We went to the zoo on Saturday, to celebrate Aarti’s birthday. Things started out fine enough. It was a beautiful morning, we had pancakes for breakfast. All was well. Then just as we pulled into the entrance to the zoo, Sonia heaved ho.
We didn’t have any spare clothes, so we had to take her in, all covered in vomit, to the nearest restroom in the zoo. Needless to say, we were a bit less than enthused with the remainder of our trip. Things did pick up, however, when Sonia went to the petting zoo.
We’ve since learned that Sonia’s not very comfortable with being in the car for too long – she’s been throwing up on nearly every 20 – 30 minute drive we’ve taken within the last few weeks.
How do you handle a car sick baby? What are some things we can try to minimize Sonia’s motion sickness during short drives?
-Krishna
Hmm..with my nephew they just took him on drives around the block to help him sleep and such, so he never really puked in the car but a few times. After going around the block so many times he just got use to it, like do you when you go out boating in the ocean after so long it stops. -nod bod- Don’t worry! It’ll get better! :3
Always always always, carry extra clothing (did I mention always?). You never know when there’s going to be an accident from vomiting, to falling into the lake (yes I’ve known it to happen multiple times to the same kid on the same day).
As for how to prevent it? I’m not sure. It can depend on the type of car you drive to the type of child seat you are using.
I drive a VW Sharan with the child seats built-in, so the boys sit up high enough and their eyes and their inner-balance can adjust normally. If the child seat sits low and the child really can’t see much besides the back seat or the roof of the car, well then it’s kind of like a rollercoaster where you close your eyes through the whole ride. It messes with your inner-balance more because your mind feels the movement but has no visual reference to go with it.
Can the child seat be used in the front seat? Not really the best place for a kid, but might not be such a bumpy ride up there…
Good strip once again, man.
Just one thing: RALPH as a barfing sound effect – doesn’t fit imho – at first I thought she just likes Ralph Wiggum on Simpsons that much that she shouts his name
Lol, I’m glad my name isn’t Ralph. I wouldn’t like to have my name linked to this onomatopoeia!
Also Krishna, I saw your tweet recently, and Congratulation on the 100 mark for Uncubed!
You may want to see if she’ll keep those accupressure bracelets on. A lot of the normal advice–having her focus on something in the distance, no reading in the car, etc–doesn’t help much at her age. You can try cracking a window and giving her small snacks like crackers to keep her stomach settled.
If all else fails, Benadryl and Dramamine are options. I would talk with your pediatrician to get the right dosage for her weight. The only thing with those is that they may make her drowsy. So, you’d just have to decide if you’d rather deal with a drowsy baby or take your chances with the puke.
Good luck!!
I used to get car sick, too (I probably still would be if I wasn’t up front)! The only thing that used to make me feel slightly better was resting my head and closing my eyes. Not sure why I shared that because it won’t really help you out! Hmmm …
Hee hee.. some kids are just more sensitive to motion sickness. (And it’s worse in hot weather.) Take it from the mother of two of those kids (kids a/k/a The Earl of Hurl and the Princess of Barf.)!
They have pretty much outgrown their motion sickness now, though, so there’s hope for you!
My mom says it is only right that my kids are like that, as I gave her fits when I was a kid getting motion sick. Like Robert Matejcek above, I didn’t get over it until I learned to drive! LOL
Take 19 minute trips.
I wonder what she does on trips. Does she have toys she looks at or does she stare at the floor? I wonder if maybe it could even be some vision issues and in the moving car she has trouble focusing her eyes. Myself I MUST stare out a window or I will be just like her. I’m fine driving or satring out the window forward but if I have to look down for long…..I feel ill quickly. I’d love to be able to read on long trips but alas…….not to be.
My younger niece had a similar issue. The way my sister resolved it was by sitting in the back, with the baby and keeping her attention away from the road up ahead and the passing scenery on the sides. Have your wife sit with the baby and try the same. Maybe it’ll help you too.
They say ginger helps a lot. If she’s old enough to handle hard candies…I’d try to find some natural ginger candies and give her one of those just before getting in the car.
Natural ginger ale, but let it go flat. (The natural ginger ale has real ginger) Let her drink some about 10-15 minutes before you go out.
Eventually, she’ll grow out of it.
My daughter did not get sick but would start SCREAMING on any ride longer than 18 minutes until she was about 1-1/2. My solution was to avoid rides longer than that as much as possible.
there are a couple of things you can do, although the car seat can’t be in the front seat as in the event of an accident the airbag hitting the carseat or the child could be deadly, and at least in the US it’s illegal in most if not all states.
1) you could give her snacks as reccomended above, one suggestion i hear helped me as a child was skinned seedless grapes that you kept overnight in the freezer the would act as a sucking candy and the cold distracts you from your surroundings while the sweetness keeps you from spitting it out, like ice cream but healthier
2) you could have your wife stay in the back seat with her and play games or speak to her although eventually your daughter and your wife will get tired of it
This is a little late to the game, so don’t know if you’ll see this.
Someone suggested Benadryl. Use care–it often revs kids up rather than make them sleepy. Dramamine is a good suggestion, and works, but check with your pediatrician for the dose. They make a chewable kind that kids seem to like.
Odds are she will grow out of this.
Haha! Nice comical representation of the situation..
Loved it..
Cheerz!
DN