# Carsick Rearfacing



## lilith1 (Dec 5, 2008)

DS tends to get carsick on windy roads. He is 2 years and rear facing. While I would like him rear facing for at the very least another year I begin to wonder if forward facing would remedy him getting car sick. He is in a Maxi Cosi Priori.
Anyone has any thoughts or experiences on this?


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## Norabella (Mar 14, 2008)

Have you tried Ginger (crystallized, gingersnaps or strong natural ginger soda) to help him. My mom read about it in Mothering 20+ years ago and it has made a world of difference for me through-out my life.


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## JBaxter (May 1, 2005)

At 2 I would give it a try. I vividly remember getting car sick in the family's old station wagon with that 3rd row seat that faced backwards. I was probaby 4 maybe. I was banned after the 3rd time.


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## SilverFish (Jan 14, 2010)

he may continue to get sick forward-facing anyway, but yeah, i'd say it's worth a shot. i used to get car sick and air sick nearly every time, and it is a miserable state to be in. safety first and all, but if switching him will help, i would definitely not keep my child in that position.


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## MariesMama (Sep 26, 2008)

What can he see when he is RF? Is he in the middle of the backseat?

I ask because I recently got carsick for the very first time. I've been a car reader all my life, but I live in an area with very little, um, geography. Our roads are straight and level. We went to visit DP's family and I got horribly sick in the car - and then laughed at for trying to read while on their back roads. Looking out the windows while the car is moving has been the key!

You might be able to keep him RFing if you move him outboard or more upright so that he can see out.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

My DS gets carsick too. We thought turning him forward-facing would help, but it really didn't. He still got sick. What does help us: keeping him in the middle of the backseat, rather than outboard, getting the alignment and tire pressure of the vehicle checked, because the wobbling that results when alignment or tire pressure are "off" can aggravate the sickness. Ginger is very helpful, as is encouraging the child to sleep in the car-- motion sickness is less likely to happen with eyes shut the whole ride.

At 2, I think I'd maybe consider forward facing to see if it would help. But I might not; I don't know. I believe strongly in extended rear-facing, but constant motion sickness is SO HARD on everyone in the car. So I would probably consider it.

In some cases, the only solution is to travel prepared. DS has a plastic basin that sits on the seat beside him, so he has it if he needs it. We've also taught him to let us know when the feeling starts, so he can get out and sit awhile if possible. Eating a light snack about a half hour before the car ride can help-- avoid heavy snacking while riding in the car.

Encouraging the child to sing can help a lot, too.

Good luck.


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## pumpkin (Apr 8, 2003)

As someone who suffers from terrible carsickness, please do whatever it takes to mitigate your child's suffering, even if it means turning him forward facing. People who don't experience this think its just throwing up every now and then. Its not. It can be absolute torture feeling horribly ill for hours on end. The vomiting is only what other people see, but its so much more.

The biggest factor for me and a lot of people is air and temperature. Get the air moving and the temp down. In the summer absolutely blast the a/c. Front seat passengers can wear coats. In the winter open the windows wide. Snacking helps too. I find tiny cheese flavored crackers work best for me.


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## AFWife (Aug 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pumpkin* 
As someone who suffers from terrible carsickness, please do whatever it takes to mitigate your child's suffering, even if it means turning him forward facing. People who don't experience this think its just throwing up every now and then. Its not. It can be absolute torture feeling horribly ill for hours on end. The vomiting is only what other people see, but its so much more.

The biggest factor for me and a lot of people is air and temperature. Get the air moving and the temp down. In the summer absolutely blast the a/c. Front seat passengers can wear coats. In the winter open the windows wide. Snacking helps too. I find tiny cheese flavored crackers work best for me.

As another sufferer I agree. The effects can last for hours after getting out of the car.


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## scrappin-mama (May 12, 2010)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pumpkin* 
As someone who suffers from terrible carsickness, please do whatever it takes to mitigate your child's suffering, even if it means turning him forward facing. People who don't experience this think its just throwing up every now and then. Its not. It can be absolute torture feeling horribly ill for hours on end. The vomiting is only what other people see, but its so much more.

The biggest factor for me and a lot of people is air and temperature. Get the air moving and the temp down. In the summer absolutely blast the a/c. Front seat passengers can wear coats. In the winter open the windows wide. Snacking helps too. I find tiny cheese flavored crackers work best for me.

I completely agree with this. I've gotten severe motion sickness for as long as I can remember, and I vividly remember being sick with it as a toddler. It is torturous and can last for hours even after the car ride is over.


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## One_Girl (Feb 8, 2008)

I get car sick all the time and have since I was a kid and we never even sat in a car seat, though we did do seatbelts. Stopping and walking around frequently, eating salty things, avoiding sweets before and during the drive, fresh air when driving, and sleeping help me to have less miserable trips. I sugget minimizing the amount of travel you do if at all possible so he doesn't have to get sick. I have heard that being able to see what is going on helps, but I have never found that to be true.


