https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:21:11 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858286 Sun, 25 Nov 2018 14:03:32 +0000 Clementine12 2858286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Littlebit7: the no dairy tip might help - the vomit always seems curdled. I do love the carseat for ease of cleaning and reinstalling!</p> <p>Thanks everyone! I have an arsenal of tips to try now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858267 Sun, 25 Nov 2018 09:38:21 +0000 Littlebit7 2858267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 3.5 year old has gotten carsick multiple times over the past 2.5 years. We don’t drive much and it typically occurs on longer drives at or over an hour. We just got back from thanksgiving travel and she barfed on the way down. My tips:</p> <p>Forward facing hasn’t made much of a difference fwiw. We flipped her around 3.25<br /> No dairy for at least 2 hours prior to travel<br /> Bland foods for meal before travel. We just do plain pasta. Easier to clean too<br /> Windows cracked if possible<br /> No screens<br /> Once or twice if she allowed it I put one of those pocket bibs on her to catch the mess<br /> We just tried Benadryl on this trip home and no car sickness so we might start doing that from now on, but 18 months might be too early for that. Ask your pedi if a small dose is advised<br /> My sil swears by sea bands<br /> You have a great car seat for cleaning barf. I’m a pro with our nextfit. I’ve also put the disposable puddle pads under her which prevents the mess from getting in the nooks and crannies</p> <p>Good luck. It’s no fun. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858252 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 22:45:54 +0000 lady baltimore 2858252@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know if they're okay for kids so young, but it might be worth looking into those anti-nausea wrist bands. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858251 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 22:33:01 +0000 Pumuckl 2858251@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no experience with car sickness but I remembered this old thread and the paper on the window solution <a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-seat-hater-long-trip-how-to-not-go-over-the-edge#post-2760424" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/car-seat-hater-long-trip-how-to-not-go-over-the-edge#post-2760424</a><br /> That kind of stuck with me 🤷‍♀️ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858239 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 20:17:48 +0000 lamariniere 2858239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both of my LOs went through a car sickness phase, and I’ve been prone to motion sickness for years, so I have a lot of sympathy. I don’t think Dramamine is approved until kids are 2, but it’s definitely a life saver once they can take it. Everyone has given good advice that I can just echo. Keep the car cool. I’ve found that a light meal or snack beforehand is much better than being very full or having an empty stomach. Stop and go traffic and lots of turning motions are terrible. I don’t let my kids read or look at anything like tablets or videos in the car as that is a recipe for disaster every time.</p> <p>ETA: I almost forgot, mint candies like tictacs and fishermen’s friend have been lifesavers too. I always have them in my bag and we keep them in the car in case anyone starts feeling ill. My LOs are older though, so I don’t know about giving small hard candies to an 18 mo. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858223 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 17:53:52 +0000 Bluebonnet 2858223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Clementine12: Tons of sympathy to you. I was a car sick kid and I still get carsick as an adult. LO1 also gets car sick very easily. We ended up turning her car seat around at age 2 because of how often she was puking in the car - even on short trips (riding backwards is also a trigger for me).</p> <p>Things that work for us - making sure she doesn’t get too hot in the car, making sure we’re avoiding stop and go traffic, making sure she isn’t too full (or too hungry), and keeping an empty plastic container &amp; lid (old protein powder container) in arms reach for when she does get sick. She’s old enough now to tell us when her stomach doesn’t feel good and we’ll stop the car if possible to let her walk around and get some fresh air. Ask your pediatrician about dramamine. We were told absolutely do not give it to her until she was older. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858222 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 17:36:14 +0000 My Only Sunshine 2858222@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Clementine12: My DD and I both get motion sickness, Around that age my daughter was old enough to start to understand to try to throw up in a bag. It doesn’t solve the whole problem but at least saves laundry and carseat cleaning! </p> <p>I would have loved to do extended rear facing but we turned her right at 2 years old and it did help the carsickness. She also doesn’t do well in the back row of our van. </p> <p>Sea bands on long trips sometimes help her- I think it’s more psychological than anything but whatever works! Encouraging her to take tiny sips of water helps. And I tell her to look at the tops of the trees if she starts to feel funny. </p> <p>She’s ok watching movies, but nothing that she would need to look down for. