# WWYD, stuck in traffic and baby crying!!



## Cuau (Jul 27, 2006)

So this weekend we drove to Chicago with the lo, she is 11 mos now. The drive is about 4-5hrs long. Not too bad if she is sleeping.

Everything went fine on our way there. She slept and played for a little while. In the early afternoon, we had some snow, not too bad, but still. So when we left the highways were a major pain, we spent almost an hour to get out of the loop (about 20 miles) and my little one had a dirty diaper.

When we got out of IL, the cars in the highway were literally parked, no movement of cars for about 45 min, then we move like half a mile and stopped again for 45 min, DD was sleeping this 90 mins, but then DH decided to turn off the engine and DD woke up, screaming!! She was hungry.

So there we were in the middle of nowhere, about 15 miles to the next exit, with cars and trailers parked around us and probably about 2 hrs more of driving (parking) until we could safely get out of the highway.

WWYD, take the little one out of the car seat and nurse her, right there. Or wait (4 hrs, yes we were there for four hours) there until you can go to a safe place.


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## mamalisa (Sep 24, 2002)

When ds was 9 months old we were going out of Chicago into Indiana. We were stopped in the car for 3 1/2 hours. I'm talking, not moving an inch stopped. Damn skippy I took him out and nursed him. It's not the "right" answer, but when you're stuck what else can you do?


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## Brisen (Apr 5, 2004)

I have been in a similar situation, and nursed baby while he was still strapped into his seat. Usually I can manage to do it without unstrapping myself.


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## LotusBirthMama (Jun 25, 2005)

I would take them out and nurse them. For crying out loud...a little common sense.







If _your_ car isn't moving and the car in _front_ isn't moving...and the car in _back_ isn't moving...well...you get the idea. If no one is moving then whats the differance btw that and a parking lot?


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## afishwithabike (Jun 8, 2005)

I have gotten in back and nursed that way. If they're rear facing it's pretty easy to pop the breast in the baby's mouth while they're still in their carseat. It's NOT the "BEST" way to nurse BUT it can get them a decent amount of food until you can get somewhere else to nurse them more appropriately.


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## kennedy444 (Aug 2, 2002)

Definately would have taken the babe out and nursed right there in the back seat.


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## loitering (Mar 27, 2006)

I think it would depend on how I felt at the exact moment - but if the cars were literally stopped for 45 minutes, I'd take babe out and then put him/her back in as soon as I saw traffic starting to move (often you can see when the cars way ahead are starting to go). I'd worry if I were in one of the far lanes though, if a police officer came through on a motorcycle or something and saw us.

One time on the highway, stuck in traffic because of an accident, I had to get out of the car, run to the back seat, take ds out and strip him of his clothes, and put him back in. Traffic was moving slowly and frequently, and it was HOT.


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## lilgreen (Dec 5, 2003)

This happened to us, too, when ds2 was little. I always worry about all the possible things that can go wrong no matter what the situation is. even though were dead still, I was worried about getting rear-ended. So, I just got into the back seat and nursed him with him in his seat.


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## becoming (Apr 11, 2003)

I've nursed my LO in his carseat (infant seat), but I have ample breasts.









If that wasn't possible, I would definitely take him out and nurse him. I can't imagine letting him scream for 4 hours, knowing he was hungry!


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## diamond lil (Oct 6, 2003)

If your car was stuck on the road and not moving and no other cars around you were moving, I would see no problem with nursing your hungry babe. Maybe not an ideal nursing situation, but the world is not an ideal place, ykwim?

I live in the Chicago area and we were hit hard by the terrible storm you described. I imagine your drive was miserable. I'm glad you made it ok!


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## Periwinkle (Feb 27, 2003)

Yeah absolutely, in your (OP) situation, I have and would again take my child out of the carseat, nurse, change the diaper, whatever. One time we were stuck for almost an hour without going anywhere. I hopped into the backseat, took the baby out of the carseat, nursed and played. When we got moving again, we all got buckled back up again.


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## psyche (Apr 6, 2005)

I would have, and have, climbed into the back seat, popped the baby out of the carseat, and nursed in the same sort of circumstances. It didn't make me feel good, but it made me feel better than the alternative. FWIW, that was actually legal in this state.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

If the car isn't moving, and cars around you aren't moving, I'd take the baby out (with the car in park!!!) change her diaper (if needed) and nurse her.

This might be a situation in which I'd lean over the carseat to nurse- not safe to do while driving but probably safer than nursing her in my lap in case we're hit from behind.

No way would I make a hungry baby wait 4 hours to eat!!! If I didn't feel safe taking the baby out of the carseat, then I'd have a breastpump in the car with me, pump out a bottle and then feed the bottle while the baby was in the carseat. I'd do that in a moving vehicle too.


