Forcing your baby into the car seat???

Julie - posted on 02/04/2010

I keep a sippy cup wit water and one of my son's snack cups filed and in the car and use that as a distraction. I also keep toys handy. It generally works.

Sunrise - posted on 02/03/2010

Is she still in the infant car seat or a bigger rear facing seat? My LO is primarily still in her infant carrier so I load her into it in the house. When we are ready to go I ask her to come and put her boots so we can go bye-bye. She will sometimes laugh and run away…which is cute MOST of the time. When she does come she sits on our laps and we put her boots on then with the car seat next to us we ask her to get in, which she promptly does. Sometimes incentive is needed and I’ll ask her “Do you think you can sit down so and hold you doll?” or “would you like to hold your baby when your sitting in your seat?”

With my older two when they were uncooperative I would give them choices. IE: “would you like to hold __ or __ when you’re riding in the car today?” “Do you think you can get in your car seat by yourself or do you need help?” When the weather was good we would make it a race “I bet you can’t beat me to the car and get in your seat” (of course they need to be big enough to do this).

These are just some of the things that have worked. Don’t get me wrong my kids were/are not always perfectly cooperative and there were days where I was making them sit in their car seats. Good luck… hopefully it’s stage she will be through sooner than later.

Elizabeth - posted on 02/03/2010

O my goodness my fiance and i were just talking about this the other day because my 16mo has now started to refuse the seat. We thought we wouldn't have to deal with it with her but we now find ourselves holding her in to buckle her. I really hate to call it a phase but it does go away.

Caryn - posted on 02/02/2010

We always try to give our son crackers or little toys he can hold in each hand before we put him in. When he was really bad my husband would read to him while i put him in. Also is it a forward facing seat because I know my son is a lot happier in the forward facing than he was in rear facing.
Good luck,
Caryn

Sara - posted on 02/02/2010

it's just a phase. all 3 of mine went through it and my sept baby is still going though it. eventually they just give up and let me do it. it makes it easier for me if I make the harness straps really loose so I can still buckle him in when he's throwing a fit then when he relaxes and sits back for a second i can just pull the harness tight to where it should be. Good luck :)