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## Lisa1970 (Jan 18, 2009)

I think things will only get worse if you switch to forward facing. I saw on a TLC show that motion sickness has something to do with seeing out the peripheral vision movement while having something to do with inner ear balance and such. ANYWAY, wish I could explain it better, but I would take away things that he can focus on (normally, older kids will get sick when reading, so, he might be looking at something which is making things worse) and also try a very plain (no patterns or pictures) window shade so he cannot look out the window at things.

Good luck!


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## Lisa1970 (Jan 18, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MariesMama* 
What can he see when he is RF? Is he in the middle of the backseat?

I ask because I recently got carsick for the very first time. I've been a car reader all my life, but I live in an area with very little, um, geography. Our roads are straight and level. We went to visit DP's family and I got horribly sick in the car - and then laughed at for trying to read while on their back roads. Looking out the windows while the car is moving has been the key!

You might be able to keep him RFing if you move him outboard or more upright so that he can see out.

Maybe I am wrong about not seeing out. Maybe seeing out better will help, but make sure he is not focusing on something in the car. Reading in the car kills me too. I just read a receipt the other day and ended up horribly sick.


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

I would try ginger, sea bands, seasickness meds, avoiding windy roads, rolling the windows down, snacks, water, distractions, installing the seat at a different angle, a different seat alltogether....

Anything you can BEFORE FF the seat. And even then I'd only FF it for trips down the roads that are an issue, and keep it RF for everything else. With only one kiddo, I might just install a second seat FF and move the child right before going on those roads.

While being sick sucks big time, the alternative is worse.


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## lilith1 (Dec 5, 2008)

Thanks everyone for sharing, these are really great thoughts to ponder on. Before switching I will try Ginger (why I didn't think of that- ), I tried Seabands-he thinks they are for his amusement and don't stay positioned where they would be effective. Windows down- we live in the desert, this may help in the Winter.
He sits pretty upright, can see out. Stomach empty or full doesn't make a difference. Last Week it happened on the freeway- straight road, 4 lanes. Before it always happened on a road that is extremely curvy- hit or miss. If it happens there is no warning, no crying. I don't think he is verbal enough to let me know when he feels bad.
Him snacking back there I'm a little nervous. I'm scared of silent aspiration. The second car seat idea is great if DS2 wouldn't sit there as well.
And thanks big time for pointing out the lasting effects of being car sick. I have no idea.
Well, I will ponder my choices. Thanks again everyone.


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

Just a note- check your Priori's harness straps and make sure that when you pull them tight, they stay tight. I have one that I'm sending back to Dorel- the harness adjustor's locking mechanism isn't keeping the harness locked and it can be pulled out easily. this is a big problem with some of Dorel's seats and I believe it has happened in the past.

ALSO.. we had DD in a Priori when she was about 14mos (outgrew it then) and she did get carsick. We moved her to a Safety 1st complete Air about a year ago and she was much much better- the headwings act as blinders







and it RFs to 40lbs







We also found that putting her in the center worked better for her.

She now rides in a Radian XTSL and it works out well.


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## lilith1 (Dec 5, 2008)

Thanks again. Friday we make a trip to Target to check out the Completed Air to see if it fits in the car. DS1 will go in there RF if it fits , DS2 will be in the Priori out of the bucket seat. Combined with ginger I try that first before moving him FF.


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## WindyCityMom (Aug 17, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lilith1* 
Thanks again. Friday we make a trip to Target to check out the Completed Air to see if it fits in the car. DS1 will go in there RF if it fits , DS2 will be in the Priori out of the bucket seat. Combined with ginger I try that first before moving him FF.

If your vehicle seat slopes alot, you'll need a pool noodle or a rolled towel at the seat bight for rear facing, even for a 30 degree recline.

And pleaseeee check your harness straps on the Priori.


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## DoomaYula (Aug 22, 2006)

I have one that used to get carsick -- somehow we discovered it was raisins (a normal road-trip snack) that were making her sick. She still tends to get a little queasy but she's much better now.


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## Eresh (Jul 17, 2007)

So here's a thread that talks a little bit about car seats and motion sickness. I was asking about Marathons vs. Boulevards, but maybe it will give you some ideas.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=142260

Good luck =\ ... as a former sufferer from motion sickness, I empathize.


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## lilith1 (Dec 5, 2008)

Great thread, Thanks , very interesting. i didn't think of it. Car Seat manufactures should make a scaled version for future buyers (adults) of their product so we could see how it feels to sit in one of those... A friend loaned me her Britax Marathon to see if it fits in the car and how he likes it. Due to sickness we haven't made the change yet. I hope it will fit RF in an 2002 Volvo V40. We see, I don't like the price tag though.







Everything has to be times 2, for 2 kids and 2 cars.


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