car rides?

[octobermoon]

do you take baby in the car alone yet? our baby is almost 8 weeks old and i have yet to venture out in the car alone. he doesn't mind the carseat at all which is awesome but he likes to see someone and know you're there. i'm afraid to take him since he wouldn't be able to see me. IDK maybe i'm too paranoid. i'm getting really antsy to go out with him though as i am getting bored some days and the weather here is chilly, so not too many more days in the stroller probably.

has anyone gone out alone in the car with their NB?

[Lula's Mom]

Oh my goodness, I could not wait for my DH to go along with us every time! If the baby cries I will sing or reach back to pet him. Or pull into a parking lot if he's really upset. You can do it, go ahead.

[coldandsleepy]

I don't drive at all, so I haven't been out in the car with our little guy alone.

However, we go in the car almost every day and I've only sat in back with him twice... on the way home from the birth center and once when he was really upset and I made his dad pull over and let me switch seats.

Aside from that one time when he was upset, he's always slept in the car seat. Sometimes he wakes up when we hit stop lights (ugh) but other than that, sleepy time!

We're really lucky in that sense.

[2boyzmama]

oh yeah, we're out most days! and because we're usually going to appts for connor, i also can't stop when gavin starts crying, i just talk to him and keep driving. we had to drive almost 2 hours to the bigger children's hospital for a specialist appt and gavin cried for the first 15 minutes but thankfully slept the rest of the way there. on the way back, though, he cried for 10 minutes then was quiet for 5-10, then cried again then was quiet again...the whole drive back. that was a joy! i couldn't stop though because i had to get home to get ian off the bus.

babies cry, and if i know he's not hungry, i just press onward. in the car is one of those times that he just has to wait. (so is when i'm busy with one of the older boys...third babies cry a lot more than first babies unfortunately)

[kismetbaby]

My guy is 6 weeks and just today I went out with him in the car alone for only the second time. My DH had a long paternity leave so I have been able to have him with my on car trips until lately and I was really nervous about this like you. My LO doesn't like the car seat. . .but he likes the motion of the car. So he usually starts out screaming but will calm down and fall asleep quickly. Today he didn't scream at all, which was nice. I got a mirror so I can see him, which helps me sty calm. The worst part is lugging the diaper bag and him/him in the seat!

Anyway, now that I have done it twice I feel much better. And its nice to get out again. Go for it!

[cristeen]

Oh yeah, we're going out at least once a week. I can't sit in back even if daddy's driving.

He and I took a 1 hr drive each way at 4 weeks so he could meet his great-grandma.

Mostly he just sleeps, unless he's hungry.

[MichelleAnnette]

I avoid it but it's no problem when I have to - like the grocery store, LLL, yoga. I didn't with my first until he was 6 weeks and I had to.

[JordanKX]

My LO doesn't like the car-seat at all, but loves the sounds & motion of the car. He'll either fall right to sleep, or recently just sits there are looks around. Now when we take him in my mother's car which is a mercedes (ms. fancy pants) apparently the suspension really is that much better, because the ride is too smooth and he doesn't get all the bumps he likes. So we have to make more turns with the steering wheel to keep him happy. Oh dear, poor babies :-)

I also have a mirror which helps YOU stay calm. At least you can see their face, in case they're crying, to know what kind of cry it is. So far, I haven't had to pull over once because his annoyance really is at the onset of getting in the car, and stop-lights.

[Julia24]

I'm with Samantha - Charlotte is pretty used to being carted around. We've been doing it since she was 2 weeks old! (when school started)

I just really try to make sure she's not hungry and she's got a dry fresh diaper before we go anywhere - then she'll typically sleep as long as we're moving. Sometimes she'll stay asleep even when we're stopped, but if she's in 'a mood', every stop sign is punctuated with crying.... Again, this is getting better now that she can SEE better - I try to make sure she has a little toy hanging now for something to look at, and/or open up her hood so she can see out if it's not too sunny - she screams when the sun is in her eyes.

[zenproof]

I've been going out with Oban from the get-go. I figured the quicker and more often I did it - the better. We had to just get our feet wet! Like others have said - he mainly doesn't like it when just getting going, or at stops (traffic SUCKS!) - but the constant motion settles him. I have perfected the reach around for his pacifier when he drops it - and fish it back in his mouth.

I hate when he cries - and do not stop - b/c he almost always calms down within minutes. I figure if I stopped every time, I'd never get anywhere.

I'd say I go out every couple days. Today we met a friend and her baby at the park for a walk. It was BEAUTIFUL! But most times I venture out of the house its for a lunch/brunch date!

I have YET done a grocery store visit. now THAT makes me anxious.

