Usually the longest DS is in the car is 30 minutes. Usually about 5 minutes into the car ride (if that) he starts whining...crying...screaming. He will writhe around in his seat, grabbing at the head cushions, acting like he is in extreme pain. We've made sure his straps aren't too tight, nothing is cutting into him from the car seat, etc. He also typically protests going IN to his car seat as well.
Today we were going to visit family almost two hours away. OMG. I seriously thought DH and I were going to lose it. First of all he didn't sleep at ALL there or back. Secondly, I sat in the back with him both ways prepared with books, his favorite toys, teethers, Puffs, etc. to help distract him. Nothing helps. A new toy will keep his attention for all of a minute before he throws it over the side of his car seat in frustration and starts writhing his body around like he's trying to get out, all the while screaming. He had a full on temper tantrum/meltdown that lasted a SOLID HOUR on the way home. He's only 10.5 months old! I fed him. I read to him. I sang to him. I cried with him (a lot). We used white noise. He would not relax. And because he wouldn't sleep on the way there, he was a complete crank (he's usually super fussy in general...so today it was way worse to where neither DH or I could really enjoy being there because one of us or the other was constantly trying to calm DS down).
I don't know what to do. I already told my parents tonight after going through all this that we will not be attending my cousin's high school graduation party in a few weeks because they live an hour away and I cannot go through that again. But we are supposed to go on vacation for a week over the summer and it's a five hour car ride each way. I CANNOT go through that for five hours.
Does anyone have any tips or tricks?? This can't remain the norm!!
Re: Anyone else's LO HATE the car seat?
DD started doing a lot better in the carseat once we gave her a variety of toys, a blanket, and I played Baby Einstein Lullabies for the ride. I also give her a bottle, so she can drink if she wants to.
Once she was able to hold her bottle, it got a LOT easier! I also plan the rides to coincide with nap time.
BFP #1 and M/C 5/2011
BFP #2 7/1/2011, Blighted ovums officially diagnosed at 9w6d, D&C 8/19/2011.
BFP #3 12/7/2011, EDD 8/15/2012, Harper Lorelai born 8/09/12
DS2 doesn't writhe in his car seat, but boy does he scream!!!! Every week we go 15 minutes away for therapy and he screams the entire way there and back without fail. Even the 7 min drive to the grocery store. He starts screaming as soon as I sit him in the seat and he doesn't stop till we get him out.
Have you tried blasting the air conditioning? Sometimes I find this helps because he gets so overheated from the screamfest. We try toys and the Ipad and movies. DS1 gets really upset with the screaming, as do I. it's not just crying it's like high pitched shrieking adn screaming. I'm hoping as he gets older and more and more interested in his surroundings that it gets better.
Could it be carsickness? He might be nauseous, even if he doesn't actually throw up. The DD of a friend of mine would get sick every time they went on a car ride of any length. For her, it got a lot better once she was old enough to be forward facing. Until then, though, they really couldn't do anything. I'm sorry you're dealing with this - that must be so stressful!
Cautiously expecting our second little petri dish baby - stick, Baby, stick!
Woof - you seem to have some pretty days with DS!
DD doesn't like the car seat either. She whines, cries, shrieks in frustration while straining against the straps. However, she only does this for short periods of time. It happens about every 5 minutes that she is still in the car seat unless she is sleeping.
I take her down to visit my Dad (who is very sick) which is 1.5 h from where we live. We haven't had too much trouble... we time the drive down with her morning nap and then just bring 'disposable' toys for the remaining time. If she is tired with a toy every minute then we bring 90 toys to make sure that we have enough for the trip.
What seems to work for her.... she still loves the TinyLove mobile that hangs from the bar on her infant car seat (don't know where I'm going to put it on the convertible seat).
When we moved when she was 6 months old I drove through the night and she slept the entire time. I was exhausted when we arrived, but it was also a 5 hour drive and I had to do it alone so I couldn't sit back there and entertain her. Luckily, she slept like an angel. I would have lost my mind if she'd cried the whole way.
I'm wishing you luck!
T
DX: High FSH/DOR
It took 44 cycles, just over 3 years, 6 failed IUI's in MI, and 1 round of IVF at CCRM to get our BFP!
Beta #1 (9dp5dt) = 206, Beta #2 (11dp5dt) = 438
1st u/s @ 6w5d = 11/11/11 = ONE little bean! HB 120bpm!
?Our Baby Boy Born June 26th, 2012?
Which convertible seat do you have? My cousin's DD used to scream every time they put her in her convertible seat and they couldn't figure out why until they bought a second seat for the other car and she didn't cry in that one. I guess she just wasn't comfy in one of the convertible seat.
We have the Britax Advocate.
DX: High FSH/DOR
It took 44 cycles, just over 3 years, 6 failed IUI's in MI, and 1 round of IVF at CCRM to get our BFP!
Beta #1 (9dp5dt) = 206, Beta #2 (11dp5dt) = 438
1st u/s @ 6w5d = 11/11/11 = ONE little bean! HB 120bpm!
?Our Baby Boy Born June 26th, 2012?
Oh and we definitely don't have the infant inserts in! DS was 23 pounds last time he was weighed several weeks ago! Don't think he'd fit well in the seat if those were in too!
DX: High FSH/DOR
It took 44 cycles, just over 3 years, 6 failed IUI's in MI, and 1 round of IVF at CCRM to get our BFP!
Beta #1 (9dp5dt) = 206, Beta #2 (11dp5dt) = 438
1st u/s @ 6w5d = 11/11/11 = ONE little bean! HB 120bpm!
?Our Baby Boy Born June 26th, 2012?
My Blog