4 Month Old Screams in the Car!! What to Do??

When that happened with my daughter I figured out that she just wasn't comfortable. We had a head supporter thinking that we were helping her and she actually hated it and we ended up taking it out and she was fine. Sometimes it would be the clothes she was wearing would be uncomfortable in the car seat (such as buttons on the back of the neck) even though she would stop crying when we were actually carrying her and not in the car. He might just be uncomfortable...

It sounds as if something spooked him and he can't get past it. Something in his mind with the clicking of the seat belt and it confining him in one place because you say as soon as you stop and get him out he is fine. Maybe he doesn't like being in the car or the size of the vehicle has something to do with it. He should grow out of it soon hopefully. May be he senses your tenseness when you put him in the seat and he reacts from that. Try to have happy thoughts and vibes. Good luck to you.

how about one of the mirrors that go on the back of the seat so he can see you and you can see him? they make them pretty big, thats what we used for my son.

This is probably a stupid question, as I'm sure you've tried everything, but. . . have your tried singing to him? That always worked with my son. Good luck!

OMG! My daughter was exactly the same way! It drove me to tears most of the time out of sheer frustration! Eventually I just started singing to her. "You Are My Sunshine" was our miracle song and once I swear I sang it about 100 times in a row on a road trip to San Antonio! She is almost 3 now and that song still calms her down...its probably my ultra smooth vocals...NOT! ;-)

Just hang in there and try to find something that works, maybe he just needs to hear your voice either singing or telling him a story. My SIL used a music CD that had kids singing silly songs. That seemed to catch my nephew's attention.

Good luck and just remember..."this too shall pass!"

Oh my gosh, did we ever have the same problem. It was HELL driving anywhere. We even had toget oue then-5 year old special headphones to wear to block out the baby screaming next to her. I thought my baby must have been in pain, the screaming was so intense and would not stop until she got out of the car. But then I realized she would stop as soon as she got out of the car, not the carseat; she just had to be out of the car. Weird.

We tried toys, music, stories, mirrors...everything we could think of. The only thing that would keep her from screaming her head off during a car trip was my husband riding in the back with her, singing a song he made up that went

"Meara moo moo moo, she did a poo poo poo out from her bottom. It smelled like (eldest daughter inserted something here i.e roses, bathtubs, Nana, etc). She's always in an eating mood, she likes to eat the grownup food; she likes to eat her mom's ice cream and when she doesn't she likes to sreeeeaaaam." Verse after verse after verse, until we arrived at our destination. Any other song, any other person singing it...no good. That song, sung by Daddy and absolutely nothing else.

Thank goodness, she grew out of it after a couple of months. I still hate that song.

Have you checked to make sure the straps aren't too tight or too lose? Depending on the angle of the car seat, it could be that it's too tight and hurting him (maybe cutting into his neck or stomach)? Or it it's too loose, maybe it's squishing his "bits" (as my niece calls them)?

Is he still facing the rear? Maybe he gets carsick or bored. Maybe you could try a portable DVD player with a Baby Einstein video. Maybe try turning the car seat around and see if that's any better? You say your other child is a terrible-two year-old - is it possible that he spooks the baby or otherwise harasses him? What about soothing music (or just loud music)? Maybe try a car ride where you talk to him the whole time and then try a car ride where you don't say a word.

Just a few thoughts right off the top of my head.

I feel your pain B.! I went through the same thing with my second and it was SOOO HARD! We'd have to pull over and get him out every time to calm him down before we could drive again. The only time he didn't cry is if he was asleep. Now, we just had our 3rd baby and he cries "every" time the car stops and that's getting really hard to. However, hang in there because before you know it he'll stop. There's really nothing you can do for this besides try and keep your sanity and turn the music up so you don't go crazy. Try and tell yourself he's ok and really won't ever remember this time in his life and as hard as it seems now, he will stop.
Good luck and take care!