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## Arduinna (May 30, 2002)

Of course I'd nurse her, I certainly wouldn't wait 4 hours to do it.


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## dex_millie (Oct 19, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Cuau* 
.............

WWYD, take the little one out of the car seat and nurse her, right there. Or wait (4 hrs, yes we were there for four hours) there until you can go to a safe place.

I would feed him in the carseat(his seat is rearfacing) or take him out if plan A didn't work. Four hours is a long time to have a infant screaming in the car before they could eat. I feed him in the car in his carseat for 1/2 hour drives if nothing else is working. When his carseat was faceforward I still managed somehow but it was more difficult. Oh and my breast are small(like a wear a A cup)


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## AngelaB (Nov 20, 2001)

I have to agree with the others. I would have taken baby out and changed her diaper and then nursed and just watched traffic very carefully. Then I would have stayed in the backseat after putting her back in her seat and played until traffic picked up again. You gotta do what you gotta do!
Angela


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## wonderwahine (Apr 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamalisa* 
When ds was 9 months old we were going out of Chicago into Indiana. We were stopped in the car for 3 1/2 hours. I'm talking, not moving an inch stopped. Damn skippy I took him out and nursed him. It's not the "right" answer, but when you're stuck what else can you do?









i nurse when stuck in traffic


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## Nate'sMama (Jul 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Brisen* 
I have been in a similar situation, and nursed baby while he was still strapped into his seat. Usually I can manage to do it without unstrapping myself.

Huh? How did you do that?


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## happyhippiemama (Apr 1, 2004)

I nursed and changed dirty diapers in similar situations.


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## Mom2Joseph (May 31, 2006)

I"m about to get flamed here, but I did this and the car was moving.







:

this was before we knew about DD's reflux (she was in a bucket and that is the WORST for reflux babies) and her severe food allergies. I said a prayer and pulled her to me. I just could not listen to her scream anymore and there was no where to stop.


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## Periwinkle (Feb 27, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mom2Joseph* 
I"m about to get flamed here, but I did this and the car was moving.







:

this was before we knew about DD's reflux (she was in a bucket and that is the WORST for reflux babies) and her severe food allergies. I said a prayer and pulled her to me. I just could not listen to her scream anymore and there was no where to stop.

No one's going to flame you. We all know that being in a good carseat carefully strapped in is a pretty important safety concern. OTOH, no one here is going to let their babies WAIL for 4 hours, kwim? My twins had severe reflux too and they HATED those infant carseats.

In my next life, I'm going to invent a car and a carseat in which a baby can most safely be in the front seat. My mom said it was bliss having the baby up front in the "good old days" - and my mom literally thinks it's a crime against humanity to put a baby rear-facing in the backseat all alone! I mean, she gets it, but she is just like "there has GOT to be a better solution!" I tend to agree.


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## cheenya (Dec 17, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mom2Joseph* 
I"m about to get flamed here, but I did this and the car was moving.







:

No Flames, I've done it too, balancing safety and babies needs is a never ending task. I also learned to sit next to a babe and nurse while we were both strapped in, I can even do it with a forward facing child - not comfortable, but sometimes its worth being a little uncomfortable to meet a baby's needs. If traffic was so stopped it seemed fine to turn off the car I wouldn't hesitate to unbuckle baby myself and baby to meet the lo's needs.


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## babygrant (Mar 10, 2005)

I've had something similar happen, so I hopped in the backseat, and nursed my son when he was strapped in the car seat. My boobs are big though, so it worked out just fine.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mom2Joseph* 
I"m about to get flamed here, but I did this and the car was moving.







:

this was before we knew about DD's reflux (she was in a bucket and that is the WORST for reflux babies) and her severe food allergies. I said a prayer and pulled her to me. I just could not listen to her scream anymore and there was no where to stop.

I did that numerous times with DD1 when DH was driving. I sat next to her, with the lap belt on, and leaned over the infant seat. With my huge boobs I didn't have to lean THAT far to reach her mouth.

I never did it with DD2 only because it was too crowded in the back seat with 2 carseats and she had her sister back there to keep her entertained. Or maybe I did it once or twice, but it wasn't a routine thing the way it was with DD1.

By the time DS was born I knew a lot more about carseat safety and never considered doing it. I also worked and pumped when he was an infant so I had bottles of ebm available if we went on a long car trip.


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## askew (Jun 15, 2006)

My 12 month old still HATES the car seat. The only way we ever get anywhere over 30 minutes is for me to ride in back and nurse him at will. I can do it while still belted in and leaning over his RF seat. I don't have large breasts either. The key is kneeling. I get on my knees with the belt around be still, and lean over him. Works well enough to get us on our way.


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## MilkTrance (Jul 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Brisen* 
I have been in a similar situation, and nursed baby while he was still strapped into his seat. Usually I can manage to do it without unstrapping myself.

