https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 21 May 2026 04:15:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2323000 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 08:11:12 +0000 Herrade 2323000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with the others -- you just have to wait it out. We put various things back there to entertain DD, but that didn't help until she was old enough to really engage with/handle them, starting around 4 months. Also around that age she started communicating a bit more, so we would hear her griping a lot instead of that full-blown undifferentiated infant cry. Much easier for mommy to handle in the front seat! Even so, at almost 5 months we just had an awful 20 minute ride this week. Had to make two stops to console her, when she was absolutely fine on the ride out. </p> <p>Other tips -- time trips either just before or just after naps. Don't ride in the backseat! This just ticked off my LO, as seeing me made her want to be held. For that reason, the mirror is not really helpful to her. Seeing me can make her cry to be rescued from backseat boredom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322963 Fri, 16 Oct 2015 07:51:15 +0000 jape14 2322963@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travelgirl1: our DS hated the car when he was small - he's still not a huge fan but definitely better now (13 months). the one thing that worked like a charm was a lovey - we have several of the Angel Dear ones that are a little soft blanket (not much bigger than a washcloth) + a stuffed animal head. we will also play songs we know he likes on repeat (shake it off is a favorite of his) or just white noise if we're trying to get him to sleep - annoying for us but better than hearing him scream! and honestly, what seemed to help the most was switching from an infant seat to a convertible. he hated that bucket seat! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322739 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 21:14:41 +0000 californiadreams 2322739@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travelgirl1: it's great. now that he's a toddler, i realize i don't really need the mirror, but it is still nice since he is still rear facing. And he uses it to see other things and likes pointing out red lights, buses etc that he sees in the mirror....so the mirror is still helpful! And i can make faces at him in it my rearview mirror and get a reaction out of him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322735 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 21:11:20 +0000 travelgirl1 2322735@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@californiadreams: The mirror is a good idea! I think I'll buy him one of those for England. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322707 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 20:51:12 +0000 californiadreams 2322707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When L was 4 or 5 months and we did our second road trip to Montreal by ourselves, he started screaming. I was driving and couldn't pull over and almost went into panic mode. I finally thought to give him my iPhone and put twinkle twinkle little star on YouTube. It worked and from then on when I do road trips, I time leaving right before nap time. Then after he wakes he is chill for a bit. And then if I want to keep going longer, I let him watch videos. He is typically on the screen for a minor portion of the trip. But I decided it was better than him screaming and road trips were not a regular occurrence. </p> <p>Also since we do use the car a lot in our every day life, I guess he has always been used to small car rides around town. We've always had one of those soft mirrors so I can see him and he started getting entertained by looking at himself in it a long time ago so I think that makes the rides fun for him too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322680 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 20:41:24 +0000 travelgirl1 2322680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: I was saying to DH earlier that I thought that might be part of the problem, that he isn't used to being in the seat. It's a great idea! DH isn't on board though, he's not a fan of keeping him in a car seat for longer than necessary and we use the stroller a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322628 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 20:06:20 +0000 Foodnerd81 2322628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travelgirl1: c hated the car for the first few months, it was awful. Surprisingly I think what helped was when I started using her infant car seat in the stroller. I had been trying to use the bassinet, which she also hated, but for some reason she actually liked being in the car seat snapped into the stroller. After that she started freaking out less and less in the car too. It was bizarre, and of corse it could have just been timing, but I think maybe she had more positive associations with it since walks in the stroller facing me were nice? Is that a possibility? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322590 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:40:55 +0000 travelgirl1 2322590@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks guys. It was just a hire car so we won't need to put him in it again until the trip to the airport at the end of next month. But then because of the location of my MIL's house he will be in the car a lot, bless him. I guess he will just have to get used to it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322589 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:40:05 +0000 Little Misters Mom 2322589@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS totally hated the car. He outgrew it (mostly) but what worked for us was getting him a mirror and playing a white noise/rain app loud over the radio (static between radio stations works in a pinch). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322579 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:35:30 +0000 Smurfette 2322579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started putting her in the car seat every day. Even if we didn't go anywhere. She just would sit in it in the living room. I think it helped. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322539 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:08:22 +0000 rosegold 2322539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travelgirl1: it gets better but in small small steps! ds HATED being in the car and I try to take him every other day somewhere very close just to familiarize him with it as time goes on. it's ROUGH. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322538 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:08:22 +0000 gentlelunette 2322538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter despised the car for the first 4 months (maybe more, honestly). Hated it... screamed the entire time. I think partly because she had reflux and it aggravated that. Ultimately, we just had to wait it out. Sleep training helped too... now she knows how to put herself to sleep so she will fall asleep in the car now (which she could never do before). It will get better!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322526 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:03:11 +0000 Mae 2322526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Binky for sure if he'll take it. But honestly at that age there isn't much you can do! He can't replace the binky when it falls out, and if he's pissed, he's probably just going to be pissed. I'd just try to keep trips short for a while as he gets used to it, and keep talking/singing/reassuring as much as your sanity allows (and if you're going absolutely freaking nuts turn the music up a little and sing to yourself and try to tune kiddo out because an anxious mom freaking out about her kid crying is a road hazard to yourself and your kid and everyone else around you). It will get better &lt;3 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322524 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:00:14 +0000 FaithFertility 2322524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD HATED the car for maybe he first 3 months?!?<br /> I just made it a point to do quick trips every day!<br /> She eventually got used to it! Hang in there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-baby-who-hates-being-in-the-car#post-2322519 Thu, 15 Oct 2015 18:56:56 +0000 travelgirl1 2322519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just hired a car for a few days vacation and my 12-week-old screamed his little heart out. Not all the time, he did sleep or have settled times, but when he got upset it was awful. We will be driving regularly when we move next month but honestly this experience has made me never want to put him in a car again. I can't stand to hear my baby cry and not be able to get to him!</p> <p>So, what do you do when your baby is like that in the car? It's not always safe to pull over and comfort them... Talking to him or singing didn't work. </p>