Infant Cries Hysterically in Car Seat HELP!

Updated on September 10, 2006
M.O. asks from Rockwall, TX
8 answers

My daughter is 10 weeks old and weighs approx 12 - 13 lbs; she becomes hysterical in her car seat. We have the Graco metrolite Travel System. She becomes agitated while buckling her into the seat. She tries to sit upright. She screams until she gasps for air. On short trips during the day she rarely fusses; however, in the evenings and during trips longer than about 20 minutes she in inconsolable. Do you think that it is the seat? My son used the same seat and was okay. Have you found a seat that allows this size child to sit more upright and is still rear facing? A couple of months ago someone on the site requested info about making baby happy in their seat and it is no longer available. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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M.F.

answers from Dallas on

I've heard that the way young babies sit in the carrier can put pressure on their tummy. It seems like this is why it's recommended for preemies to ride in a car bed (a seat that looks like a small bassinet where the baby lies flat on his/her back). Maybe make sure you're not putting her in right after a meal, make sure she's burped well too, and check the angle of the car seat. You may need to roll a towel under the base of the car seat to make sure it's at the right angle.

Also, as far as testing out other car seats, Babies R Us is great about letting you pull things off the shelf and mess with them. At Wal-mart, they would not take display models down for us.

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R.N.

answers from Dallas on

M.,
My experience was that some kids just hate the car. My son, now 15 months STILL does not like the car. He HATED the car seat. No one believed me except my mom who had witnessed it. The worst was my son would just scream and scream until I stopped. I couldn't go further than 10 min from my house until he was prob 10 mo old and even then only about 20. I would say the concvertible car seat was marginally better than the infant carrier, which he completely despised. It didn't get really better until 13 mo, but my son still resists being strapped in with all his might and cries when he sees we're going to the car.I actually have made it to Dallas (from FW) three times just now!!! The ONLY thing that helped us at all were the Baby Einstein music CD's. They helped just a little bit. Good luck, and like my mom says-sometimes I have to just accept my child the way he is rather than always trying to get to the bottom of why-sometimes there is no why, it's just personality. When I think in those terms, it helps!!
R.

L.A.

answers from Dallas on

The Cosco Scenera 5-Point Harness Convertible Car Seat. It is rear facing for 5-35 lbs. Then you turn it around for forward facing for 22-40 pounds. It has 4 harness heights for growing children (newborns on up). It's upright, so she may like this better. I don't own this seat, but I might have if I had known about it sooner. I've heard from another mom that it is amazing. It's at Walmart I know and it is only around $40-$50. It is also on Walmart.com (plus, if you don't like it, they will probably take it back)

K.M.

answers from Dallas on

Hi M.,

Just a thought....I saw a posting a while back that the baby cried constantly while in car seat...however it was a case of car sickness. I had never heard of this with infants, however apparently it is pretty common. Many Moms were putting mirrors up so that baby could see Mom driving, and placing photos of themselves up where baby could see etc, or placing them forward facing(but you have a long way to go before you should do this since she is so small) Wasn't sure if it was upsetting her just to be in the carseat, or if maybe now she knows that carseat= carsick? Just a thought?!?

K.

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H.G.

answers from Dallas on

Maybe it is too tight? You could always take her to Childrens for an appointment to get a car seat check. We did this prior to my son being born and they said that we could always bring him and the seat and that they would help with the adjustments.
Just a thought.
Good luck.
H.

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B.

answers from Dallas on

my son did this too - started right after the time change last october and lasted till right around Christmas. so he would have been about the same age as your daughter. fine during the day and then hysterical at night. we tried turning the light on in the car so he could see. but he did outgrow it, so it should be over soon.
good luck!

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J.S.

answers from Dallas on

Could it be painful gas in her tummy? Does she cry in the car seat after she's eaten? My son cried a lot in his car seat, but it turned out to be gas. He was uncomfortable in that position, because it hurt him so much.
Hope this helps.

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K.K.

answers from Dallas on

My now seven month old use to HATE the car seat as well. It lasted a few weeks and now she is fine. Not sure if it is the restraint or being reclined...she also tried to sit up...not sure. She finely got use to it I guess. Hang in there. Maybe a different car seat is the answer...just wanted to share that mine finally got use to it.

K.

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