Hi there. I have 2 different topics I could use advice on both related to an upcoming trip. We have a wedding in Newport RI (about a 4 1/2 hour drive). My 16-month old daughter gets car sick and it seems to be increasing in frequency.. any advice how to reduce this for our trip? We started facing her forward in the carseat but that isn't helping.
My 2nd question is about sleeping.. any suggestions how to make the pack-n-play more comfortable or alternative sleeping solutions so she gets a full nights sleep. The poor thing never seems to sleep through the night in those things.
Thanks!
Thank you mamma's for your help! I received so much great advice and put alot into play for our trip. It went perfect with NO Incidents! For the carsickness - we bought a video player and played her favorite movies - which I think was the biggest helper. Also used seabands, the queasy pops, a neck pillow for the carseat, had crunchy snacks, dressed her in lose, lightweight clothing and had the windows cracked a bit the entire ride.
Regarding the pack-n-play - I orderd a mattress top - which showed up to late so we doubled up on the sheets to add more cushion and that helped a ton - she slept well the first 2 nights.
thank you all so much again!
I haven't dealt with car sickness, but for the pack n play, we fold up blankets and put them underneath the sheet. It has worked really well.
Hi H.. I wish I could help you out with the car sickness, but I don't have any solid advice in that area except maybe try and leave at a time that you know your daughter will sleep. For the pack n' play we purchased a pack n' play mattress at Babies R U s for about $25. It has made a huge difference. It is a bit of a pain to pack in the car, but for us it is worth the trouble. To make it even softer we sometimes fold blankets and place those underneath as well. Hope this helps. Good luck and have fun.
Hi H.,
My daughter had car sickness from 2 weeks old. She is now 6. My doctor told me to give her Benadryl for the motion sickness so far so good. Ask your doctor, this should work. (Ask for dosage) :)
Hi H.!
As a kid, I got car sick, too, and the only thing that helped me feel better in the back seat was opening the windows and getting fresh air circulating in the car--no A/C, no neat hair!
I hope this helps! Good luck.
M.
One of my daughters had issues with carsickness at that age but seems to have outgrown it (she is now 4). Her pediatrician recommended children's Claritin about 1/2 hr prior to car travel. I seemed to help. I would however, check with your pediatrician to get okay first. Also, if possible avoid travel right after feeding (something I found very difficult to do). Good luck
Re: car sickness, have you tried cutting out dairy two hours before the trip? And, no yogurt or bottles/cups of milk during the drive? This could help.
Re: the pack and play: My mother-in-law got a little mattress for hers, which has made our overnights much more enjoyable. I think she picked one up at Babies R Us; it's almost exactly the same size as the hard mattress that comes with the pack and play, however there is a 1.5" gap on all sides -- something to be careful about. The height of her extra mattress doesn't interfere with the mesh so in case our little guy did roll into the corner he'd still have space to breathe. If you buy an extra mattress be sure to check this before using it.
Safe travels! And Good luck!
Hi H., you might want to check out this website - http://www.carsickkids.com/. It offers natural remedies for car sickness. Although my daughter is ok in the car, I suffer from car sickness on long trips. I use the acupressure bracelets (bio bands) and they work well. They make kid sizes too. Hope that helps!
Hello...First ask the Pediatrician- He/She may reccomend Benadryl or something similiar...
My 11 yr old use to get car sick... I was told by an older very wise person who said feed her smashed watermelon (remove seeds);), buy a plastic battery operated fan (to keep her cool) bring extra batteries for the trip home! Bring ice packs also... She'll be in the car seat facing forward in the backseat, place one of those small pillows up under the front of the car seat to give it alittle raise, as if she were lounging--You'll want to make sure she is as comfortable as possible-- Buy a CLOUDREST PILLOW for $19.95 from www.kidalog.net (this will work), She will rest comfortably, get children's audio books, she'll learn while being entertained, cold ice water,a thermos with diluted 100% juice (sugar increases sickness), those baby gerber snacks and crackers in snack size zip lock bags. Remember when you were pregnant and the doctor told you to eat small snacks/crackers often during the day, same concept. Also dress her in the most comfortable, cool outfit you have. I gave her a shower before we left, dressed her in fresh PJ's, cute socks the ones that cover the individual toes and she had her favorite blanket. I also brought along the potty chair. Bring plenty of wipes and a bucket (just in case)...As for sleeping, remember that you sleep better when you are comfortable, right? So the pack and play would benefit from you using what I did-- Intelli-Gel at (www.usmedicalsupplies.com) it's like a small mattress, or just buy a mattress...or buy that foam that they use on Senior Citizens beds in nursing homes (Bed, Bath and Beyond) sells it, get a crib size sheet to cover it . A nice warm shower, reflexology and a rub-down STILL works for my 11 yr old! when you think about how to get a child to sleep, think about what makes you comfy and apply those techniques to the child as well. I hope my ideas help you. When we traveled we drove 8 plus hours...I think you'll do fine, get creative, and don't sweat the car-sickness too much (and don't let that smart little one hear you tell people she gets car sick, because my daughter use to "work" that whenever she could...If you know what I mean, they're smart, very smart!
Safe Travels, Let me know how the trip was!
C.
