My 5 week old screams at the top of her lungs most of the time she is the car seat. These are not long trips (about 10 minutes once a day to pick up her sister). I have checked and double checked that she is comfortable and that nothing in the seat is pinching or hurting. I have tried singing to her, talking to her, playing kids songs CDs. I have tried adding head rests and soft covers for the straps, and removing them too. She is usually a really easy baby and hardly cries, which is why this is even more mysterious and troubling. Any suggestions? Thanks!
My little guy hated the car seat for a few months too... I think he just didn't like being separated from us...
Maybe you could get a toy bar to distract her. Target has a cute one with a little froggy on it. It's about 10-12 dollars. That kept my son occupied until we had to switch to the 'big boy' car seat. Man, I miss that infant seat... Maybe a mirror too so you can see her.
Good luck!
My son hated his carseat until 5mos - mu guess was motion sickness, because he also hated the swing and bouncy seat, and had extreme reflux (from hernia). Then he was fine until about 13mos, when he started having to be on the move all the time - for a while I had to plan trips so that I was only getting him out/in one time, haha. Then around 20mos he started 'liking' it, or tolerating it better :)
Good luck!!!
All 3 of my children were this way, my last two being the worst. It was almost depressing having to take a car ride anywhere with the baby. We also tried EVERYTHING and honestly, nothing but time works. They eventually grow out of the "I hate my carseat stage" and fall into a " I LOVE my carseat stage". She's already 5 weeks, I think my kids grew out of this around 8 weeks so hang in there, I know it's hard but she WILL stop, I promise you it won't be like this forever.
I still remember when I went in for my first 6 week check up after having baby and the nurses and staff were all like "ohhhh, we were hoping to see the baby" and I said "sorry, NO WAY, my baby HATES the car seat and I won't take him anywhere I don't absolutelly have to". I still remember one lady was so surprised hearing that and she thought all babies loved their car seats, but that's not always the case. Many hate the car seats in the beginning and then grow to love them. Good luck and hang in there!
Ask a friend to borrow a different brand of carseat, and see if your daughter behaves this way in another carseat as well. If she does, I would guess that she gets carsick, and has come to associate feeling ill with her carseat. I would speak to your pediatrician about this possibility and whether you can do anything about it.
Try bringing her to a chiropractor for an adjustment. If she is out of alignment it may just be that the position she is in when she's in the car seat is that uncomfortable or hurting her.....
Is it an infant car seat, or convertible? I have read several places recently that some babies are just not comfortable in an infant seat. You could purchase your convertible early, if you don't have, and return it if that doesn't solve the problem? Mine starts at 5 pounds, Sunshine Kids Radian XTSL and goes to 80. I have an infant one as well, but had tucked this anecdote in my mind in case it happens. Good luck!
My older son cried in the carseat until he was big enough to turn around. I think he felt like he was all alone back there. He would usually be ok if I would sit back there with him so he could see me - but I get motion sickness, so that wasn't usually possible. Anyway, I don't have any magic cures except time.
This happened with 2 of 3 of my kids. I never really did figure out why, but the vent up top may have had a part in it. Check your vents to make sure the air isn't blowing directly on her. My kids did improve after a few months and were fine. Hang in there! I think some kids just don't like it.
Yup, my son too. It is so strange because he is the most content baby ever, but put him in his car seat and he would scream. My other son used the same exact car seat and didn't have a problem with it. I think he just doesn't like being confined like that. He is 6.5 months now, it has gotten a little better, but he still doesn't really like the seat.
My friend's kid did that for the longest time as did my nephew, I don't know that anyone ever figured out a reason for it (loneliness, boredom, ?) they just hated being in their car seats. My friend and her husband would sing at the tops of their lungs the entire time they were in the car and that seemed to (sort of) work and when my in-laws were in the car together one of them would drive while the other sat next to the baby (also sort of worked). I hope you find the magic thing that makes it all better but I think some kids are just like that, there's something they hate about it for whatever reason and eventually they grow out of it.
With my son it was tunnels! LOL It is most likely a phase. Have you tried classical music in the car? That would calm my son a bit. Good luck!
Some babies just hate the carseat. Mine did.. the only way I could get him to hush in the car was to play Metallica- don't ask me why. He just quieted right down. lol
Does she cry in the car seat in the house, or just in the car? She's probably hot, make sure she's not overdressed, alot of parents overdress their babies thinking they are cold, but they get hot just like we do. Do'nt overdress her, make sure she's properly in the car seat and its at the right angle.
She might be overheating. That's what happened to our son when he was about that age.
My daughter hated it too. She eventually grew out of it, but it took awhile. The only thing that worked for us was to bang on the car seat. For some reason that seemed to calm her down. Good luck! I know it's hard when they seem so miserable, but I agree with the others that some just don't like it. I think she grew out of it around 6-9 months.
Both of my boys did this, and it is sooo frustrating. They both got a lot better at 4 months. I know it seems like forever but at least it ended. There was absolutely nothing I could do either to help. Sometimes I would turn the radio up and sing along to try and not hear it, my only advice:) Good luck, and it will get better!
