My 4mth old DS hates his car seat - he screams in it from the word go, two days ago he cried for 20mins all the way to my destination - I've tried hanging some toys, giving him play rings, music, a mirror... any other suggestions? Does this mean he'll always hate it or will he get used to it?
PS I have the Meridian car seat - it seems quite comfy - my DD loved it when she was a baby!
Oh, it is so stressful to listen to them cry while driving isn't it? I always felt so guilty about it.
My DS2, now 16mnths, cried in the car for the first few months of his life, not every time, but most times. I always got the impression that he just wanted me to hold him. Sometimes DH would drive and I would sit next to DS2 and stroke his body and talk softly to him, and he would still cry. Sometimes he would get really worked up, almost to the point of hysteria. Then I would pull over and get him out. He would usually calm down very quickly once I held him....then i'd have to put him back in again
But he did grow out of it. I can't exactly remember when, but it finally happened! He occasionally cries on long drives if he is really tired but he doesn't become hysterical anymore, and he usually falls asleep eventually.
Have you thought about taking the car seat inside and letting him have a play with it and maybe lay him in it without the straps done up for a while and then while playing with him do the straps up
make it all fun and games for a little while.. Then maybe put him in it while it is in the car.. make it look like a fun place to be..
DS hated the car at that age too. He grew out of it eventually and loves going for a drive now but it was very stressful at the time. Something that worked for us was playing his music in the car. Things like nursery rhymes or cd's of white noise or classical music seemed to soothe him. Hope your lo grows out of it soon!
My little one is the same - she screams the house (or car) down. But recently I got a Fisher Price Precious Planet singing mirror and she LOVES IT!! It was the best $50 we ever spent and now she cries till the music comes on!!
Hugs, I hope that he grows out of it soon for you, car journeys with a screaming baby are no fun.
It made me really anxious about going out.
In one of my baby books there is a section on exactly this - and the woman actually suggests that some babies get car sick from travelling backwards. It makes sense.
I have had two babies who hated the car seat too. Both were heaps happier when they were eventually forward facing (it is recommended to wait until they are 12 months to turn them around though).
Are you still using the infant insert in your car seat? If so, try taking it out and seeing if that makes a difference. My friend's bub screamed when in the car until the paediatric chiropractor (of all people LOL) said that some bubs hate being so squished in the padded insert. She took the insert out and had an instantly happy baby! She hasn't had a problem since .
How is he the rest of the time? Does he lie on his back happily? Often babies with reflux dislike car seats at first. If there are no other signs though it is probably something else.
My 4 month old has just stopped screaming every time he got into his car seat. It stressed me out so much that I stopped taking him out in the car which was sad. I have the meridian, and I didn't realise that the head rest was too low so his shoulders were jammed in it. I put the head rest up and now his shoulders are fine. I found hanging some of his favourite toys on the seat belt round him helpful as he focused on that and it took away his attention from the car seat. Good luck!!
4mth old hates car seat - will he ever like it?
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