by himself were pure HELL!and funny as it seems now he's 6 months old and he doesn't cry in the car at all unless he's hungry or hot. loud music actually puts him to sleep on long car rides and if it's not up loud enough he yells until it i turn it up!  we went on a 2 hour car ride about a month ago and he slept the whole way once i turned up the music! and when i turned it down he mysteriously woke up!!! too funny right??? just do what works for u and ur baby. it may take some time but as you both get to learn one another it'll fall into place.