Yep. I knew God blessed me with floppy boobs for SOME reason, not just to protect my tummy from sunburn in the summer.

I've nursed DS while he was in his seat when we were stuck in a traffic jam on the way back from a 12-hour road trip.


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## Brisen (Apr 5, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nate'sMama* 
Huh? How did you do that?









Baby was in a bucket seat, rearfacing, that was strapped directly in -- no base, I mean -- so it was pretty low. I was sitting beside him, and I just leaned over. It was uncomfortable, but doable.


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## LotusBirthMama (Jun 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MilkTrance* 
Yep. I knew God blessed me with floppy boobs for SOME reason, not just to protect my tummy from sunburn in the summer.










:

So THAT'S why my boobs flop! Sunscreen! Mwahhahahaha!!!!


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## Cuau (Jul 27, 2006)

OP here,

yeah, that's what I did. I took her out and nursed, but of course as you all know (Murphy law) as soon as I take her out we started moving, probably like 5 inch per min. But we had been there for about 1hr so I figured, noone is moving fast, I'm not going to get rear ended, so as soon as we hit the 5mph I'll put her back in. My poor lo was so tired that it took just 5 min to get her to sleep. So as soon as she went to sleep (still moving really slow) I put her back in.

Of course we had to go to the next town and look for a hotel to spend the nigt, there was no way I will stay in that highway for the hole night.


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## vbactivist (Oct 4, 2006)

QUOTE=mamalisa;9901377]When ds was 9 months old we were going out of Chicago into Indiana. We were stopped in the car for 3 1/2 hours. I'm talking, not moving an inch stopped. Damn skippy I took him out and nursed him. It's not the "right" answer, but when you're stuck what else can you do?[/QUOTE]








:


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## brackin (Sep 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Periwinkle* 
In my next life, I'm going to invent a car and a carseat in which a baby can most safely be in the front seat. My mom said it was bliss having the baby up front in the "good old days" - and my mom literally thinks it's a crime against humanity to put a baby rear-facing in the backseat all alone! I mean, she gets it, but she is just like "there has GOT to be a better solution!" I tend to agree.


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

I would have. Once in big traffic (accident) that was huge, yeah, but very slow moving but STILL MOVING, DH got in the right lane, and I got out and walked alongside the car







We'd been driving with a 6mo for about 7 hrs already and he just needed OUT.


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## Himom (May 25, 2005)

If you're "parked" on the freeway for 45 mins, I'd take the baby out and nurse her right there. The car is not moving anyways, even if the traffic starts moving while you're nursing, your DH could pull over to the side to let you continue nursing. I'd also changed her dirty diaper in the car. Just do whatever is necessary to keep her comfortable. Car rides are hard on little ones as it is, but to take it on a hungry tummy and dirty diaper... well no one wants that!


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## Maple Leaf Mama (Jul 2, 2004)

This is seriously one of those nightmare scenarios, huh?
Yes-I would flop one of my floppy boobs in DS's mouth and make him happy. (At least someone likes them)


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## stirringleaf (Mar 16, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *afishwithabike* 
I have gotten in back and nursed that way. If they're rear facing it's pretty easy to pop the breast in the baby's mouth while they're still in their carseat. It's NOT the "BEST" way to nurse BUT it can get them a decent amount of food until you can get somewhere else to nurse them more appropriately.

i would do, and have done this.

its not worth it to me to take the baby out. honestly its not even worth it to unbuckle yourself either. Accidents are ALWAYS a surprise. they arent something you know are coming. I am bad about putting my seatbelt on but really anal about DS's and for example i hit a pole in a parking lot a couple weeks ago, and i wasnt wearing mine. we were going maybe 15 MPH and i wacked my head on the steering wheel hard enough to knock my glasses off. I also know that i was launched from my seat a little because i got a nasty bruise on my knee that only could have happened if my bottom had lifted from my seat. i had a very minor concussion. but still. it was not fun i was all discombobulated and achy for a few days.

ds felt very little, was not harmed in any way. just sacred witless. but not a single bruise or pain.

so even in stop-n-go things can happen. i dont have big bbs, but i was able to stay strapped in in back and nurse my rear-facing baby when he was that little, and could even sort of do it when he was front facing. it was UNCOMFORTABLE but not as uncomfortable as a head -wack

someone could rear-end you, you never know. some weird pile up could happen... the suggestions to pull over seem the most reasonable if you do want to get out.


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## Jessy1019 (Aug 6, 2006)

I would have taken baby out and nursed in standstill traffic.

In moving traffic, I've climbed in the back to nurse while he was still strapped in. I have tiny boobs, so this means laying on him, but it works. I wonder what the drivers who pass us must think, though!


