What do you do with baby who hates car seat?

Re: What do you do with baby who hates car seat?

• Bigboobsmcgee member

  January 2016

  My second child hated the car seat too. I wasn't about to buy a whole new car seat so I just tried to deal with it. It sucked but eventually she stopped hating the car.

  Did you say he doesn't like the Ergo either? I would try different ways to wear him if possible. Can he sit up a little, like in a stroller that is slightly reclined? I have a Chicco travel system and once DD could sit up a little without falling over I would put her in the stroller and recline it a little.

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• Kayciejoe56 member

  January 2016

  My LO has also hated the car almost from the beginning. Just recently at 18 weeks he's starting to tolerate it a little more. As much as I hated listening to him cry, I pretty much just went about life. I tried to make sure he was clean and full, but honestly it didn't really matter. We tried to plan longer trips for nap times.
  
  The biggest improvement came when he started be able to reach and grab for the toys on his carseat. Stick it out mama... they'll get there!

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• BabyBean815 member

  January 2016

  Our LO hated the car, too!  When I went back to work, I had to drop him off and pick him up at daycare and our commute was about 45 minutes each way.  I had so much anxiety about him crying and being in distress because he hated the car seat.  So after a couple of weeks, we switched to a Maxi Cosi convertible car seat and it's been a life saver!  I think he just hated being cramped up in the infant seat.  It's been a little over a month since we've made the switch and he now enjoys car rides a lot.  He falls asleep on most of our rides (which he never ever did before).  In fact, we're now "those people" who go places knowing that our LO will take a nap on the way.  
  The car seat we got was expensive, but I totally think it was worth it!

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• SmrBrd2012 member

  January 2016

  Have you tried a mirror for the back seat? I know it's more for the driver but baby can usually see you too and it offers a distraction. That greatly improved our car rides.

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• tpete12 member

  January 2016

  I purchased a convertible seat for my daughter and she likes it soo much better than her bucket seat.

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• Kimosabie member

  January 2016 edited January 2016

  @BabyBean815Thanks for responding.  With that type of car seat are you able to take it out and attach it to a stroller then?

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• Kimosabie member

  January 2016

  @SmrBrd2012 Yes we do have a mirror that even plays music and lights up.  Doesn't seem to do much for him! 

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• BabyBean815 member

  January 2016

  @Kimosabie We got this one https://www.amazon.com/2015-Maxi-Cosi-Convertible-Black-Gravel/dp/B00O9W3MUK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1453318104&sr=8-4&keywords=maxi+cosi+pria
  It was on sale when we bought it and I think I had a gift card, which justified the purchase.  However, we also have a hand me down Evenflo convertible in my husband's car and LO has been doing great with that, too.  
  
  We don't have a stroller attachment, and that's one of the sacrifices we made when we switched to the convertible.  He's 5 months at this point and is fine with going in the stroller without a car seat.  Another downside to a convertible seat is that when you arrive at your destination, you can't just take the seat out with the baby inside.  The car seat stays in and the baby comes out.  So while I love that he falls asleep on our car rides, he usually wakes up when I take him out. Oh well.  It's a million times better than driving with a screaming baby  
  
  But honestly, we tried everything else to get him to like car rides and nothing worked. I don't think he liked being scrunched up in the infant seat.  He's so much more comfortable now.

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• PrimRoseMama member

  January 2016

  Both of mine didn't have this problem, but the little girl I nanny for does. I turn on static for white noise and that helped a bunch. Just turn the radio on to static and turn it up to a decent volume. Either that will calm them or they will pass out asleep.
  
  When that didn't work anymore I went to doing some happy music in the car or classical. She still has her moments, but lately we've had success with folk music. Keep trying and I know it sucks!
  

  
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