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Need help/ideas - Moms of Car Screamers

webMistress0609webMistress0609 member
in Attachment Parenting

Ari has never been the best car rider. He went from screaming the whole time we were in the car to being able to tolerate 30 min or less trips once we moved him to a convertible seat. Between the new seat & some absolutely awful kids music, he was at least happy for long enough for most of our errands.

Well, the last 2-3 weeks he's back to screaming within 5 minutes of leaving. We've tried new music, new toys (he has no interest in playing with toys in the car anymore, they just get tossed), having someone sit in the back with him - nothing works. Going anywhere is really an exercise in frustration for everyone right now.

I think he may be getting car sick, but how do I confirm that - it's not like he can tell me. Any ideas for causes/solutions here ladies?  

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Re: Need help/ideas - Moms of Car Screamers

  • EcoBabyEcoBaby
    DS was a car screamer too. His whole life. Then around 14 months, he started throwing up. We turned his seat around and now he loooves the car. He still gets car sick sometimes, but its nothing like it used to be. We kept him RF in DH's truck because he seems fine in there. It apparently was something about my car.
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  • Kestrel84Kestrel84
    DS is a lot younger than yours but I've recently discovered that if I put DS in the car when he's even just a little bit tired, he gets pretty upset. I save errands, car trips for right after DS wakes from a nap.  Do you think he just gets frustrated because he can't move around and then being tired on top of being restrained puts him over the edge?  Just a thought.  I hope it isn't car sickness though, that would be awful!!
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  • e_b_re_b_r

    ugh, that's tough! i don't know how you'd confirm it's the motion in a kiddo.

    i used to be prone to motion sickness, particularly in the backseat. i used a pair of sea bands that really worked, always took them on road trips or airplanes. i know they make them for kiddos, but i'm not sure if they'd be small enough for a toddler. something like these? https://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=435760

    also, traveling on a full or empty stomach can be hard for motion sickness. you want that magic spot in-between. and keep the air circulating.

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  • webMistress0609webMistress0609 member

    imageEcoBaby:
    DS was a car screamer too. His whole life. Then around 14 months, he started throwing up. We turned his seat around and now he loooves the car. He still gets car sick sometimes, but its nothing like it used to be. We kept him RF in DH's truck because he seems fine in there. It apparently was something about my car.

    Are the windows tinted fairly dark in your DH's truck? I know a lot of trucks/SUVs have almost black tint in the rear & that makes it hard to see out, which I'm thinking may help the car sickness.  I will most likely be trading my car soon so I'm wondering if this may work.

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  • EcoBabyEcoBaby
    imagewebMistress0609:

    imageEcoBaby:
    DS was a car screamer too. His whole life. Then around 14 months, he started throwing up. We turned his seat around and now he loooves the car. He still gets car sick sometimes, but its nothing like it used to be. We kept him RF in DH's truck because he seems fine in there. It apparently was something about my car.

    Are the windows tinted fairly dark in your DH's truck? I know a lot of trucks/SUVs have almost black tint in the rear & that makes it hard to see out, which I'm thinking may help the car sickness.  I will most likely be trading my car soon so I'm wondering if this may work.

    Yeah, they are fairly dark, now that you mention it. He can actually see out of the windows easier in my car than in the truck, too. I always thought seeing out the windows would be helpful.

    Then again, he rides in my car a lot more often than DH's, so maybe he just doesn't have an opportunity to get sick.

    I was sitting in back with DS when he got sick once, and I could definitely tell he was getting sick. We were on a country road and he was crying. When we would hit a bump, he would get this horrible look on his face. He threw up shortly after that. I could tell he was miserable.

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  • Harper'smomHarper'smom
    DD still screams most of the time. DH thinks turning the seat to FF would help but I will not allow it. Our Radian RFs to 45lbs and she's only half that weight. We are planning a 7 hour trip in the car and the plan is to nurse her at her usual bedtime and get on the road while she is drowsy. BTW our windows are dark but I don't think our screaming issue is related to motion sickness, it is more of a confinement issue (which is why I disagree that FFing will help us).
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  • BFab11BFab11 member

    If you think it's motion sickness, maybe you could try giving him a little ginger 30 mins or an hour before you leave?  Ginger pills, ginger ale, etc.  I'd go with ginger ale (as long as it's allergy safe, of course) because the ginger pills are in adult doses and while it's all natural and should be "safe," idk what too much could do.

    Good luck!

    BTW, made some Enjoy Life and tahini muddy buddies, and they rock!!  I'm nomming on some right now.  I have to say, the tahini by itself is awful, but the chocolate and sugar masks it well enough.  What butter do you use?  I use Earth's Balance dairy and soy free, but it has natural flavoring from corn, so I was wondering what your substitute was. 

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  • EcoBabyEcoBaby
    Have you tried cracking the windows a little so he can get some air? That sometimes helped DS.
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  • webMistress0609webMistress0609 member

    @BFab11: I actually use the Earth Balance. The corn seems to be so small or maybe so broken down that it doesn't seem to bother Ari. I just don't give him any directly & I don't overdo it myself to be safe. I haven't found another alternative, & honestly I just can't hack giving up anything else.

    @Ecobaby: I've tried cracking the windows, doesn't help. Ugh. I really don't want to turn him FF. 

    @Kestrel84: Sleep could be a factor. Ari has been all over the place with sleep lately, & I think I may need to actually bump his bedtime up to 7:00 or so.  

    @e_b_r: Thanks for the motion band link, we'll def check those out.  

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  • EcoBabyEcoBaby
    imagewebMistress0609:

    @Ecobaby: I've tried cracking the windows, doesn't help. Ugh. I really don't want to turn him FF. 

    I know, I didn't either, but in our situation, it made a HUGE difference. You might find that it doesn't even help Ari. Who knows. You can always turn him around again if it doesn't help. Like I said, we have DS FF in my car and RF in DH's and he doesn't seem to care that he is turned the other way in DH's car.

    Does he ever seem a little disoriented/quiet/off when you guys get out of the car? DS would get that way after a particularly bad car ride.

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