I never anticipated that my little ones would have such a strong aversion to the car. While expecting my first child, we eagerly purchased a brand-new, adorable infant car seat, taking extra care to secure it properly. We even had a car seat specialist check our installation because, let’s face it, the instructions were baffling. It looked cozy, and we assumed our little one would drift off to sleep as the car gently rocked him. That’s what you see in movies, right? Even the baby on the car seat box was beaming with joy.
But that vision quickly shattered. The moment we placed him in the seat, he erupted in tears—screaming, blood-curdling wails that left his face a blotchy mess. It was truly startling.
I decided to sit in the backseat with him, which offered some relief, but not enough. I tried to give him a pacifier, but he promptly rejected it. I resorted to letting him suck on my finger, which worked for a brief moment before he spat it out too. His eyes conveyed a clear message: he wanted out and into my arms. And if he was going to suck on something, it would be my breast, of course.
Nursing him while he was strapped into the car seat was impossible (though I eventually mastered car nursing when he got older). Picking him up wasn’t an option, either. While my presence in the back helped soothe him somewhat, there were times when I had to drive, making it all the more challenging.
Having a baby who despises car rides truly complicates parenthood—it’s nothing short of a struggle. Every car trip became a tactical operation to time things when he would be least irritable. Evenings were particularly rough; mornings were somewhat manageable, but still stressful. It often required two adults: one to drive and the other to comfort the baby. Otherwise, we were faced with frequent stops to soothe him, sometimes every five minutes.
Long journeys? Forget about it! They needed to be restructured entirely. For instance, when my second child was born, we split a four-hour drive into two days, stopping overnight at a hotel. It may sound extreme, but that was the only way to survive the wailing. Two hours of constant cries was my limit.
And then there were family and friends, baffled by our situation. My in-laws had faced similar challenges with their children, but they raised them in the ‘70s and ‘80s, so their solution was simply to hold the baby instead of leaving him in the car seat (no thanks!). Others would say, “He’ll eventually fall asleep.” But that never happened for my first child. My second sometimes dozed off if the timing was just right, but my first? Absolutely not. I never knew babies like that existed until I had one.
Some folks even suggested that something might be wrong with my babies or me. Yes, they were intense and needy, but I’ve come to realize that many babies dislike the car more than you might think. While not all experiences are as extreme as mine, this is a common issue that many parents face, adding stress to an already demanding stage of life.
Honestly, I wish more people talked about the difficulties of having a baby who screams in the car. I often reminisce about those days when my babies cried uncontrollably, feeling utterly helpless, especially on highways with no exit in sight.
During those months, I became somewhat of a hermit. I found solace in long walks, and thankfully, the grocery store was close by. At one point, I even started ordering my groceries online to avoid the car altogether. You do what you have to do, right?
The silver lining is that things eventually improved. As my babies began to explore toys and snacks, they became more entertained, and the wailing subsided. Eventually, they adjusted to car rides—aside from the endless repetition of “Are we there yet?” that drove me to the brink of insanity.
So, if you’re a parent with a baby who strongly dislikes the car, know that you’re not alone. You’re not a weirdo, and neither is your baby. In fact, you might just have a little one who knows exactly what they want and isn’t afraid to express it—loudly. Just hang in there; you’ll get through this phase before you know it.
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Summary:
This article shares the challenges faced by parents of babies who dislike car rides, detailing personal experiences and the stress it adds to parenting. It highlights the need for understanding and support, reassuring parents that they are not alone in their struggles. Ultimately, the article conveys that things do improve over time as children adapt to car travel.