Help! Daughter doesn't like Boulevard

[94bruin]

My DD is still in her infant carrier (BT latch loc) for most car rides. However, we bought a Boulevard so that we'd be ready when she outgrew her infant carrier. We placed it in the second car, so we only use it occasionally.

DD has absolutely no problem with her infant carrier. However, if we try to place her in the Blvd, she cries and screams her head off! The screams & crying dissipate once we start moving, but until then, it seems like we're torturing the poor thing.

Is this something she'll get used to once it becomes her primary seat? Did anyone else have this experience? What can I do to help her get used to it? She still has a bit to go with the BT, so we won't be using the Blvd for a month or two or three? (I know, DD is a little shrimp! At almost 11 months, she still fits her infant carrier.)

[elliput]

My DD did the same thing when we switched from the BT LL to the Wizard. DH says she screamed because I kept bumping her head getting her in car. :-( DD would decide on week that getting in the seat was fine, then awful the next week and we would have screaming fits again. And like your DD, the cries and screams quit once we were moving. Now she is almost able to climb in the seat on her own and tries to fasten the chest clip also, so she is happy to get in her seat. :-)

So, it does get better! Just be patient. :-)

[94bruin]

That make me feel sooo much better! I was afraid that we would have to go out and buy a different seat - that maybe she didn't like the wings or the different fabric?

Do you remember how long it was until she was completely comfortable with the new seat?

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

I think it's just a matter of getting used to change.... she'll adjust.

perhaps she wants a fuller recline or even for it to be more upright?

have you removed the hugs for rf? I find this gets a tighter snugger fit.

also, as she might feel a little too out in the open in a larger seat, you could put some rolled receiving blankets or a couple of her favorite stuffed animals on either side of her ... or fold the wings of the body pad in for extra support.

[94bruin]

Please excuse my ignorance, but...

How do you change the recline? It does seem like she's a bit too reclined. We had this seat installed by our local tech, so I'm not sure how to change the recline on the seat.

Also, what are the hugs?

That's a good idea about some of her favorite toys. Although I have a feeling that won't do any good. When she gets angry, no toy will make her happy!

[elliput]

Let's see - we moved DD to the Wiz at 9.5 months. The first 2-3 weeks she cried (most of the time) when we put her in it and then she was fine, but once she started to walk at 11 months she started screaming again and fighting (all the time) getting in the seat. The change to how it is getting her in now was so gradual that I really can't pinpoint when it happened, so maybe six weeks ago. DH and I were getting her in the car a couple weeks ago and I realized that she was perfectly content to do so and had been for a while. I really think that her dislike with getting in the seat was not that it was uncomfortable or she didn't like the specific seat, it was that she did not like the idea of being restrained - she probably would have pitched a fit in any seat. Her mobility was lost and she didn't like it. Toys helped, a lot BTW!

[schums]

The HUGS are the long rubber things on the shoulder straps. They can come off for rearfacing, but MUST be used for forward facing. Put them in your glove box or center console so you don't lose them.

I'm not sure how to change the recline on the Blvd., but on the Marathon we have, there was a recline setting. For infants, you have the seat reclined and then adjust the angle by how tight you pull the tether. For older babies, you can either use the recline setting and not pull the tether as tight or use the upright setting. There should be a blurb in the manual on how to change from recline to upright or vice versa.

HTH,
Sarah
Mom to Alex (3/2002) and Catherine (8/2003)

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

the pp covered the bit about the hugs.

as to the recline... are you tethering it rf?

you can loosen the tether to let it be more upright.

what car is it in?

some cars, the seat is so flat, people end up installing it upright and using the tether to give it any recline at all.

just don't lose the HUGS... they're required for forward facing... I kept them in the glove box.

[Canna]

We had DD in the BT Latch Loc and moved her to a Wizard. She had no problem with it and seemed to like it from the start (she went into it around 6 monts of age or so). I hope your DD adjusts soon - since she settles down once the car's in motion, I'll bet she'll get get used to it soon!

[DeeEast]

Not to hijack, but is there some reason safety-wise to remove the hugs rear-facing?

[jeanum]

For a small infant, the HUGS may get in the way of tightening the shoulder harness snug enough to properly secure the baby. It can help to remove the HUGS in such a situation.