Babies and long car journeys aren’t exactly a match made in heaven. Now that your baby is old enough to have developed a feisty personality, she probably fights like a wild animal when it’s time to try and strap her into her car seat. Your baby is busy learning how to mobilize, so it’s no wonder she doesn’t want to be strapped into a car seat. She’s too busy climbing the furniture, lifting herself up and crawling off under the sofa. She’s too busy for car seats. You may, however, be able to convince her with a few of these nifty car accessories:
- Sun shade
When you have a child in the car, you need to make sure you have a sun shade. These not only stop your child from getting too hot under the bright sun, they also stop the sun from getting in your baby’s eyes. Try to get one that provides good coverage on the window closest to your baby’s car seat. There are all kinds of shades available, you could even get one with a picture of your baby’s favorite TV character on it.
- Teething toy
Your baby’s molars will probably be making an appearance over the next few months, and that could mean you’re in for some hellish car journeys. To make things a little easier, make sure your baby always has a teething toy within easy reach in the car. Remember, you won’t always be able to help your baby out whilst you’re driving, so she’ll need to be able to grab hold of the toy herself.
- Backseat mirror
For safety reasons, you should try to keep your child rear-facing for as long as possible. A plastic mirror can be easily fixed to the headrest of your backseat, allowing you and your baby to see each other when in the car. Your baby will be able to see you when you chat to her, but you’ll also have the peace of mind that you can glance back to check your baby is ok whenever you feel the need.
- Car toys
Toys can help to keep your baby entertained on long journeys. If they fall onto the floor, however, you’ll be left with a very unhappy baby and will have to pullover to try and retrieve them. You can avoid this problem entirely by opting for toys which have been specially designed for cars. These toy collections fasten to the headrest of the backseat and are easily accessible for your baby.
- Summer car seat covers
On hot days, your child’s car seat can actually be a pretty uncomfortable place to be. It quickly becomes hot and sticky, especially with the sun shining through the glass windows. Many car seat manufacturers now offer car seat covers that can be used to reduce discomfort on warm days. These covers are made of breathable material so they don’t get quite so sticky during sweaty journeys. They’re also washable, allowing for you to keep your baby’s seat pleasant for the next journey.
What keeps your baby happy on long car journeys?
Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.
