3 month old suddenly HATES car?!

[pradabooties]

Hi everyone

I'm really hoping someone can help! My daughter previously had no issue in the car; would sit quite happily if awake or go soundly to sleep if tired. But for the past 2 weeks she has screamed her lungs out to the point where she chokes and gets really stiff and red. It's AWFUL! We have to pull over to take her out and comfort her all the time and now we're just avoiding the car all together. It's much worse even than when she had her vaccination needles. Does anyone know what's going on? She's a very happy baby out of the car and basically never cries.

She has had some silent reflux but this actually started when her usual symptoms stopped... Could be the reflux just showing itself in a different way maybe? I'm also thinking she may benefit from a more upright seat? Hers is a capsule seat so it does make her a bit slumped. Her capsule is also what she sits in for her pram which isn't an issue but I think the angle is a bit different. My neighbor recommended a chiropractor but she never shows any signs of being upset or having a sore back outside the car. Hope someone can help!!!

** just adding I have checked that nothing in the seat is poking her and can't see anything at all. Also I always sit in the back with her

 

[misspriss]

This is normal. It happens to a lot of babes, unfortunately. Sometimes it's a phase, and sometimes it requires a change in venue (car seat, seat angle, getting a mirror, etc).

I know it sucks. It is nerve wracking. It is awful. As a parent, it's the worst experience in the world to hear your little one screaming their lungs out and there is nothing you can do.

Some things that made it worse for mine were darkness and being hungry. But I couldn't feed her before or she got motion sickness....

I hope it passes quickly for you!

 

[pradabooties]

Ahh thank you, it is a little reassuring knowing it happens to other babies. I really hope it's just a phase! it's hard to know what to do because I don't want to buy a whole new car seat which will be expensive and very inconvenient because her current seat is a capsule travel system / pram so I'd probably need to get a new pram too because it wouldn't fit in the car... All worth it if it fixes the issue but a bit of a disaster if not!

 

[hlynne]

I went through this too. I think at about the same age. I want to say that it lasted about a month or so. I have no clue why it ever happened either. You should get one of these mirrors if you have a car that has a head rest that you can attach it to. I don't know if this helped my son at that time, but he really loves it.

 

[pradabooties]

Ah okay that's good to hear! I could survive another couple of weeks or so if I know it will pass lol. I'll try to find one of those mirrors for sure! So your Bub was just suddenly fine again in the car one day?

 

[hlynne]

Ah okay that's good to hear! I could survive another couple of weeks or so if I know it will pass lol. I'll try to find one of those mirrors for sure! So your Bub was just suddenly fine again in the car one day?

Yes, it's so weird. One day he hates something, the next days he's ok. It seems that i'm learning that babies are like that about a lot of things

 

[misspriss]

Oh yes, I have one of those mirrors! They are the best. At the least, it lets you be able to see that there is nothing hurting or wrong with your child, even when they are upset. Or in my case, see if your child has puked all over themselves and that is why they are upset!

 

[hlynne]

Oh yes, I have one of those mirrors! They are the best. At the least, it lets you be able to see that there is nothing hurting or wrong with your child, even when they are upset. Or in my case, see if your child has puked all over themselves and that is why they are upset!

Yup, I really like being able to see what is going on back there

 

[pradabooties]

Sounds good! I'll track one down thanks ladies I might even be able to sit in the front with my fiancé!

 

[LittleLala]

Mine started hating the car at about 3 months as well, and slowly grew out of it maybe a month later? But yep, every car ride was CONSTANT screaming. He wouldn't sleep, he would just scream. We have the mirror but he doesn't care about it. What helped a little was putting in one of those scrunchy sounding teething books, he would hold it and the scrunchy sound would distract him from crying so much.

Good luck x

 

[pradabooties]

It's so weird that it sounds like this happens to some babies all around the same time! I feel so much better knowing she's likely to grow out of it soon, thank god! Thank you, good tip about the book

 

[jessmke]

Mine started to hate the car around that time and the mirror solved the problem instantly! She has figured that if she looks into her mirror, she can see my reflection in the rear view mirror and she just stares waiting for me to look back at her. As soon as I do she breaks out into a huge grin and starts giggling. It's so cute!

 

[nessaw]

Same here a few weeks ago. It lasted a couple of weeks and she's ok again now-fingers crossed!

 

[Babybump87]

Was just logging on to post about this.

DD2 just turned 4 months and for the past 4 days has screamed soon as she goes in the car seat...like OP I sit in the back with her...

I may get some car toys try distract her...

 

[hlynne]

Mine started to hate the car around that time and the mirror solved the problem instantly! She has figured that if she looks into her mirror, she can see my reflection in the rear view mirror and she just stares waiting for me to look back at her. As soon as I do she breaks out into a huge grin and starts giggling. It's so cute!

My son does the same thing! It's so cute. Sometimes he does a fake cough to get me to look at him

 

[pradabooties]

Isn't it awful babybump87!!!
So ladies maybe the mirror won't help so much because I already sit in the back with her? Worth a try anyway!

 

[hlynne]

Isn't it awful babybump87!!!
So ladies maybe the mirror won't help so much because I already sit in the back with her? Worth a try anyway!

I know, I know.....the talk about the mirror is getting old but.....I think that my son loves the mirror because he gets to look at himself. It's weird, he loves looking at himself in mirrors. He also cracks up watching himself in videos. Only himself, no one else, ha ha. So, maybe the mirror will work. They are cheap, it's worth a try!

 

[pradabooties]

I just wanted to update for the other mama's going through the same thing. Today we looked really carefully at her car seat and adjusted the seatbelt straps and headrest then in the car I held a handheld mirror (need to get a proper car one) in front of her. That worked wonders on the way to our destination, I couldn't believe we got there scream free! Then on the way home she was really tired so started to get a bit upset so I looks up a baby tv show on YouTube on my phone and it settled her instantly and she relaxed for the 30-40 minute trip home. This is AMAZING for us, it's the first time in a few weeks now that we haven't had to pull over to comfort her. Hopefully it stays this way! Thank you ladies so much for the suggestions xx

 

[Babybump87]

Oh thats amazing !!. Hope it continues for you . Stress free car journeys! .

Im definitely taking my make up mirror in the car next time !! X

 

[hlynne]

So glad that you found something that works. Hopefully soon you can ride in the front seat again!