I have a 3 month old that absolutely hates her car seat. Any suggestions on how to trick her into being in it?

Question

Oh yeah, she also will NOT cry her self to sleep either, I've tried it, she has screamed for over an hour before, she just does not give in! And she wants to be held constantly. Help! Please!

Answer 1

You are the adult here so basically, just make her. She's only 3 months old? Stop holding her so much or always picking her up as soon as she starts crying. She screams because she has apparently already figured out that she'll get what she wants.

Answer 2

I picked my daughter up everytime she cried and she is now almost 3 and she is very well adjusted. When they are 3 months old your supposed to hold them and love them and make physical contact it makes well adjusted happy loving children. As for the car seat. My daughter would cry for the entire hour and a half trip to my parents. She will probably grow out of it soon, my best friend had the same problem with her son. I bought some of the toys that go accross the car seat that play music and a mirror that you can attach to the seat so you can see her and she can see you. It drives you crazy but it's just one of those things. Good luck!

Answer 3

At this age your child should be sleeping in the car seat but for those who don't I would suggest just getting her a type of toy that attaches to the car seat and she can play. I don't know how it feels to have a three month old that didn't like the car seat, my son often fell asleep, but as he got older and was awake longer it got worse. He would cry and scream for hours at a time, he would arch his back when I tried to strap him in and try his darndest to escape. It was horrible, people would look at me trying to get him into the car seat like I was the cruelest person in the world. Then as he got older I would give him toys and he would throw them in the floor and continue his fits, this was around age ten months when he was in a booster seat (too big for a infant carrier). Well, I would offer him teething biscuits and snacks eventually he got even tired of those. Now he's fifteen months and he knows I mean business about the car seat, he still reaches and fights to try to keep me from buckling in but after a while he's learned that there is no point in fighting. Now he just sits there and sucks his fingers. He takes treats and his sippy too so it may get better for you. But if he's in it a while he just starts screaming as loud as he can and I take cotton balls to drown out the screams. So good luck and maybe it will get better.

Answer 4

Unfortunately I do not have an answer for you, but I wanted to tell you that I am in the same exact boat with my 3 month old son! He will cry the entire car ride! He also wants to be held constantly. People tell me to lay him down and eventually he'll stop, but nope, not my son! I have never been on a website like this, but I am sooo desperate for advice! HELP me too!!!

Answer 5

It could be the brand of car seat you have. Go to a store that sells infant seats and try out a different brand of seat. I had a Baby Trend infant seat and my son seemed to like it.

Answer 6

the trick to a car seat is save t special treat that she really likes and se only gets it when she is in the car seat trick is figuring out what the treat can be, the other problem is a short faze and she will grow out of it

Answer 7

I had and just got over (at 9 months old) my daughter having the same problem... you have to take headache meds with you... kidding, here, on a more serious note... try a hanging attachment with toys on the carseat, little safe stuffed animals... rattles... to distract her.... mine screamed like she hurt herself and was dying, i understand... some kids hate the carseat... distraction is the only option. make sure shes comfy, examine her in there, her shoulder straps and such aren't too tight, her thigh chub isn't squeezed... :)

Answer 8

Make sure she is comfortable in it. Though I guess you already have.

If she is just insecure then take it out of the car, prop it up safely and sit her in it for short periods. Let her get used to it.

Make it 'her' chair and then use it in the car. Not an easy solution but it worked on my son.

Oh yes, it takes a while.

Answer 9

Try getting some of those baby mirrors that allow you and the baby to see each other in the car.. maybe thats all the baby needs. Or even bundling a teddy or something to keep them company. Why not ride in the back with her while your spouse drives just to get her used to it?*Good Luck and Smiles*

