My three month old daughter hates her car seat and screams every time we have to go somewhere. She cries so hard that she has no more voice by the time we come back home. We tried the back-seat mirror and toys but nothing works. Any suggestions? Driving anywhere is stressfully for all of us. It's so hard to concentrate on driving when you have to worry about the crying baby in backseat and I want to make this easier for my little one.
Thanks you so much for all the great tips! We tried a combination of things (music, toys hanging from the seat and the mirror) and it seems to work. She is still not the happiest in the car but it's definitely better.
My son did the same thing, I tried so many different things - a short drive each day to get him used to it, toys, covering the opening with a blanket so he would go to sleep (that didn't work)...but one day he just grew out of it, I think it was between 3-4 months. I don't know what happened, but it did get better and now he's 6 months old and loves riding in the car and looking around. Hang in there - it will get better!
my 3 month old baby girl is the same she hates the car screams every time from point a to point b , i have tried everything that ppl have memtioned and even more . no idea why or what else i can do
Have you tried a picture of you taped to the back seat, where she can see. At this point out of site is out of mind. Object permance has not developed yet. I think that is why most babies seem to "out grow it" aroung six months to a year. Try the picture and some singing in the car, hopefully you find something that works. At least so you can get errands done.
Best of luck
T.
Two things:
1. Some car seats adjust to tilt back a little - sometimes the straight-up-and-down position is a little to much for that big ol' head.
2. Get a blouse/t-shirt out of the dirty laundry that smells like you and give it to her. Sometimes if she has that with her it feels like you're right next to her and not a world away in the front seat.
Good luck.
N.,
My son did something similar, although it doesn't seem to be as bad as what you're describing. I ended up singing to him and after about 20 minutes (which always seemed like an eternity) he would go to sleep. Be sure she's not getting the sun in her eyes. That always aggravated my son. The only thing I can tell you, if nothing works, it usually will stop when she gets big enough to be put in a front facing car seat. I know that doesn't help you now, but her 1st birthday will be here before you know it and then she can see what's going on. That usually makes them feel better and keeps them distracted by giving them interesting stuff to look at. BTW, I don't think I've ever met another N. who spells her name exactly the same way I do!
Just a thought but have you talked to your pediatrician about this? Maybe she has something wrong with her inner ear and something about the car sounds or movement cause her pain? Or, maybe she is like my son, he gets car sick even if we just go up the block. He is extremely sensitive to movement which is also connected with his inner ear somehow, so maybe that is what is going on.
Keep us updated if you ever do find out what the problem is, but I guess there are some babies that just hate the car also but they usually outgrow it pretty quick.
I agree with putting something over the car seat hood, a light blanket. This seems to help with my grandson. And, since when I sing people tend to run away screaming, I turn on the classical station and the baby seems to really enjoy it. Also, you might try one of the mirrors that can attach to the seat and the baby can see you and you him/her? I know that the babies are safer in the back seat now that all cars have airbags, but I'm sure that separation anxiety is the problem, as in the "old days" when my kids were little, we put them in the front seats with us and I don't know anyone from those days who ever had problems with the babies screaming...
L. K
I had the same problem with my baby but she started since day one. She hated her carseat. The only thing that worked a little was the pacifier but now she's 2 and she has to have the pacifier when she gets in the car. I'm having a hard time breaking her of that habit. We even tried sitting back there with her to soothe her and that would not help. Eventually she outgrew it, but still uses the paci. Good luck with this, it is very stressful. Perhaps a DVD player with a movie?
have you tried to take a light blanket and put it over the car seat. some kids are motion sensative and I have found with my friends little girl that when we put a light blanket over the car seat that she wont cry and does so much better. It just shields them seeing all the out side movement. I hope this helps
Oh, I totally remember that with my little one when he was a baby. It was so awful and stressful! I agree with the other moms, it worked best for me to sing to him any and every song I knew. :) The blanket idea also sounds like a good one. Good luck. My son eventually just grew out of it.
Take care,
M.
Hi there.......this might sound kind of simple and strange, but I've heard this several times and half the time, it turned out just to be that the seat belt was too tight and the baby was uncomfortable. Try looking at the seatbelt and make sure the it is not too tight on the baby (you might already know this since you are an experienced mom, but you never know). Another thing, my daughter was the same way for a while there, it might have been when she was around three months. She got over it eventually. Just try making it a positive experience, say "yay, going for a ride" and smile real big........play some music so that she can hear it, make sure she has some toys hanging from the handles to distract her. Eventually she will stop, when my daughter went through this, it didn't last very long, now she LOVES going for car rides. I know its stressful, I used to get sooo upset and I never wanted to go anywhere because it was too hard to ride in the car with her screaming....but try to calm down and relax, the baby can feel your tension and anxiety, that alone can cause her to get even more upset.
Just some thoughts.....I hope it helps!
Good Luck, I wish you the best!
when my daughter was three months she did the same but more severe. she would not let me put her down. i had to continually hold her until another growth/learning spurt happened 4 wks later and out of blue, she stopped. seems like most of these posts are about young ladies. approx 3 months old. you may find that it will stop as suddenly as it started. plus its good practice for when they are a little older and begging for what they cant have or do. learn how to hang in there now.
When my first daughter was little, she HATED her car seat (seemed to get better when she got to sit up and turn around). Every time we were in the car, I just sang songs to her. That tended to keep her more calm. I'd sing kid songs, at Christmas, I sang carols - she liked Away in a Manger, but by July I was burned out! If I couldn't think of a song, I just sang what I was doing. I made up a song for the way home - "We'll be home in (#) more turns". She seemed to do better as long as she could hear me, but for some reason, just talking to her really didn't work. It had to be done in song.
Give it a shot - get your 3 year old to sing with you and/or pick some songs.
Good luck - there isn't much worse than a kid screaming in the back seat and you unable to do anything about it.
I wish I had some advice for you. I can only tell you that my first son was the same way. We tried a lot of different things also, but nothing seemed to work. I really think he just grew out of it. I believe he was nearly 6 months before he adjusted to riding in the car seat. I'm sure this is harder on you than it is your baby. Hang in there!!! :)
