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Baby who hates the car

Klmorgan83Klmorgan83 member
in Cincinnati Babies

Has anyone had to deal with this?  Aren't cars supposed to make babies fall asleep!!

Levi absolutely hates riding in the car.  I can count on one hand the number of times he's been in the car and didn't cry.  It's not just a little cry though, it's full on hysterical screaming.  He cries so hard time that he gets choked up and pukes all over himself.  It doesn't matter if we get in the car when he's tired, or when he's just been fed.  He cries every time.  We don't really drive anywhere far enough that he's worn himself out and fell asleep...most of our trips anywhere are no more than 15 minutes.  I don't even know if he'd even stop crying if we drove long enough.  

So I'm obviously dreading our vacation in August.  We're going to Myrtle Beach...it could be a very long drive if he doesn't get over it!  Please tell me he'll outgrow it soon!  Is there anything I can do to try to make it better?  I don't know if it's motion sickness, or the riding backwards part, or the fact that he can't see anybody.  Any ideas?

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Re: Baby who hates the car

  • MrsMandaKMrsMandaK
    What about a mirror or other baby toys for the car that might distract him? I hope he outgrows it quickly too, for your sanity's sake on vacation!
    ~Amanda
    Mom to Lily Gayle 4.25.06 Charlotte Kathleen 3.27.09 Samuel Thomas ~8.4.12~
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  • vollmasmvollmasm member

    Maddie hated the car for about the first month and it was mis-er-a-ble.  I feel your pain.  To this day, she rarely falls asleep in the car, but the crying has stopped.

    Maybe he's uncomfortable in the seat? Or the car seat straps aren't at the appropriate level and are bothering him?  Maybe they are too tight?  Is the sun in his eyes?  Do you have one of those safety mirrors that he could look at himself in?  Toys?  Pacifier?  

    Hopefully it gets better before your trip! 

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  • Klmorgan83Klmorgan83 member
    Mirror - Check.  Toys - Check. Sunshade - Check.  Straps are in the correct spot.  I'm getting those little strap covers tomorrow to see if they help.  I think I'm doomed :(
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  • cops_wifecops_wife member
    Yes, Ellie was like that. I wish I could tell you it was a short phase for her, but unfortunately I can't. I had a handful of techniques that could usually end the screaming for five minutes each and I just never drove anywhere farther than 30 minutes. We had a mirror that lit up that she would watch for a few minutes, a toy arch that clipped on her carseat, I sang and she had a favorite song she loved to listen to (Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, believe it or not). I had to stop often to nurse her because it was the only thing that would calm her down. Honestly, we would not have been able to take a long road trip. Does it help at all if you ride in the back seat? Can you fit in the back with two carseats? I'm not big on TV for an infant, but maybe Baby Einstein DVDs would chill him out on your road trip?
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  • Klmorgan83Klmorgan83 member

    imagecops_wife:
    Yes, Ellie was like that. I wish I could tell you it was a short phase for her, but unfortunately I can't. I had a handful of techniques that could usually end the screaming for five minutes each and I just never drove anywhere farther than 30 minutes. We had a mirror that lit up that she would watch for a few minutes, a toy arch that clipped on her carseat, I sang and she had a favorite song she loved to listen to (Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, believe it or not). I had to stop often to nurse her because it was the only thing that would calm her down. Honestly, we would not have been able to take a long road trip. Does it help at all if you ride in the back seat? Can you fit in the back with two carseats? I'm not big on TV for an infant, but maybe Baby Einstein DVDs would chill him out on your road trip?

    We have two captains chairs, so there's no extra seats back there for one of us.  We do have a third row seat, but we'll have to lay them down to pack all the stuff for the trip.  We do have a DVD player, but it's installed in the ceiling of the car.  I thought about flying with him, but tickets are not cheap!

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  • kel716kel716 member

    A friend of mine had a daughter like this...  they just didn't go anywhere for a year.  I know that's not what you wanted to hear.

    Ditto sitting with him.  I get the sense that Levi loves his momma and has to see her to be happy.  I would find a way to pack so that there's at least one seat within view of him. 

    Some other thoughts...  is he hot?  I know B would bake in his car seat once the weather started warming up... even with a sunshade.  We wound up rigging some small fans aimed right at him so he could cool down.  That seemed to help. 

    I might also try the DVD player... you could mount one so he could see it.  You might also consider driving at night so that it's dark out and hopefully he sleeps.  This is what we did with B when he was 11 mos old and we went to Ocean Isle Beach. 

    Other than that, Levi may just be the type of kid that does not like riding backwards.  ... probably not what you wanted to hear though

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  • Klmorgan83Klmorgan83 member
    Yup, looks like we're in trouble!  Can I just drug him for the drive?  I'm just kidding....kind of :)
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  • gandcnkygandcnky
    Does he like being swaddled?  The Swaddle Me blankets can be used with the carseat.  That's what the little hole in the back is for, I just figured out.  I always thought it was for a tail or something. :) Anyway, maybe if he liked being swaddled that would help.
    Brady 7/29/2009 Avery 4/1/2011
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  • Traycee1242Traycee1242 member

    What kind of pumpkin seat do you have??? 

    DS HATED the car for 2 months... he screamed just like your son did. I did some investigating online about our carseat (Chicco Cortina) and other Mom's were complaining too... the fabric is not breathable and he was overheated (rear facing he wasn't getting a lot of air either)

    I called and they sent a different fabric.. it worked perfectly! Just a thought... 

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  • shawnsweetieshawnsweetie
    Oh, I am so sorry you have to deal with this. Rylee also HATED the car. She would scream every single time.. without fail. I took her to work with me from the time she was a newborn and she screamed the entire way there and the entire way back (30 minutes each way) every single day for a full months. After that is was hit or miss, mostly crying but sometimes just yelling and wimpering. It was torture. I am so sorry you have to deal with that as well. Honesty, NOTHING I did helped except for to lean over her carseat and nurse her if DH was driving. ((hugs))
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