Hello fellow moms. I have a 3 week old infant who is always breastfeeding it seems during the day. Thank God he does sleep for three hours at a time at night, however. Everytime I put him in his carseat he screams. Of course, he finally settles down and will go to sleep, but then it is inevitable that he will wake again and start crying. I feed him right before I put him the car seat and by the time I make it to my destination he will wake up again. Any one been through this and may have any suggestions? I assuming he is just getting used to the car seat and maybe he is uncomfortable. i am pretty sure this will pass the more he gets in his seat, but in the mean time I just can not bear listening to his shrills. I want to make him as comfortable as possible. Thanks in advance.
My second son, would do that same thing. He was also only breastfed. he wouldn't take a binky either. he eventually grew out of it.
Ready for some bad news? My daughter hated car rides until she turned one and we were able to turn her around. Even then she didn't like car rides. Now that she's older and can see out the windows it's better but I remember our 30-45 minute drive home each night from daycare she would cry/scream. Because she was my only I would stop, feed her, change her, just hold her...nothing worked. I guess some kids just don't like the car.
Good luck!
Kristal
I know that some babies don't do well in carseat. Sometimes it's that they can't see you, sometimes the belt is bothering him or he's very uncomfortable. there were incidences that I could tell that something was not right with one of my boys and he was crying. I stopped pullled over and got him out and he burped. Sometimes it's gas. The way they are positioned doesn't help the gas get out. I know he's only three weeks old, but have you considered or thought about putting a toy on the carseat where he can see it and it plays music, lights up, etc. and he may want to teach up and touch it when he gets a little bigger? That may interest him for a least a while. Perhaps he doesn't like rides in the car generally. Is the music on in the car, too loud or too soft that could soothe him. I am thinking of my three boys when those days were tough, but they do outgrow those but it seems like eternity and I know....but remember, it doesn't last long and they grow up so fast. Congrats on your baby though. You're busy with two children and two dogs...whoa!! Congrats again!!
If the car seat is the problem make sure the straps arent chafing him and perhaps he needs a little pillow to support his head. The car seat straps might be too tight or the seat tilted back too far, or tilted up too far. Try different adjustments to see if it might make him more comfortable
Hi S.,
Is the sun in his eyes when he's in the seat? My first child would cry in the carseat, and it was because her eyes were sensitive to the sun. I'd check out what kind of sun shades are available.
Good luck!
S.,
Congratulations! And kudos on breastfeeding!
He's hungry. Feed him as much as he can hold. I know it seems like forever but it won't be. He's still in that stage where you feel like he should have an hour between feedings, not an hour between start and start. It took me a long time to get used to the thought that breast milk is digested almost as soon as it gets in there, and when you think he should be full is probably only the half way point.
Try babywearing - wear him all the time. Your closeness will help with the nursing and being able to do other tasks, and he will get the benefit of being close to you.
There are slings out there with a velcro safety harness (not 5 point, but he's right next to you, he shouldn't need that :)
If you would like another site on baby wearing, please email me - anyone - I just don't have it on this computer.
Good luck!
M.
Read The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley - great book! Good luck!
If I were in your place, I would contact a ppd post-p3tum doula. She'll come to your house and watch u w your baby, make suggestions on sleep positions, schedules, let u rest a bit and generally give you tools to change baby's behavior.it'll be fine! You just need someone to see what is causing issues. Maybe overtired or refux? Who knows? So...call this woman I used and love!! Email me back if u want her # or look up doula on google for one near you. Their main job is to help moms.here is her # ###-###-####. I just found it. Her name is Manon and she is lovely!
Sounds like he's uncomfortable. My daughter was the same way at that age. She only cried in the carseat. The bouncy seat and the swing she was okay in.
Try to find a different seat. I know they aren't cheap but your child is growing and it might be better for his back in the long run.
Nanc
Stephani,
I was fortunate that both of my girls didn't mind the car seat. The first thing that came to mind is make sure you have those pillows that hold his head and try to make him as comfortable as possible. Also, maybe try to get him to have some "car seat time" while you are at home so he can get used to it. Just a suggestion.
The padding on car seats is extremely thin. He may be feeling the hardness of the seat or getting poked by a piece of plastic under the lining.
You can try:
1.) Take a receiving blanket and folding it a few times and put it under where the baby's bottom would go, and up where his back would rest.
2.) Press your hand on the padding of the car seat in different areas if there is any additional poking piece of plastic under the padding.
You probably wouldn't want to sit in a hard plastic seat with only a really thin layer of padding!