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858215 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 16:54:31 +0000 Kaohinani 2858215@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Clementine12: My DD was TERRIBLE in the car when she little. We HAD to turn her carseat to FF-ing before she was 2 as her pediatrician stated that facing her forward and placing her in the middle seat [so she could look out the front window] "may" alleviate a bit of her car sickness. It did ... but not by much. Come to find out, the excess fluid in her ears was adding to her nausea, as was her GERD from 2 hernias. (* I am in no way saying this is what is the catalyst for your DD's carsickness.) After my DD had tubes put in, was put on allergy medication to help "dry" up any drainage, and had her zantac increased, DH and I saw a vast improvement in her tolerance to longer car rides. My DD is now 10-1/2 and she reads and plays on her Kindle with no sickness every time we drive the 3+ hours to visit family. 👍<br /> Hopefully, with time and a few adjustments (seating, full stomach vs. empty, possible use of medications, pepermint oil, ginger candies, nausea bands, alcohol swabs, etc), your DD will be far less queasy in the car as well. 🤞 Sending *hugs* because until then, it is a rough ride for both you and your LO. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858214 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 16:51:20 +0000 peaches1038 2858214@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have horrible motion sickness even now as an adult. Maybe you could try some gripe water - the ginger might help to settle her stomach. Also, make sure she’s not overheated. So definitely no jackets or even sweaters in the car seat. Put a light blanket over her that she can take off if she gets warm. And open the window a crack if it’s not too cold out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858213 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 16:32:23 +0000 gotkimchi 2858213@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Clementine12: will she drink bubbly water? Carbonation helps me sometimes </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858211 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 16:15:51 +0000 Clementine12 2858211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@annem1990: no toys or screens - just a mirror in front of her and occasionally a dog besides her.</p> <p>@gotkimchi: that's my experience as well, and I wonder if forward facing would help - its not a solution I'm willing to try yet though. Full stomach has been a no go so far but I'll try an empty stomach (maybe just water?) Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858210 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 16:11:13 +0000 gotkimchi 2858210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@annem1990: all of this is spot on. The other things that help me are cold air and facing forward. Like I can’t sit on a train or boat backwards. Also experiment with food, sometimes a full stomach is better then an empty one </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858209 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 16:00:35 +0000 annem1990 2858209@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also, the worst thing I found is that once I have even a smidge of nausea, it’s over until I’m out of the car. So I can’t have the attitude of “I’ll just play on my phone until I feel like I may get it.” By then it’s too late. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858208 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 15:58:52 +0000 annem1990 2858208@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So hard. I had terrible motion sickness most of my childhood. Dramamine definitely helped at times. </p> <p>The only full-proof thing for me (and still to this day) is that I can’t do ANYTHING in the car. If your LO is looking at a screen, playing with a toy, eating, etc. it could easily trigger it. We’d take 12+ hour car trips many times a year growing up and I’d have to look out the window while my sibilings watched movies and played. I’m sure for an 18 month old that’s extremely challenging because she doesn’t understand yet. Does she typically have toys or a movie while you’re driving? Cutting all of that out might make a huge difference. She’ll be bored at first, but the pros may outweigh the cons. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-car-sickness-at-18-mos#post-2858206 Sat, 24 Nov 2018 15:47:12 +0000 Clementine12 2858206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just finished getting our Chicco Nextfit thoroughly cleaned after yet another carsick session by my daughter. The seat pads are super easy to put on and off but this was the first time I scrubbed the straps.</p> <p>Poor DD doesn't handle car trips well - we travel aboit an hour to visit family semi frequently so this carseat is already well-used :bummed: </p> <p>Any tips to help a carsick LO? She's 18 mos and 24 lbs - not sure if meds are appropriate. Still rearfacing and hoping to keep her that way for a couple more years.</p> <p>Thanks bees! </p>