She hates the carseat

Sometimes I tell people that Evelyn is fussy. I don't think that fussy covers inconsolable crying. Oy vey.

I know that this *has* to get better eventually. I am trying to read Happiest Baby on the Block when she isn't screaming and crying. (I am posting through some of the crying jags so there is my general disclaimer for anything non-sensical). Some of the suggestions help, such as swaddling her.

She spends a lot of time in the Baby Bjorn and my shoulders are starting to notice. The sling is hit or miss. She will sit in the bouncy seat or swing for 10 minutes, 15 if she can hear the shower and bathroom fan.

Mostly I am venting. But...the thing she seems to hate the most is the car and carseat. Please, oh please, someone who has been through this...please tell me this gets better? I hate going anywhere and so do the kids. It got better for a week or two but we are back to crying the instant her cute little tushie hits the infant seat. :thud:

[Sheherezade]

DS hated the car. Luckily we didn't use it much after he turned one (moved to city life). I have vague memories of him arching away from the seat, crying hysterically and eventually unbuckling himself in hysterics. No fun.

I think I tried to drive when he was sleeping. I would put him out in his sling or Bjorn, and then move him in to the seat to go for a ride somewhere. Totally inconvenient of course. Still, that's the only thing I remember working. Music sometimes helped -- and a mirror to see mom in the front seat.

I felt your pain.

I hope it gets better soon. Try not to let the total anxiety take over when you know she's going to freak. It may just be the way it is -- and you will end up saving on gas. I'm sure that you'll get cosmic payback in some other point in her development. Maybe easy teen years?

[alison]

I feel for you, Nellie. No suggestions. Only that I didn't like to have my shoes on when I was in the car. Could it be that she's too hot?

Ok, go ahead and laugh now!

I will try putting her in the seat in the house while asleep. She was asleep for a portion of my errands today and it was heavenly.

We have an extra convertible carseat so I'll try that too. I'll try anything! We replaced our infant seat after the recent Consumer Report about the seats coming unlatched. I would say she likes that one slightly better. I wouldn't be missing much with the infant seat. I never carry her in it because a) she is crying hysterically and b) it hurts my arm.

I'm soooo glad that I didn't buy one of those stroller/carseat systems. It would have been a total waste of money.

She gets hot and sweaty after crying so much but doesn't seem to hot at the beginning. Hmmm...

Anna complains of hot feet all the time. She will take her shoes off at the drop of a hat. That is not so bad as long as she leaves her tights on.

[Momo]

We replaced our infant seat after the recent Consumer Report about the seats coming unlatched.

If you are referring to the Consumer Reports study that caused such an uproar, I feel I should let you know, I received in the mail a letter of retraction from the CEO of CR. Apparently the company they sub contracted out to, had some serious flaws in their study. I guess Consumer Reports rarely goes the route of hiring outside firms to conduct their studies, so they claim this is a rare an unfortunate mistake on their part.

[SuzySunshine]

They retracted it but they said they will be redoing it and they still expect several of the seats that failed the first time to fail again. I'm sorry but I have issues that they test these seats at such low speeds, maybe the fact that the "bad" test was done at a higher speed is a good thing.

[Cumberland]

My DD2 is much fussier than DD1 ever was. I always thought DD1 was the way she was bc of our parenting. Holy cow was I wrong. She is a laid back no fuss kid for the most part. Number 2 on the other hand is very clear with her needs and her wants and communicates them by screaming. I dont have any more advice, just wanted to tell you I understand and it is hard!

[Momo]

My DD2 is much fussier than DD1 ever was. I always thought DD1 was the way she was bc of our parenting. Holy cow was I wrong. She is a laid back no fuss kid for the most part. Number 2 on the other hand is very clear with her needs and her wants and communicates them by screaming. I dont have any more advice, just wanted to tell you I understand and it is hard

!

That is sooo us!
I tease my sister and say it's because DD2 is a red head, like her!

Thanks, Sueanne. I've noticed that it is getting worse over the last few weeks. I think that she is easily over-stimulated and now that she is awake more that adds to the problem? She's been crying more in the evenings. If I take her into a dark and quiet room that helps. I know she will outgrow it but by nighttime I'm worn out.

Did not know that about CR. Too late! We have a new carseat. Hopefully this one passes the next test.

[Sheherezade]

Ugg. I remember those days.

DS is totally this way. Even now, at 10, he's a quiet focused kid. Not one for lots of activity and crowds. But always in bed before 9 PM!! That's a bonus!

nothing good to add, just sympathy. :therethere:

[Phoebe]

Nellie-

I can empathize!

[mommax3]

Nellie,

I am so, so sorry you are going through this. My #3 (sadly) was much the same. I don't remember him hating the carseat in particular because he pretty much hated everything. I do remember that we bought some musical thing that attached to the carseat that I could activate via a remote that clipped to my visor in the front. I think it startled him into silence more than it actually placated him, but at that point, if it shut him up, I was all for it. He was easily over-stimulated, too, and with two big brothers.....he was probably over-stimulated most of the time. Have I mentioned that the year he was a baby was a VERY hard year for me?

The good news is that he did grow out of it, starting at about 6 or 7 months. He still does tend to be wary of new situations and can get overwrought over little things when he is ramped up, but at no point in his development was he as hard as he was the first 6 months. Hang in there.

Sally

[alison]

Anna complains of hot feet all the time. She will take her shoes off at the drop of a hat. That is not so bad as long as she leaves her tights on.

Atta girl, Anna!

My younger daughter was like this. How old is baby Evelyn (LOVE the name, btw!)

My DD screamed and screamed and screamed in her carseat for the first 3 months. We didn't go anywhere (without my DH) unless it was absolutely necessary. At around 3 months, we drove to Disneyworld from NC and well, this kind of broke her down . The first day of driving was a nightmare - she would scream, we would stop and I would nurse her, she would scream again but we couldn't keep stopping, etc. but the return trip wasn't too bad. She was much improved from 3-6 months and from 6 months on, she is fairly agreeable in the car unless it is for too long.

What time does she go to bed? My DD goes to bed *early* (around 5-5:30p when she was under 4 months!!) and gets very fussy when she misses her sleep. I also wore her/continue to wear her in the Ergo carrier (the Bjorn also killed my shoulders!) when she gets fussy. I would suggest trying some new carriers and find one that she likes and just keep her in there all day if you need to!

I wish I could help you! It *does* get better, though. DD is turning 1 very soon and it is SO much easier now. The difference is unbelievable.