My 7 mth old cries really hard when he's in the car at night. He will cry the whole trip to wherever, be it a 5 min ride or 1/2 hr ride. He does fine in early am when it's dark, but in the evening times he freaks out. When I put him in the car, he's usually already been fed, changed, has been playing around for 1/2 hr or so (we're usually at friend's house, and then when we leave to go home.) Any suggestions on how I can help him ease into the car rides at night?
Thank you everyone. I will try some of the suggestions (most I have already), and as the last resort - just not go anywhere :) - which means more time with my son and is fine by me :)
Have you tried small light up toys? My daughter was the same way, but she was just afraid of the dark. We got her some small light up toys and glowsticks which helped.
Good Luck!
Hi Merian, This happened with my daughter at the same age and with a friend's daughter for several months - we think it's the headlights from other cars. We solved it by putting the sunshade of her babyseat down and it seemed to do the trick right away. Good luck!
Your baby is probably tired and wants to go to sleep. Many times they will cry when you aren't doing what they need (hunger, diaper change, need sleep). And they will cry when they are overtired.
Your 7 month old should take a morning nap for 1 1/2-3 hours and an afternoon nap for 1 1/2 - 3 hours. Your baby should probably go to bed sometime between 6:30 and 7:30 or so and sleep around 12 hours...
If you need your baby to sleep when you are out- then bring a pack n play and have your baby sleep in a room there.
Also, think about sleep environment: dark room, sound spa/white noise, fan on...
C. Graham
Sleep Consultant
-check out my sleep blog at www.lullabyluna.com
May want to subscribe- great sleep info all the time.
What time of night is this?
Ya know, he's probably just (1) tired (2) over-tired by then and the car ride just irks him (3) he needs to sleep already and be home in a routine (4) its just not a good time for him to be out. (5) he is over-stimulated.
Some babies, just have an internal sense of pacing... and a 'transition' ability. It sounds like he is just not a night-time-out-and-about baby. Maybe for now.
The routine before your going out at night ie: he's fed, changed, and I'm assuming bathed... probably 'means' to him that it's time for bed, or quiet time.. but then he gets put into the car and driven somewhere to be 'awake' and re-stimulated in a social environment. Maybe that is just not suited for him. ?
It seems he is 'telling' you that this is not good for him.
Perhaps, he just needs to wind-down and be comfy instead of going out? Because at other times of the day, he is fine in the car, right? And, some babies just get more fussy by night-time because they are already exhausted by their day activities, thus protesting.
Or, you just continue on with the night activities/friend visiting, and know that he cries his lungs out in the car at night. And just bear through it. Perhaps, as he gets older, it will change. Babies go through a lot of changes.
All the best,
Susan
Hi! One totally small but significant thing we tried to help our daughter was to loosen her diaper! We had run out of other ideas, & I noticed one day that when she was in the sitting position that her belly looked really uncomfortable when she was sitting up, exactly like how I feel mine is when my jeans are too tight. I started putting on her diaper more loosely (like not having the tabs come so close together in the middle when she's lying down), & all of a sudden the car rides were soooo much more comfortable for her. (Also, I don't worry about the diaper being a little looser, because the clothes always help keep it on.) One night, when we were returning from Disneyland, she screamed almost all the way home; I pulled over & nursed her but she kept crying. When we got home & changed her for bed, I noticed that her diaper was on really tight (tabs almost touching in the middle)--my mother-in-law had changed her just before we left Disneyland, & she didn't know to keep it loose. So that explained the painful car ride. Maybe it affects your son later at night because his belly or intestines are more full than earlier in the day. Maybe this little trick will help! :) Good luck & hope it gets easier!
My son does this when he is really tired. This week, we tried playing kid music in the car to see if it would help. It did. It calmed him down a lot. We didn't hear a peep and he went to sleep with out a sound. It was a very relaxing car ride home. We also did this with our other son.
