Once I was returning from Philadelphia to New York with Lily in the baby car seat in my back. Now the car seat was a rear-facing one based on her age which disallowed me from monitoring her, she cried out loud, and I was stunned to see this.
So what was the reason for her crying in a car seat? Is it okay to let the baby cry in a car seat? Let’s dig it out.
Browse this Post
Is It Okay To Let Baby Cry In Car Seat? Should I Use CIO Method?
You know your baby’s sleeping habits, but it is natural that the baby will protest to sleep and cry. And you must not forget that, crying is the only response you can get from a baby it’s a by-born habit.
But when you are driving somewhere with your baby in a car seat and suddenly starts crying, what would you do then? Crying in a car seat is normal until it lasts longer than usual and excessive crying will cause harm to both of you.
Before we dig in deeper, let’s get to know the reasons first.
What Are The Probable Reasons For Crying In The Car Seat?
Before you reach any final decision and start applying, you have to know the reasons first. Before that, as you were driving, you must pull off to a safe place and then act. The common reasons for their crying in a car seat are
- Temperature: Both body temperature and inside car temperature have to adjust. Or else, your baby will feel too hot or too cold and start crying.
- Sickness: If your baby is sick already, then you should not take him/her on that ride unless it’s an emergency.
- Boredom: If you just remain silent or do not attempt to entertain throughout the whole driving session he/she can get bored and start crying loudly.
- Confinement: If you are on a long trip with your baby in a car seat, he/she may feel confined after a while and start crying to be free.
- Car Seat Fitting: Over time, babies do outgrow car seats and it’s natural. Again if your car seat gets tampered with anything that relates to the comforts, your baby can cry for this too.
So these, are the common reasons, why a baby in a car seat normally cries.
How Do I Stop Them Crying
After knowing all the common reasons, another question arises in my mind, how to stop my baby crying in a car seat? Here, I have listed some of the common tricks that other mothers normally do, such as
- Check The Harness: Make sure that, the position and tightness of the car seat harness are not causing discomfort to your child. If any problem is found, install it further.
- Reclining Angle: Check the reclining angle of your car seat especially, when it is a rear-facing baby car seat. Most baby car seats come with an indicator to confirm that, you have reclined the seat properly. If not, adjust the angle again.
- Change The Car Seat: Your baby can cry for improper fitting in the baby car seat. So ensure that it is not outgrown yet, if it is change it ASAP.
- Communication: Babies before 11-12 months of age, communicate with parents using crying and other movements which require random attention. So if Your baby fails to communicate with you in time, may start crying in the car seat.
- Comfortability: This is something you can never compromise with, let alone your child. So if he/she finds any discomfort in using the car seat, crying is the only option.
So these are my collection from society, family, and friends regarding a baby crying in a baby car seat. I also try to figure out one or two points to soothe them out.
Tips: If the baby cries out suddenly in a ride, try to pacify him/her with your talk or humming while pulling off safely.
Should I Use The CIO Method?
Before giving you my final opinion, you must know what it is, how to use this, what are the advantages of it and also drawbacks. So the CIO stands for the cry-it-out method.
This method is applied when your baby starts crying at the same time at night for several weeks continuously. Till then, their parents try to pacify her anyhow but miserably fail.
So, if your baby is full bally, not sick, not disturbed by anything but still cries out loud in the room you can try out the CIO method.
What Is the CIO Method?
CIO also known as the cry-it-out method is an approach where parents let their babies cry as long as they can and then sleep automatically. Over time it actually becomes a habit of the child to cry while sleeping and sleep again.
Some may address this method as a non-parental approach, but you are in the middle of creating a sleeping habit here, there’s no way to break it unless it’s an emergency. If your baby is used to the rocked-to-sleep or fed-to-sleep methods, CIO will work after some protest and that’s sure.
It may sound rude but it’s a sleeping habit developer. But one thing you must know is that this method is only applicable when you’re at home. If you are on the way somewhere and the baby starts crying in the car seat, you have to follow another approach from above.
When & How To Follow the CIO Method
If you are a very caring mother and can’t show a damn caring attitude to your child in certain situations, this CIO technique is not for you. Follow this section only f you can hold some patience.