Answer 10

As for her wanting to be held all the time - she's 3 months old! Its natural, enjoy it while it lasts b/c a day will come when she just wants to run and play, not snuggle with you. Babies were meant to be held. My son wanted to be held constantly. For the first 4 months of his life, I nursed him at least every half hour, no binky substitutes would do, only me! And I've never regretted my decision to attend to him when he cries. Crying is a baby's only way of letting you know something is wrong and if you ignore it, all you will teach her is that she can not trust you to take care of her. Think about it - if you kept yelling at someone that something was wrong and they weren't listening, what would you do? Babies will do one of two things - 1)they will yell louder and longer, demanding the attention that they need 2)they will stop, once being sure that no one cares enough to answer them. How would you feel? At 3 months old she is not manipulating you, she's trying to let you know she needs something or is uncomfortable. Invest in a sling. Ring slings and mei teis are great, you can even make one yourself for very cheap, otherwise check eBay. A sling makes it easy to give her the holding closeness she needs while still keeping your hands free. Babies who get this security they need young in life feel free later to be independent and explore. Babies who don't are the ones who are more clingy when they are older children, and in fact become very insecure adults always looking for that security they didn't get in the beginning. My son never gave in either - even though I am against it, out of frustration I tried the cry it out method - briefly, and I'll never put another child through it again. He screamed for hours, nonstop. When I just let him have what he needs (like the security of sharing a room with me) he and I both get the sleep we both need. I was the most well rested new mom at church! Your child sounds like mine, a 'high need child'. Have heart, these outspoken children statistically are the ones that grow up to be strong leaders b/c they know what needs to be done and set about doing it. Holding a baby does NOT spoil them - it gives them what they need. Resist the urge to constantly put a baby in a swing, bouncer, car seat or crib. They NEED to be held.

In the car is a bit of a different story - as you can't completely just never go anywhere till she gets over it (which she will).
See: http://www.askdrsears.com/faq/db1.asp
Its about someone else who had the except same problem with a 3 month old.
Did they do a car seat test with her, in her current seat, before you guys left the hospital? Most hospitals will put the baby in the seat, from anywhere from 10-30 minutes to make sure baby is ok and comfy in the seat before they allow you to leave the hospital with her. Did she pass this in her current seat, or have you changed seats since then? Is she in a carrier or a rear facing convertible car seat? If she is in a carrier, I would suggest getting a convertible car seat with a high base (placing it rear facing of course!) sometimes the distraction of being able to see some things move by outside (though their eyesight isn't real hot yet for things far away) is enough to satisfy them. 3 great seats to look at: Britax Marathon (check other questions I've answered for why this seat is worth every penny), Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe Convertible, or Evenflo Triumph Advance (make sure its the Advance and no other). These seats sit higher up on a base than carriers, and also may provide more padding to make her comfortable.
Perform a test of sorts: pick a time when she is well rested, well fed and basically happy, and place her in her car seat in the house. Does she scream then? If she does, that lets you know it is probably the seat and not necessarily the car she objects to, get a different seat. If she doesn't scream, then it is the car ride she is finding disconcerting. Talk to her while driving, securely attach a baby mirror so she can see herself and you can see her. Make sure she has a soft toy or two (nothing hard, they can become projectiles in a sudden stop) to chew and look at. Get some colorful static clings (we have Sesame Street) to stick to the rear windshield, so there's something interesting for her to decipher while she's back there. Play soothing music, or kid music with little one's singing, or you try singing to her, she might like that best. I'm not sure sitting back there is a great idea, b/c you may not always be able to do that, and she will start to expect it and you'll have a worse problem to deal with. Turn the car on and cool it off first - rear facing car seats can get really hot in the summer, she may be uncomfortable, make sure she's not bundled too much. Don't put more layers on her than you would on yourself, that's an old misconception. If none of these things work, I honestly would only take necessary trips for a while, b/c she WILL grow out of it, I promise. :) Invite your friends to your house so you can still have some social time. Do grocery shopping when the other parent or someone else is available to sit back in the car with her or stay at home with her. Soon she'll likely enjoy going on trips and you can get back to being on the road alot.

Any time you do try and take her somewhere make sure her needs are attended to first: feed her, change her, attempt to make sure she's in a good mood, makes travel a lot easier. I only do errands usually in the mornings with my son, its most kids best time of day. Trying to take a high need baby places in the evening after a long day of growing and learning is a setup for disaster.