When my husband and I drive after dark at night to go to dinner, etc. with our 9 month old in the car, so gets fussy or will even cry, unless I turn an inside light on in the car in the backseat so she can see me and her toys. Once I turn the light on, she's much happier.
M.,
My son had the same problem, it started when he was about three months all the way up to almost one year. He would cry in the car during the night. I avoided driving at night by myself,either my husband or I would sit in the back with him. I finally found a CD that he actually liked, I had a book light on for him to play along with a plush toy. that seemed to work most of the time. He is now fifteen months and we haven't had a problem since December. Just sing to him, tune him out and avoid driving long distances at night; it eventually gets better.
Good luck,
Ceci
My daughter did that too for a while. She was a little older and as soon as we turned her around, she was fine. I really wish that I had a cure for you, but I want you to know that you are not alone! Can you try a DVD player? I always thought that I wouldnt be one of those parents, but you gotta do what you gotta do! Good luck!
We travel a lot with our kids on holidays and go on fishing and camping trips. We don't have the problem you face, but we use a product that we solve your problem. It clips to your car interior light and lets the kids have the light on the back without distracting the driver. It also lets the kids eat their food in the back with the light on when it is dark outside.(you can buy it online at www.lightshield.com.au) May just be exactly what you are looking for.
I think it's a phase that will pass. Mine did it too.
M.,
Hi. My son had the same problem with my friends truck. We finally figured out it was that the windows were tinted pretty dark so it made it even darker in there. I have suggestions. The first thing I did was to turn on the over head light so it wasn't so dark. After awhile it was a little irritating so I used one of those touch lights and I stuck it in the back seat and he got really comfortable back there. He either feel asleep or just relaxed. You can get the light at CVS or Rite Aid. I think Walmart has them too. I know Target does. See if that works for you.
S.
My son did the same thing and it was awful. He started around 5 months and stopped around 9 or 10 months. I tried everything to no avail - music and lights, singing, shades...even having my husband in the back didn't help.
The only thing that worked was to not go anywhere after dark. As difficult as that sounds. I hope he outgrows it soon for both your sakes. :)
Hey there!
Your son might be suffering from motion sickness. Put yourself in his position, you are rear facing and everywhere you look things are flashing by! I would try placing a mirrored toy on the back seat so that he something to focus on. If this doesn't work try covering his car seat with a blanket from the carry handle down. Until he is forward facing and able to see you and where your going it may be a wild ride! Good luck!
How about getting one of those little reading lamps that you clip on your book and clip it somewhere so baby can see a light but low enough so it won't disturb the driver?
M.
Buy some kind of nightlight or flash light you can hang in the car. My son did this and even now at 3 and a half tells me that its dark in the car and that we need to get home quick so he doesn't have to be out in the drak. also if your car has those lights on the side turn them on. or at least one so the baby sees the light.
I have an 8 month old who also cries very badly during night time trips. I got her to stop crying by not driving her at night anymore. It works like a charm!
She just wants her bath at by around 6:30pm, a little play and off to bed for the night. She's just not a party animal...yet.
Peace and smiles,
L.
Oh my goodness!!! I feel your pain. My son does the exact same thing. It's aweful. It actually was so bad once that I completely broke the law and sat in the very back of our minivan and held him the whole way home while my husband drove. But during that trip I did notice that the shadows that passing cars and streetlights make in the car can be pretty darn scary looking. I really do think he's just afraid of those dark shadows because he does fine in the car during the day and if we're somewhere at night he does great there too... it's just that ride home after dark. I like the suggestion of one of the other moms about getting some light up toys for him to play with. I think that might do the trick. I've tried turning on the interior light and it didn't help and made driving really difficult -plus all I could think about were the passing cars being able to SEE my baby crying like crazy. But it seems like the light up toys will give him something to focus on and hopefully those nasty shadows won't be such a big deal. Anyway, it's worth a shot because with the sun going down so early this time of year, being out after dark is almost a given. Good luck to you.
