Car Seat Transition

It may or may not help. With things like this , I always try to remind myself that "this too shall pass". My oldest went through a time when she was terrified of the tub. It really was a rough time but she moved on to the next challenge. Good luck!!!

I also agree that putting her in a convertible seat is best. Even if she is rear-facing, the convert. seats seem much more comfortable. My daughter hated her infant carrier as she started to reach 6 months and as soon as I switched her she seemed much happier. Good luck!

I think it would help switching her to a different seat. Infant seats are positioned differently as opposed to the convertable seats. Try it, the most that could happen is she'd hate it more! Are there any activities for her to do while she's riding? Toys, things to look at, a mirror, etc. She could be bored. trying to read them sometimes can be frustrating. Best of luck!
L. - i'm a mom of 2 girls ages 3 & 6 1/2, my hubby & i both work FT

My son hated his bucket seat at about 5 months. He would do the same thing with the screaming and refusing to get in it. I switched him to the Britax at around 6 months and faced it backwards. He loved it and I have not had any problems since. She has to face backwards until she is one and twenty pounds. Take the seat to your local police station and talk to them. They are always a big help. Good luck!

She might just hate being rear facing.I would put her in the convertible car seat rear facing. They need to stay rear facing until they are 1 year old and 20 pounds. My daughter is also very small and she was rear facing until she was 19 months. She hated it, but she was safe!

Hi R.. My son is 10 months now and has been in a convertible seat for about 2 months now. He is a bigger baby. But the convertible car seat is usually designed for even infants as small as 5 or 10 lbs (varies by models). I'm sure Selena is starting to feel confined in the infant carrier. I believe my son was about her weight when we moved my son into the convertible one. Also my 2 year old calms right down when I put the wiggles on for her in the car. I get tired of them but if it makes her happy that is all that matters. Hope this helps!

Hi R. :)

I'm a CPST (child passenger safety technician). In the rearfacing position, the seat should be angled at 45 degrees for newborns (which the infant carriers are designed to do), but can be as upright as 30 degrees for older children with more head support (convertibles can be installed much more upright.) You are probably right in guessing she'll be more comfortable in a convertible.

Do NOT turn her forward at one year as some are suggesting. The onen year/twenty pounds rule is out of date and really not safe. It is far safer to keep children rearfacing to the limits of their convertibles. That being said, I'll gently steer you away from the Graco Comfortsport...it only has a weight limit of 30 pounds rearfacing. Look for something with 30 to 35 pounds rearfacing! Much safer. I did not turn my oldest son until he was 2.5 (he's three now), when he outgrew the rearfacing weight limit on his seat. A child between 1 and 2 and forward facing in the car is four times as likely to die or suffer a very serious injury than the same child in a rearfacing accident.

Feel free to email me with any questions, and let me know if you'd like your seat checked :)

My daughter was also small weight wise but tall. She was uncomfortable in her infant seat. We bought the transitional seat so she faced backwards and put a mirror on the headrest when she turned one year old and twenty pounds we faced her forwards and now She loves riding in the car.

my daughter did that too. the only thing to do is stay firm and be strong. if she tries to get out, put her back in.. You have to win this one.. there's not alternative.. keep calm, and just keep at it and eventually she'll realize, I won't win this one. changing her seat may help, but she's small so make sure it's one built for her. maybe giving her special toys only for the car may help too.. good luck.. it's a tough battle.

My son had always hated the carseat. I mean HATED it, like your daughter. We made him a cd with kids songs on it. When ever he got upset we would put "I wanna be like you" from the Junglebook on and he would calm right down. Now he LOVES the Wiggles and thats what we listen to in the car. It is silly but it was a life saver for us.

Bare minimum for moving forward facing in any seat is one year and twenty pounds (until the limits of the seat is better), so you would need to install the sear rear facing anyway. That said most children go through a phase or two where they fight the car seat for whatever reason. You could try the Comfort Sport and see what happens, but don't expect it to work miracles. Might just be something she needs to work through.

I would move her to a bigger car seat because she might be uncomfortable in the infant seat. She'll have to be rear facing in the bigger car seat until she reaches the height and weight recommendations of the car seat company. It's actually recommended that children stay rear facing past their first birthday for safety reasons. I think as parents we turn the seat to forward facing so we can see them better when we look back at them while we drive.
I'ld also talk to your ped. about when would be best to turn the seat around.
My son went through a phase that he hated being put in the car seat. It will pass he's going to be 3 on saturday and still has time that he refuses to go in the seat. And I agree with you anyone passing by would think you were torturing your child. Good luck in hang in there I'm sure your daughter will "outgrow" hating to be in the car seat, maybe if she had some new toys to play with it would help. I had toys that stayed in the car and i think it helped to have something different to play with that he didn't have anywhere else.

Hi R.

My daughter is 10 mo as well. She is in the 25% for both height and weight (last appt 17.8 and 26 3/4 in). I transitioned her about a month ago from the infant carrier to a convertable car seat (still rear facing). She adapted to the bigger seat with no issues. She had also begun to get fussy with her infant seat so we just assumed she was telling us she needed more space. Sounds like your plan is right on track for your daughter's needs. Best of luck with the transition.