[Julia24]

I can do the grocery with all THREE of them MAddie is old enough to help though - It had gotten to the point where I didn't even bother bringing in the carseat unless it was going to be uber quick; just stuck her in the carrier standing outside the car, bc she wouldn't stay put! But now that she's getting bigger, she'll sometimes just stay asleep in her seat while I get what I need to done. This week, I took her and a 14 month old grocery shopping. Could havebeen a disaster - but it went as well as possible! He ate his cereal and sat nicely in the cart and she stayed asleep in her seat

I'd say you just live and learn - if you end up leaving your groceries the first time, you'll figure it out in your sleep what you'll do differently the next time, yk?

[octobermoon]

Oh yeah the grocery store...not happening.

[cristeen]

I do the grocery store run alone while daddy takes the baby. It's pretty much my only alone time all week. I can do it in under 2 hours, making 3-5 stops, so I just feed him before I go.

[JordanKX]

Originally Posted by octobermoon

Oh yeah the grocery store...not happening.

haha :-)

Anywhere OTHER than the grocery, I wear Rowan. Even into the video store to drop off movies. Lugging the damned carseat around is just too much of a pain. But he still fits in a bjorn, so I have the arms on already under my coat, so I just put the bottom on, put him in it, we're right as rain. For most errands, the bjorn is my savior. I need one for bigger kiddies!!

The grocery store is still scary because of the people. And the bjorn (or moby or whatever) just doesn't feel secure enough. People just want to touch and I'm sorry, but even the most polite grandma shouldn't be touching my baby. So I LOVE the carseat at the store. He of course hates it, but that's beside the point. The carseat locks onto the grocery-cart, so you're solid there. And you can bring an extra blanket to cover over the carseat so no one can see your baby.
And just go fast. Know your list and get it, be done.

[2boyzmama]

I've done Sam's Club with all three, I wore Gavin in the sling (no one can touch him then!), Connor sat in the cart, and Ian rode on the end of the cart. We even ate lunch there it was going so smoothly!

The grocery store I've done a quickie trip with all three, and I left Gavin in his carseat. That didn't work as well, Connor won't stay sitting so he has to be in the seat part of the cart, so I put Gavin in the basket part. He didn't like that or was just in a bad mood or something, so he was crying. But I couldn't easily reach him to talk to him or put his pacifier back in, so we ended up stopping at the bakery area where all the seniors get their free coffees so I could nurse Gavin. So a short trip ended up taking a lot longer! Then there wasn't room in the basket to put the groceries since Gavin's seat was in there! I'll definitely do the sling from now on. I just thought since it was a short trip I wouldn't mess with taking him out of the seat in the cold. Lesson learned

[Lula's Mom]

Yeah, I do the grocery store at least once weekly with all 3. We homeschool, so they are always with me. But my dd is 8 and she helps a lot. She'll get her own cart and pick out produce. And ds has always been great at the store, except for the constant "Can I get...?" So it really doesn't feel that hard.

I always put the baby in a sling or mei tai when we're out of the car. I'm just so used to having him on me that it feels off to see him in the seat.

[MyZoeJane]

Originally Posted by octobermoon

Oh yeah the grocery store...not happening.

But don't you have to eat?!

I took the kids out in the car when Ezra was three days old and have taken the baby out while Zoe is in school at least every other day since. I'd lose my mind sitting at home, and living in the burbs means I have to drive if I want to go anywhere.

I agree with the person who said that you need to start taking baby out from the getgo or you set yourself up for having a bad traveller! Ezra cries in the car sometimes, but if he's not hungry or in need of a diaper change, I just have to let him cry a bit. It usually doesn't last more than a few minutes.

You can't change your life too much for a baby, in my opinion. I think it makes the difference between having an "easy" baby and a baby who is "difficult" because he is too sheltered.

Get that baby out and about and don't be afraid to let him fuss a bit! It doesn't mean you're neglecting his needs!

[~Laura~]

We go out daily. She hates the car seat, but has gotten better in the last day or two!! I always wear her when out of the car and she calms down the second I take her out of the seat. I HATE the crying though. I know it will get better.

I have taken the 4 kids out alone on many occasions (8, 7, 5, and 7 weeks), and it's always been fine. If it's just me and the baby, it's heaven! Easy peasy! lol I remember running out of the store with my first because he started to cry and I had no idea why and I couldn't quiet him! My how things change...

Laura

[StrongFeather]

Originally Posted by octobermoon

Oh yeah the grocery store...not happening.

one word:
BabyHawk
(or any carrier/sling you enjoy, but i had tried others this is my savor)

you'll not fear the grocery store, I promise!

[bright_eyes]

Originally Posted by StrongFeather

one word:
BabyHawk
(or any carrier/sling you enjoy, but i had tried others this is my savor)

you'll not fear the grocery store, I promise!

I agree! We've gone out tons and I just make sure to always have a carrier and I pop him into it whenever we get to where we are going and he just sleeps most of the time.