Help with car travel - with a 7week old.

[june05isttimer]

Hiya guys

Im at mywits end with my 7 week old bubba girl!!

No matter what I have tried so far I cannot seem to be able to have a peaceful trip in the car with her.

She gets into her carseat and within 10mins she is crying which soon becomes histerical screaming. The other day she went for 20mins non stop til we got home. The second I got her out of the seat to bring her inside she instantly calmed down. Its like I have a possessed child when she gets into the car.

I recently purchased a mobile thing for her to look at which she enjoys for about 5mins. So that doesn't seemed to have worked.

I have tried sitting in the back next to her and when she starts to cry I try putting in her dummy. That also lasts minimal time. Sitting in the back does absolutely nothing bar keeping her quiet for about 3 minutes more as I am persevering putting the dummy in and out of her mouth.

We have tried turning the music up or changing the music from general radio to the classical stuff also to no avail.

Everyone says to me that babies love the car and I don't know how many times I have heard people say that they have used the car as a settling technique. There is no way we could use it thats for sure !!!!!!!

I just don't know what to do. It makes me soo angry and frustrated in the car when she does this.

Please please please has anyone got any suggestions which may help me or have been in a similar situation as I am at my wits end.
My family live 5hrs drive away and Im wondering if we are ever going to be able to do a trip down to see them.
:eek:

[mattias'mom]

We have travelled a lot with our son since he was born, my family lives about 3 hours away and my DP family lives about 6 hours away. What we found works good is leaving around the time his nap would normally be and he would usually fall asleep soon after getting in the carseat. The other thing that we do to keep him happy is play his favorite song over and over again and he usually goes to sleep with it playing.

Hope you are able to go on your trip!!

[ThomasMum]

Like Mattias's Mum we too had travelled a lot since Thomas was born. I remember when we took him back from the hospital couple days after he was born he cried in our car all the way home! (We are 10 mins from the hospital)
And we thought, oh dear oh dear. But thanks to good ol music, it did help Thomas overcome his fear being in the car. Try to introduce a new song/music in the house, once the bub used to and liking it bring it to the car???

At the moment Thomas loves the song by Jam, They. We prolly listen to this song like million times!

Hopefully as ur bub gets older car-trips will be more enjoyable and believe me it will!

Happy Driving! :)

[mumofethan]

Ethan got like this at one point, until he was big enough for his car seat to be turned around then he was fine! we make regular 90min trips from the country to the city without any problems unless it is lunch time!

i know that u cant turn the seat around yet but all i can say is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

[Briannabear]

My DD didnt like car travel either! What I found worked for us was to feed her right before we left to go anywhere. We'd do a quick nappy change, then we left immediately while she was still happy from her feed! :p
And singing.............Lots of singing!! Her favourite song is 'Rock your bear' by the Wiggles.

Good Luck!

[Melissa1983]

Hi
I know what you mean, Abby doesnt like the car either never since she was born and she is 19 months now. I am dreading it, i have to take both in the car at the end of August for 10 hours. (Melb to Nowra). Has anyone got any advice on what i can do with them for 10 hours on the road??

[june05isttimer]

Hey guys

thanks for all your responses.

I have tried attempting a car ride both before and after a feed as well as waiting til she has settled her food and almost asleep.
I have been able to have some peace when she has almost been asleep or is asleep when I put her in the car and its not been too bad. As soon as she wakes up though we get about 5mins of happy play time looking around etc then we get the screaming.

The only thing I am thinking that could be causing the prob is that she does not know how to put herself to sleep yet I don't think.
When going back on things, I pat or rock her in my arms till she is almost asleep or actually is asleep before putting her to bed during the day or night.

The prob we have in the carseat we also have in the pram. If she goes into the pram awake then we again get a few minutes of looking around and then crying and screaming. I am thinking it may be because she gets tired and is used to one of us nursing her or rocking her till she is almost over the edge of falling asleep.

i have managed today to put her to bed in her cot for 2 sleeps so far today and she has stayed there.

How do I teach her to fall asleep on her own??????
Do I put her in there awake and let her cry???? If this is the case then I think I will get a repeat of what happens in the car.

If she fell asleep on her own then maybe this would make a difference in the car as when she is picked up from the carseat she instantly stops screaming.

We have also just let her scream as well thinking that she may just end up stopping or realise that we can't get her out, but this didn't work as she screamed for a good 15mins home the other day.

Help help help help !!!!!!!!!

[Harmony83]

Wow I had/still have this exact same problem! Brayden did the exact same thing, he would scream histerically in his car seat then as soon as I'd pick him up he'd stop! I think he was afraid to be alone in the back or maybe just scared of the car altogether! Oneday I sat in the back with him and gave him a bottle which seemed to help!
And when I'd try take him for a walk he would also scream (he still does if we go into a shopping centre?? But is fine outside?!?) I've given him a small blanket (muslim wrap thing) which he cuddles and chews when he is in the car of the pram, it seems to settle him down alot!! You would probably have to keep an eye on them so they don't put it ova their face though! Plus I don't know if he is too young to have a comforter blanket?!?!

Brayden still doesn't fall asleep on his own (grrr) but I am trying the technique (sp?) where you pat them until they are quiet and then leave the room, when they cry again go back in and pat them,(it's explained in detail in the sleeping section I think) And a couple of times he has fallen to sleep on his own... I guess it take perserverance! If you do keep having probs I'd talk to your community health centre, they might be able to get you into a day stay if that doesn't work a week stay, we did both and I highly reccommend them!

Anyway hope you work something out!
Goodluck
:D

[shanz]

Hi through my cousins and nephews i have learnt that they are all different.I know this sounds stupid and you sound like you are at your wits end so it might be worth a try. If you bring the car seat inside and when bubby is awake and happy try sitting her in it and make it a play time with you and her together,just so that she knows that it is a safe place.and aswell try this with the pram dont make them exclusive to going out. we had problems with one of my cousins nad this seemed to work with him. :)

[talon]

Just a few suggestions if you haven't tried already -

Invest in one of those car seat head supports (you get them from Target) and it keeps the head upright and nice and snug so they feel safe.

Another thought I had was maybe try either a lambswool car seat insert as these are really comfy and nice and warm (my son sleeps on one every night and loves it!) or maybe put your baby into a grobag. I just thought it might be a comfort thing and if they your baby is nice and snug it might help a bit.

Also, just check that the sun isn't causing problems. DS hates the sun and used to cry after a few seconds of sun in the face. We use a nappy now to block it out completely as those window covers weren't working really well.

Good luck with it!