14week old HATES Carseat

niclaren · December 2014

So my DS is 14 weeks old and cries EVERY time he is in his carseat. It's not always immediately, but it always happens eventually. If he is awake, he will last about 10 minutes until the screaming starts. Occasionally he will fall asleep if I give him a bottle while he's in the carseat (someone else drives and I sit in the back with him) but this happens rarely. I have found that he easily gets hot even with a thin blanket over his seat so I keep a close watch on his temperature when he gets fussy, but besides that I can't figure out any reason for him to be uncomfortable. He does like to be held in general so it's not that surprising to me that he would rather be held than be in his seat, but does anyone else have a LO that hates being in a carseat? Any tips to make car rides easier? Being in motion does not help--he cries in the car, stroller, shopping cart, etc. We have a toy hanging on the handle. He won't take a pacifier. I'll sit in the back with him so he doesn't feel alone. But nothing works! It makes it hard to go anywhere since I know he'll cry the whole car ride. Help!

lmimms87 · December 2014

My 12 week old DD hates the car seat also. She liked it until she was about 3 weeks old and ever since, unless we can get her to sleep she is screaming. The only thing I have found that helps is me sitting in the back with her for long trips. I have to constantly entertain her or she screams. I'm hoping she'll grow out of it when she can start to play with toys a little more, but who knows. If there is a specific toy your LO likes maybe try that one? Otherwise I'm in the same boat as you and don't have much advice. Good luck!

crystangel · December 2014

Our 11 week old hates it too. He will fall asleep eventually once we get on the freeway, and will take a pacifier but will spit it out if we stop at all, and he gets super upset. I just keep hoping it is a phase that he will grow out of.

purplestarz · December 2014

No direct advice but someone posted here around thanksgiving and using a Swaddle Me in the car seat. Apparently they are designed to be used in car seats. You can you tube some videos. If your LO likes to be swaddled it may be an option.

lmimms87 · December 2014

Jen9608 said:
No direct advice but someone posted here around thanksgiving and using a Swaddle Me in the car seat. Apparently they are designed to be used in car seats. You can you tube some videos. If your LO likes to be swaddled it may be an option.

That was me! I didn't try it so I didn't want to recommend it, but it is an option!! The little hole in the back is made so that the buckle can go through it, then the straps go on under the wrap.

lbonga1 · December 2014

If you already have a convertible seat, you could try that. The infant bucket seats don't seem like they'd be very comfortable.

Anv928 · December 2014

Word for word, this is me!! My DD is 13 weeks and cries hysterically every time we put her in it!

jaime52005 · December 2014

My LO has been this way since he was 5 days old and it hasn't gotten better ..if he is awake he is crying..if the car stops he wakes up..its awful

squish143 · December 2014

This post is exactly what we are experiencing with my little one. He is 12 weeks and does the same thing. I think he hates being restrained because he is a pretty active baby. I pretty much breasts feed but he has to get formula in the car because I can't pump enough to feed him bottles and nurse and obv nursing in the car isn't an option. We usually have to swing or rock the car seat to put him to sleep before we leave. I'm hoping this is something he will outgrow. It certainly does make trying to go out difficult. GL mama

Everyusernameistaken · December 2014

My H burned us a cd of white noise, ot seems to calm him in the car. Good luck!

jandkpaden · December 2014

This is the problem I have with my 12 week old. She is starting to get better but it's still difficult. We say a prayer "together" and then I ride with my hand in her seat and rub her cheek in a certain pattern and after a few minutes she either calms or falls asleep. It didn't work right away though. I've done this for 2 months now and it has just started to soothe her in the last two weeks. So I would suggest picking a soothing action and doing it persistently until it becomes routine. I tried about 20 other things first and nothing worked. This was what I started doing just to let her know that Mommy was/is there with her even if I can't fix what's upsetting her. Good luck! I know how upsetting it is. I still cry with her sometimes. Lol... I'm told it's a phase and she will soon outgrow it

HorseLover11 · December 2014

My baby hated it as well until last week - she would scream every time we put her in it so we just kept rocking it over and over and somehow the crying stopped. We also use it the hour before bath time to rock her in it as she sits near us at the table. I put a dangly giraffe toy on the handle bar that she likes to look at. Hopefully it's just something they grow out of.

bf43005 · December 2014

I got a CD at my shower. It's called like rock a bye baby and it's all Metallica songs done as lullaby. There is a whole line of CD's for all different bands. When I put that on it seems to sooth DS. When I'm driving alone there isn't much more I can do.

wieb67 · December 2014

We are up and down with the carseat. If I can sit in back and talk to him he is usually ok but if not he will cry awhile and sometimes go completely apeshit. Today I put beach noises on my iPhone and put it in there with him. He immediately stopped crying and just sat there listening for a bit before falling asleep lol. Every day is different...