Our 2 month old screams every second she is in her car seat... blood curdling screams. Sometimes once we take her out, the high pitched screams continue and then she falls asleep while whimpering in her sleep.
Did you lo act this way? Our ds didn't act this horribly. Just not sure if it's normal or if something is wrong - she had a shoulder dystocia at delivery. I had the pediatrician look at her at her 2 week appt and didn't see anything wrong but not sure if there's something underlying going on.
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Normal. Mine was almost 8 weeks before she would not cry the whole time. I tried to put her in the seat at least once a day so she got used to it. She would never just sit and chill for long, unless she was asleep.
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DD hated the car seat, but only cried for the first few weeks when the car wasn't moving.
DS was fine in the car seat since day 1 and always fell asleep when we went for a drive. -
Yep, unfortunately it is
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@Smurfette: @erinpye: nooooooooooooo!
And when can I leave the house with her without needing ear plugs?
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Ours did that. Around 3 or 4 months, she had started using a pacifier so we gave her that in the car and it did wonders. Of course now at 23 months, she still needs it...
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Our DD2 did that too - ear piercing screams from the moment we got in the car until the moment we got out. If we were in the car for longer than 20 minutes, she'd usually pass out for 15 or 20 minutes but then wake up and resume the screaming. It was terrible. And to top it off, her screams would set DD1 off (she is 19 months older) so I would then have two shrieking babies in the car. It sucked
I won't tell you how long it lasted for us but I will just say we limited the number of places we went in the car for the majority of DD's first year of life..... Hope it gets better for you soon!
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@Ash: mine did that on and off- and well meaning people would say things like "oh she will fall asleep as soon as you get in the car!" Nope. Weirdly, she stopped screaming in the car when I started using the infant car seat in her stroller. She hated the bassinet on the stroller, hated her car seat in the car, but once I put the car seat on the stroller she was happier in both. So weird by whatever works.
And now at 2 if we go anywhere close to nap time it's a huge challenge to keep her awake!
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I think it's probably normal, unfortunately, but if you feel like something is wrong you should trust your instincts too. I was a colicky baby and SCREAMED whenever I was put on my back. Everyone said it was normal, but it turns out I had a back injury from labor/delivery. Once that was corrected and treated, the screaming stopped immediately. So, while I'm sure it's just normal, if you feel the screams are more than normal, maybe have it checked out?
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maybe try a lovey, bottle, soft toy, lullaby music? or would it help if someone sat back there with her to entertain her? sorry to hear you're going through this, good luck!
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My three month old still screams bloody murder 70% of the time she's in the car seat. She didn't even cry that hard when she got shots. The only exception to crying is if it's just about nap time -- she'll cry for about five minutes, then fall asleep, but for no more than 20 minutes.
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DD was this way! It almost sounded like she was hurting just by sitting in it. Switching from an infant to convertible seat helped her though!
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It could totally be normal. DS2 hated the car seat until about 5 months. But given the shoulder history, I would bring it up to the doctor.
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Totally normal. My daughter cried / screamed every single time till she was one.
But I wonder with yours because of the shoulde problem maybe the straps are hitting somewhere weird and making it uncomfortable for her?
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@Ash: I almost posted the same thing today! My baby is just over 2 months as well. She did much better as a newborn when she slept more but now if she's awake she's so pissed in the car until she (sometimes) falls asleep. I try to time it towards her nap time but nothing is working currently
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DD HATED the car, and TBH it killed me! I honestky drive her somewhere every day even if for 5 mins now she is a trooper
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It sounds like it could be normal but if your gut tells you it's off maybe just ask, can't hurt. Hope it improves (and soon!)
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DS loved the car from the start, but didn't necessarily love getting into the car seat and having it tightened; once he got into the car he'd be fine. He falls asleep right away or watches his feet move (2-3 months), plays with his blanket or toy (4-5 months). The only times that he has cried are when he's hungry, teething, or tired/jetlagged. Honestly, all babies are different. But if you suspect an underlying issue, I'd bring it up with your daughter's paediatrician again.
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@Ree723: Tell me how long (or wall me!) My LO2 is 7.5 months and it's still going on. Not every second anymore, but the vast majority of the time we're in the car he is crying/screaming. It's awful!
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Just curious, does singing or music help?
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DD hated hated hated being in the car, in the car seat, for well, I honestly blocked how long it was. It would be semi manageable if someone was in the back seat with her. We tried the paci and it would help if a person was holding it in her mouth in the back, but she never took to the paci. With the next one, we're popping that thing in at the hospital!
It was definitely the worst I think before 4 months. I literally stopped the car to soothe/nurse her many times on drives that were less than 5 miles from home.
She was never really a happy camper in the car until she was in the convertible car seat and [I hate to admit this] she has the iPad to watch something. I mean, we started with simple Baby Einstein videos. But something has to distract or keep her focus in the car or she is just restless or unhappy. Those dangly car seat toys didn't help and she never has been a good car sleeper. People always told me, they'll fall asleep in the car in a few minutes! Um... not my kid. She slept 30 min. on a 6hr car ride.
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@catlady: I can't get her to take a paci for the life of me. I even keep one in my car!
@Ree723: nooo, tell me!
@Foodnerd81: I had a patient (infant) who was fussy and the dad got the car seat out and said he was going to set her in it because she will fall right sleep. I was like :shocked:. I'm afraid to take her anywhere, including going for a walk for fear she'll scream the entire time.
@yoursilverlining: I'm going to make her a chiropractor appt... she needs one anyway from that traumatic delivery. Hopefully it helps with the car too!
@iluvboba637: nothing helps. She just keeps screaming.
@Herrade: I used to think she screamed because she was tired but if that's the reason, she still doesn't go to sleep.
@HLK208: we switched seats last weekend. I thought maybe the infant seat made her too hot. Aaaaand it didn't work.
@Mamasig: going to try the chiro and see what he thinks.
@regberadaisy: oh my gosh! Until she was one?! I'm going to be a hermit!
@ldh112: I feel your pain. NOTHING WORKS!
@FaithFertility: I think I could handle 5 minute rides!
@2littlepumpkins: thank you!
@bluestriped bee: singing worked once... and that was the end of it.
@shopaholic: the problem is that we live 20 minutes from everything so every ride is at least 20 miserable minutes (for everyone). Even ds sighs really loudly when she's screaming...
Thanks everyone! I guess it looks to be normal but I'm going to have her seen!
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@Ash: D was like this, too. Someone had gifted us the travel sleep sheep and we tried that and it definitely helped. Didn't make it completely go away, but it made the crying less intense and last for shorter periods of time.
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@littlebug: maybe I'll start with our full size sheep and see if it helps!
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my neighbor had two kids that hated their car seats, when they got older they always felt carsick on long drives.
my little guy hated it from day 1, but has progressively gotten better about it. inwould think something js up if baby was ok in it at first and then not so much later on.
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@ash yesterday afternoon I decided surely she could handle a short trip to the wine shop. WORST IDEA EVER. she made it to the wine shop with me singing to her (10 minutes) but the ride home (as rush hour began) she lost it worse than ever before for a good 25 minutes before passing out. It is so frustrating! I read that sometimes the head support insert can bug them as well as the mirror (motion sickness) so I am going to remove those for the next ride and see. We were supposed to go out of town with friends for Labor Day but I pretty much have cancelled the trip because I can't handle 5 hours of this. It just stinks to feel so trapped at home.
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@littlebug oh good idea. i have the giant one but will attempt it.
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