I believe that most infant seats go to 27 in and I can't remember the pounds. You have to put the convertible seat rear facing until she is 1 year AND 20 pounds, then you can make it forward facing. My kids sure liked the convertible much better than the infant. I hope it works out for you. Good luck.

My daughter did the same thing when she was about 9 months old. I bought her a bigger carseat and that seemed to help so hopefully that will work for you and your little one too. My daughter just loved it when she went into a bigger carseat. She thought that she was a big girl after that. Good luck

Hello,
I had a similar problem with my daughter, she just didn't like her carrier seat anymore! I got her a convertible seat and put it in rear facing and she is much happier, and to tell you the truth I was very relieved to not have to carry her in the 'baby bucket' anymore. The convertible seat does take up a little more room in the car, but it's worth it to have a happier baby. It's tough to want to give up that portible seat but she never missed it.

She may like the convertible car seat more, they are roomier and it is something new. We have Britax seats and they are the best! Very high ratings. Check the ratings and pick the seat that fits best in your vehicle. Goodluck!

R.,

I switched my son to an Eddie Bauer three in car seat. It starts out as a rear facing carseat but is a bit roomier then the infant ones, then you can turn it around to make it a front facing car seat when she turns one. then it goes into a booster seat. It is great because I will never have to buy another car seat! Good luck!

My little guy switched from his infant seat to a convertible well before he was too big for the infant seat. And we found that once he was in the bigger seat car rides were much better for everyone. I'd say it's worth a shot to try the bigger seat and see if it helps.

My son who was 10 months at the time went through that as well. Although he is very big for his age and was already facing forward in the toddler type car seat. His was just a phase and isn't so bad anymore. Mabye a more comfortable bigger seat will help. I did try to distract with a cracker or a toy when I put him in...
Good Luck.

My daughter was very small for her age to and was in her carrier until she was 1. but i think the law says you have to be one yr. and 20lbs to sit forward, so you can definately put one in backwards. my daughter turned one and was only 18 lbs and i still put it forward. So i would say go ahead. also, the todler carseats make you sit forward more where the infant one lays back more, she might not feel so confined in a bigger one either.

It is fine to change up the seat. As long as it is rear facing until they meet the weight requirement, and are 1yr old (so their muscles are stong enough to handle sudden stops, ect.)I had the same problem with my three kids. They hit a point where they no longer were comfortable in the infant carrier carseat. I did change them into a convertable seat they will use until they are 100lbs, or 4foot9. Having one transition seat is easier, and immediately stopped the mind numbing crying. It was so much easier, being able to take them straight in the store and back to the car without taking them from a carseat. Now they have to sit in the carriage, or I'd have to hold them. Until they sit up enough is a little difficult. But with a comfy blanket behind their heads, and proped they are okay. Hope this ends your tears.

you might try getting her in partnership with getting into the car seat. Some of the new research out on attachment suggest that focusing on responsivity helps the child experience that the adults understand their needs. When there are conflicting needs between baby and parent, it can be extremely helpful for the us to slow down, get them into partnership as much as possible, saying quietly slowly softly, "sweetie, you don't like the care seat, (slow slow, the infant brain generally needs much more time to process language, and when they are upset they are active in the brain stem which causes even more of a delay in processing). I see... you don't like it (pause). But mama needs you to be safe. "

Let them do as much of it by themselves as they are interested. If you can let her independently climb into the car seat (at appointed no rushing times), ask her to reach for the straps (let her help you). "Can you put it over you head? Peak a boo, there is your head? Where is your hand, can you stretch your hand through the strap?" Also, you can have her climb into it, strap up and then get out again, respond to her communications. "out, you want out? You are crying you want out. Mama knows you want out, but you need to be safe." Lots of slow, simple *repetition* in the talking will help. Perhaps you might try to make some very short trips. "Now we are stopped and you can get out. You want to get out, but mommy needs to stop the car first. Now you can get out." Through responsivity infants understand we are in their court, and we become the container, the holding environment for their fear, pain whatever it is. Usually that is what they need, they don't necessarily need to have all discomfort eliminated, but they need to know that we are with them and understand what they are trying to communicate.
Sorry, no suggestions about the car seats.
Good luck.

Dear R.,

She may be uncomfortable! I had to switch my daughter to a convertable car seat at about 9 months (she is tall for her age), but it made a bit of a difference. The larger car seat will have more room for her, and will bring her up a bit in height, so she may be able to look out the window. That is the other thing, she may be bored. Unfortunately, you can't switch to front facing until 20 lbs, and 1 year, but maybe a mirror or rear facing toy could help.

Good luck,
M.

I'm not sure about CT but in Mass it's the law that you have to have a child under 12 months facing backwards. I would go for the bigger car seat she'll probably love it, and if you get those strap pillows they sell she may feel a little more comfortable. Maybe even a new toy to go with it she'll think it's special and want to sit in it.

Yes, my oldest did this! I dont know what it is about the car seat - just not wanting the restraint I guess! Try sticking a sticker on the back of her hand and talk to her about it as youre putting her in - this worked a little for me. By the time she got it off, she was buckled and in the car! Distraction seemed to be the answer for my daughter... worth a shot?

Hi R.,

My baby girl is from China and tiny for her age. She is almost 13 months and weighs 18.5lbs and is 28.5 inches tall. I have had her in a rear facing convertible car seat from the start. We adopted her at 11 months old.

Hope that helps,
A.