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## BelovedK (Jun 7, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jessy1019* 
I would have taken baby out and nursed in standstill traffic.

In moving traffic, I've climbed in the back to nurse while he was still strapped in. I have tiny boobs, so this means laying on him, but it works. I wonder what the drivers who pass us must think, though!









I've done that too (the small boob thing







)


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## Synchro246 (Aug 8, 2005)

First thing I would do if AT ALL possible would be to exit to park somewhere & take care of business & re-enter the highway when everyone is calm & things have cleared up.
If that's not posssible I will not sit in my stand-still car with a crying baby without crying myself. I have been in that situation (and our air conditioning wasn't working!!!) & I did nurse him while he was in his FF seat as long as we weren't moving. It was hell. We exited ASAP.


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## wendy1221 (Feb 9, 2004)

I've been in this situation before. In fact, I was alone riving the kids. I took the baby out and nursed him. The traffic started inching a little before he was done, and the person behind me blew their horn. I flipped them off and they lef tme alone. ROFL! It's not like we were really getting anywhere. We finished up a minute or 2 later and I put ds back in his seat and pulled up the great distance of about 20 feet that the car in front of me had gone.


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## heidirk (Oct 19, 2007)

We did use a bottle on occasion







: So I'd pump enough for two full bottles and I could givethat to DS while turned around in my seat. That was when the car was actuallymoving. If we were stuck in traffic, I would have hopped into theback and offered him the breast. Probably would have changed his diaper too.
I have ample breasts too!


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## Sharlla (Jul 14, 2005)

I've sat in the back (buckled in) and leaned over and nursed DS2 on the road. I'm not that sure I would be comfortable taking him out, I would be scared of being rear ended.


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## tangozulu (Jun 8, 2004)

Tough decision, I have done pretty much everything the OPs have suggested. I just wanted to say AT LEAST YOU HAD DH WITH YOU. Usually I am on long trips alone with my kids. These decisions are a lot tougher when there isn't another driver/adult around should traffic suddenly pick up, etc!

Whoever said being a mama is a constant balancing act was a genius.

BTW, when my dd14 was little I used to put her in the front seat in her car seat (preschool age) for long trips (no air bag, of course). It was awesome, especially since I was a single mama back then. Of course I've never done that with any of the younger ones. Things change quickly. We used to sit on the floor of the car when we were kids, and my mom used to lay down the seats of our station wagon, put down sleeping bags and we slept/played during long trips!


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## Synchro246 (Aug 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *heidirk* 
We did use a bottle on occasion







: So I'd pump enough for two full bottles and I could givethat to DS while turned around in my seat. That was when the car was actuallymoving. If we were stuck in traffic, I would have hopped into theback and offered him the breast. Probably would have changed his diaper too.
I have ample breasts too!









Expressing milk & giving it via bottle is probably safer than taking the baby out of the seat or leaning over the baby because if the car *were* rear ended or otherwise hit the baby could be crushed in either situtation.


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## cheenya (Dec 17, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tangozulu* 
Things change quickly. We used to sit on the floor of the car when we were kids, and my mom used to lay down the seats of our station wagon, put down sleeping bags and we slept/played during long trips!









: We did the same thing. I know its safer now, but I still sometimes wish we could do that on long trips now







:


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

if someone else is driving i would definitely take them out and tend to them. Without hesitation. certainly if we were at a stand still.

once we were in traffic like that and I hopped out and made sandwhiches for the kids. . . . . if no one is moving







granted we were stuck in single file traffic at yellowstone and not on highway int he city but it still felt weird getting out in the middle of a traffic jam and shuffeling through my trunk.


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## flapjack (Mar 15, 2005)

Do US highways have hard shoulders? If so, my preferred option is to get over on to the hard shoulder and put my hazard warning lights on. If that doesn't work (wrong lane- but I try to be on the inside lane when I hit a traffic jam with the kids anyhow) then I put the hazard warning lights on so that all the drivers around us are aware that something more than just being stuck in a traffic jam is going on with us. I think this is the gist of the recommendations of the road safety organisations over here too.


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## wannabe (Jul 4, 2005)

Lean over her and feed her in her seat. BTDT


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *flapjack* 
Do US highways have hard shoulders? If so, my preferred option is to get over on to the hard shoulder and put my hazard warning lights on. If that doesn't work (wrong lane- but I try to be on the inside lane when I hit a traffic jam with the kids anyhow) then I put the hazard warning lights on so that all the drivers around us are aware that something more than just being stuck in a traffic jam is going on with us. I think this is the gist of the recommendations of the road safety organizations over here too.

being on the side of the road is just as dangerous as being on it. I know people who have been killed while being pulled over. the only people who survived the crash were the ones in their set belts. We are actually more safety conscience when on the shoulder than when driving.


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