5 Tips for a Calm Road Trip with a Baby Who Hates the Car Seat

The dream: baby falls asleep the minute you hit the highway, and you and your partner cruise along, sipping coffee and listening to music or podcasts.

Reality: crying and protesting every mile!

You’re not alone. The struggle is real. The sound of an unhappy baby really pulls at your heart and puts a huge damper on things.

Having survived a few 6.5 hour drives with a baby that does not like to fall asleep in her car seat, here are 5 practical tips from one parent to another to keep the wheels turning and the tears (mostly) dry.

If you also have airplane travel coming up soon, check out this post on making that as stress free as possible!

1. Pick the right Departure Time

For long drives, if you can pull off driving through the night, this is the move. It can be a little harder on the adults, but much better than dealing with the crying and whining.

Get baby up early in the morning so that their bedtime will be earlier that day, and take off soon after bedtime. What works best for us is getting baby to sleep at home for 30 minutes, get everything loaded in the car, then load baby into their car seat and get moving. At this point, your baby is pretty sleepy and it’ll be easier for them to get back to sleep.

2. The Sound and Lights Strategy

A baby’s ears are sharp, and road noise can be chaotic. Consistent white noise can be incredibly soothing. And keeping street lights out of their eyes can help them really stay in the relaxation and sleepy zone.

White Noise Machine: Invest in a dedicated, rechargeable white noise machine. Place it right on the car seat handle or headrest (safely out of reach, of course) for proximity. The constant hum can block out traffic and the roar of the engine. We like this one for drives. The handle allows you to hang it onto the car seat or headrest, and the night light can also come in handy to find things without turning on the lights right above the baby.
Music, Audio books or Podcasts: If white noise doesn’t work for your baby, sometimes, a human voice does the trick. You can try playing a calm, monotone audio book, gentle lullabies, or a slightly boring podcast at a low volume.
To keep the light off baby’s face, we use a DIY setup with blankets and a light blocking shade over the window. Scope out your car and whatever you have on hand to keep truck and street lights out of your baby’s face.

3. Regular Stops

If your baby is going to be awake during the drive, especially if you’re traveling during the day, your baby will need a few stops to stretch, look around and reset. Accept that this trip is going to take longer, and embrace the stops. Pull over every 2 hours for a little walk, a refill on snacks and a break from the car seat for baby to nurse and be held by their favorite people.

4. Passenger’s got work to do

If you have two adults, the passenger is the most valuable asset for a day time road trip. This usually falls to me to sit next to baby, while Mr. Perez drives.

Toy Rotation: Keep a bag of small, novel toys ready. Only introduce one new toy at a time, and rotate them slowly. A new texture or a small, crinkly book can buy you a few precious minutes.
Snack supply: If your baby is already eating solids, rotating through different snacks can also keep baby entertained and happy, earn a few more precious minutes.
Music controls: Depending on the time of day that you’re taking the trip, the passenger gets to choose the best music for baby; white noise, lullabies or upbeat baby songs.

5. Lower Your Expectations

You used to do this trip in 5 hours… Your new goal is “Arrive Safely, With Sanity Intact.”

If you need to stop every hour, that’s fine. If you need to stop and eat lunch in a Target parking lot because you’re having a car seat meltdown, that’s also fine. Prioritize your sanity and baby’s comfort, and remember that this phase is temporary. A stressed-out parent makes for a stressed-out baby, so take a deep breath and let go of the clock. You’ll get there soon enough!