When To Apply?
your baby is physically and emotionally ready to sleep for a long time you can try this method. It is more effective between 4 to 6 months of age of your baby. At this age, their sleeping time starts to form a cycle.
To be specific their sense of circadian rhythm forms at this stage. But for premature babies, it goes otherwise. They need regular feeding until they grow older though some families prefer to use this method for older babies while their sleep cycle is set already.
How To Apply?
There are several steps to follow in the CIO Method. The very first step is to allow the kid to cry as long as possible, later out of tiredness he/she will fall asleep. It’s rude but effective.
The next step is to soothe your baby regularly before sleeping. Just give a lukewarm sponge, change the wet diaper, and feed another. Reading stories or singing any favorite songs as a lullaby is also effective. When he/she feels drowsy or asleep put into their crib.
While putting into the crib and leaving or after leaving if the baby wakes up and starts crying don’t attend unless you check the condition. While checking the condition don’t pick him/her up and keep the light off. Next, you’ll come the next morning only to feed.
How Long Does It Take to Work?
your baby’s belly is, not wet, and has no sickness, injury or any kind of disturbing element around he/she can cry out in the middle of the night, and it’s normal. In the CIO method, your baby will fall asleep on their own the tiredness works here.
Sometimes, this crying lasts about 5-10 minutes even on and off rhythm for several hours. This crying session can make you get angry but you must hold your horse. If the situation continues for weeks, please consult with a doctor ASAP, the reason for crying can be something else.
What If My Baby Hates The Ride?
As long as your baby’s age is below 12 years old and doesn’t fit in the adult car seat belt, you must put him/her in a car seat as per the local car seat law. If your baby doesn’t like to ride car, try the following methods
Check The Car Seat
Not to mention that you did buy this car seat after checking it properly back then, what about now? Now you have to check the expiry date, missing components (if any), and if your baby is fit for the car seat or not.
Next, check whether the car seat is ok or not. Let’s say, the seat is wet, ants or others building a colony, forming any fungi or similar facts that can disturb your baby. You must clean the car seat regularly with proper installation after the wash to avoid these.
Tweak The Timing
The very first thing you can do is avoid starting the trip right after you complete the meal. Instead, feed your kids 20-30 minutes prior to the journey. It helps especially those kids who feel nausea for riding in full belly.
Take some time to adjust and start the digestion process. Again you can change the trip timing as a whole. You can adjust the timing with your kids’ sleeping time. Start your preparation when they are feeling drowsy, they will fall into deep sleep till you are on the road.
Work On The Temperature
Temperature plays a vital role in sleep. It’s said that a temperature around 15-20° Celcius works like a tonic on regular sleep even in sleep deprivation cases. Again, avoid extra items such as hats, mittens, etc., and never keep heavy clothes in the body while sleeping.
Add Some Entertainment
From kids to elderly citizens, everyone loves entertainment. So entertainment for your baby in a ride can help you keep energized positively. Let’s say you can play some music, or start singing some of your baby’s favorite songs. It will make them happy and distract them from sensing the ride.
Anything Excess
Noise, road bumps, weather, etc. can make your baby cry out of excessiveness or boredom of these facts. If it’s noise, try to control it, if it is about road bumps then I advise you to drive smoothly. If it is the weather, time shifting may work in your case.
Last Words
So the answer to your question, whether is it okay to let a baby cry in a car seat is relative. It completely depends on your baby’s condition and in some cases some surrounding facts. But excessive crying in a car seat is always harmful to both of you.
Whatever the reason is, you have to find it sharp after pulling your car off to a safe place and then examine it. Depending on the examination’s outcome you can treat the baby easily.
You May Also Like
- How To Fix A Baby Car Seat? 6 Facts To Maintain
- Baby Car Seat In Taxi | What Are The Actual Rules
- Safe Way To Lift And Carry Baby Car Seat | Forget Back Pain
- How To Put Baby Car Seat In Shopping Cart? Do Shopping More Effectively
- Is It Legal To Sell Used Child Car Seats? Explained
My name is Olivia Brown, and I’m a New York-based blogger and stay-at-home parent. Former business executive enjoying retirement and time with kids Lily and Max. On my blog, I review things for kids and offer my honest thoughts and insights to other parents who may be having the same or similar experiences.
