car travel at this stage

missyishere · November 2012

Nora has never been great at travel, but I'm always hoping each trip will get better. Since we are heading up to MN this weekend (5+ hour trip), I was wondering what you all do to keep baby happy in a car. She's not wonderful at sleeping in a vehicle, but I may delay her nap, so I can have her exhausted and ready to sleep for the majority of the trip.

jaeleigh25 · November 2012

I think that sounds good, but make sure she isn't SUpER over tired. When I tried that once, she only slept for like 45 minutes and then was up crying the whole rest of the car ride. Since it is such a long trip, she will fall asleep. Good luck!

mamaZbo · November 2012

We are driving to Alabama for Christmas and my plan is to leave at 10 pm and drive all night so DD will hopefully sleep the whole way. The last trip we took-3 hours. I brought a bag of her favorite toys and a couple of new things. I would take out one thing at a time that would keep her busy for a little while and then I would alternate that with snacks. She did really well.

cantalopes24 · November 2012

We have a mirror that lights up and plays music. I also have a car toy box that attaches to the seat and she can reach and her carseat has a cupholder so she can have her sippy. If she doesn't have the mirror to see herself she flips out. I've had to pull over before even on less than 20 minute drives because she starts kind of choking on her snot/saliva.

kagl08 · November 2012

Snacks for well for us. A new favorite is cheese sticks lately. We also have a mirror up, lots of toys and we sing. DS is a great car napped, so I usually do big trips at nap time.

morsey2011 · November 2012

mamaZbo:
We are driving to Alabama for Christmas and my plan is to leave at 10 pm and drive all night so DD will hopefully sleep the whole way. The last trip we took-3 hours. I brought a bag of her favorite toys and a couple of new things. I would take out one thing at a time that would keep her busy for a little while and then I would alternate that with snacks. She did really well.

i recommend traveling at night or at least later in the evening. We are taking a 7 hour trip next Friday, and plan on leaving around 4 or 5. She usually will sleep for a little bit, then I get in the back with her and entertain her. I bring plenty of snacks, and she usually goes back to sleep around 8 or 9 and sleeps the rest of the trip. I am hoping she does the same this time.

lkm2006 · November 2012

We only travel at night because he just does not do well being entertained in the car. He's fine for an hour tops but after that its just too much.

We have bucket seats so its not that easy for someone to sit in the back and try and entertain him either.

missyishere · November 2012

lisajay09:
My advice is to take breaks. We always stop every 2 hours so they can get up and stretch. You can't expect a toddler to sit for 5 hours straight.

We usually stop about mid-point and one other time. My SD may be coming with us, so she will happily entertain if necessary. However, Nora will sometimes stay awake rather than sleep with her back there, which can make her a pissy panties. I am thinking of leaving a little after lunch before her second nap, so she's happy for a while but sleepy enough to get through an hour or so of straight naptime. It's always a little stressful to travel with baby. I am not looking forward to PNP sleeping either. She didn't fair well last time... Crossing my fingers she changed her mind.

Elsa1984 · November 2012

We are doing a 16 hour drive on Thursday and leaving late morning. We are going to wake Gator early that morning and then push off her nap until we leave, make sure her belly is full, and head out. Flame if you want, but we are loading the iPad with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Signing Time, etc. in case of extreme meltdown. My SO is super anal about food in the car but he knows he has to let it slide so when she is hungry I am going to sit in the back while she eats to make sure nothing goes flying. She normally doesn't get pouch foods but I bought some for the trip. I saved some of her birthday toys that she hasn't seen or played with and am going to bring them in a box in the car so if she is bored there will be new fun toys to play with. We usually do cloth but are switching to disposibles for the trip. And she will probably be in footed jammies during the car ride because they are cozy and it will be easy to change her. I'm going to go today to get one of those behind the seat organizers to hold some board books, sippy, binky, wipes, etc....stuff we need within reach.

It's going to be an interesting 16hrs.....

HappyAardvark · November 2012

We just did a 12hr roadtrip. Wes was great!! Dh and I got up super early the morning we left, got ourselves ready, packed the car. When Wes got up around 7, I got him dressed and fed him b'fast, then we left. We stopped for an early lunch, then around 1:30 for about an hour to stretch our legs at a zoo that was a quick jump off the highway. Se stopped for dinner around 5:30 then for the night around 7. He only took one short nap that day. The next day we only had about 5 hours to drive and only stopped once. I found he was actually whinier/fussier when I sat in the back with him and he could see me but I couldn't hold him. He was really a dream, so much so that we made the entire return trip in a day and only stopped for lunch and dinner. He fell asleep at his usual bedtime in the carseat and slept till we got home around 2am.

missyishere · November 2012

HappyAardvark:
We just did a 12hr roadtrip. Wes was great!! Dh and I got up super early the morning we left, got ourselves ready, packed the car. When Wes got up around 7, I got him dressed and fed him b'fast, then we left. We stopped for an early lunch, then around 1:30 for about an hour to stretch our legs at a zoo that was a quick jump off the highway. Se stopped for dinner around 5:30 then for the night around 7. He only took one short nap that day. The next day we only had about 5 hours to drive and only stopped once. I found he was actually whinier/fussier when I sat in the back with him and he could see me but I couldn't hold him. He was really a dream, so much so that we made the entire return trip in a day and only stopped for lunch and dinner. He fell asleep at his usual bedtime in the carseat and slept till we got home around 2am.

What a good boy, Wes! Nora has been a little uncooperative in the car before, so I of course freak out before it happens. I'm sure she will do just fine, and it will be easier since we aren't nursing 100% now. That's where I think took us the longest before.

adge629 · November 2012

I would bring a bunch of toys and snacks. Possibly a new toy that would get your LO attention. I think it is always easier if someone is sitting in the backseat with them to amuse them also.

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car travel at this stage

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