My baby hates his baby day out

I know every baby is different but I envy those babies who comfortably sleeping away in their prams and car seats, because my 3 month old baby cannot. He is always tensed if we bring him outside and will start crying after half an hour of pram time.

At home, he is such a sweet kid, with minimum fuss and always put his contagious smile.


We love to go out and would like to bring him and show him the colorful world outside, but we cannot go out more than 2 hours without him being very cranky at the end.


Any parents with the same experience out there? I wonder whether he will be timid all his life - Now, I can't imagine him coping with a holiday outside HK and we are long for a holiday!

Just wait until you have two. Our life seems to be endless 1-2 hour segments. Unless we leave the kids with the helper, we can't really plan things that take longer than 2-3 hours.


Don't worry though, kids' tolerance for change increases with age. Don't expect much of a "life" the first year or so. But don't despair. It gets "better".



"He is always tensed if we bring him outside and will start crying after half and hour of pram time. "


That's a long time for a three month old in a typical pram. Lots of babies can't take that. If you have a completely flat and horizontal cot in the pram (Bugaboo, Phil & Ted, etc...) the baby is fine much longer. Any "reclined seating" position decreases tolerance. I always feel sorry for small babies in carseats all day. They are comfortable but not flat. No matter how good your business class seat, do you prefer your flat bed? Of course you do. Don't subject a baby to that for too long. Either get a "proper" stroller with a flat cot or limit outing time. (Ok rant over.)


When I walk our baby for her nap I typically don't undertake any excursions. Just back and forth endlessly on a tile walkway in our complex. The tile gives a nice soporific rhythm. To avoid boredom I read a book at the same time. We also have a sun cover so she doesn't really see a lot of the outside world.


Many (most?) babies need peace and quiet plus routine. As Cara wisely says, you may be overstimulating him.


You can't really extrapolate future personality from a three month old. He will change a lot!


Holiday. Sure you can go, but at three months it might not be so relaxing. You seem to be in a hurry with things. Babies can't be hurried. They'll drag you down to their pace whether you like it or not. ;) Go with the flow and don't try to fight it or you'll just start resenting baby. Plan around baby rhythm (naps, meals and so forth) and your life will be much easier. Regimented but easier.

2 hours is a very long time in a little 3 month old's life.

evaluate the times when you do take your baby out - are you taking him out during his usual nap time that he normally takes at home? if so, he could be overtired and wants to sleep and doesn't understand why there is so much noise that stops him from resting.

i was pretty clueless in the first few months of my toddler's life - i would take him out at what has become a prime napping time for him now and wonder why he was so unhappy.


i agree with cara with little trips out. i think it's very hard to expect a baby to enjoy an entire day out and about. so for example, if your child usually has a nap say 12-2pm, let him have that in the comfort of his own cot/room (wherever he is used to sleeping) and then take him out after that for a walk or outing.


yes, the world is colourful out there and our kids should enjoy it but just need to find the right time for it!


good luck.

"i think it's very hard to expect a baby to enjoy an entire day out and about."


Heh. Yeah I don't think our kids ever have had an entire day out (or even half) apart from travel days. And those are a special kind of hell. ;)


Sloooooooooow doooooooooown.

Thank you all for the replies.


I take him outside almost everyday to Welcome or just around our apt for 30 to 45 minutes. He always look so upset unless he is lifted up from his pram. His pram is the flat type, so he could lay comfortable in there.


Our house is 20-30 minutes away from Central where we usually go for lunch, so it takes at least 2.5 hours just to go, have lunch and come back - seems to be a torture for him.

I tried taking him during his nap time - Quoting Gina Ford: "If possible, try to organize shopping trips during the sleep times so that the routine is not too disrupted...", but it ends up for him losing his sleeping time. Then I tried to take him after he woke up and had his feeding (usually the happiest time for him), but it ends up the same - cranky baby.


I searched in many baby books that I have and ALL suggest that baby at his age just sleep away anytime anywhere (like yours, Cara). They are supposed to block out the noise and fall asleep. My baby does that at home, though. He can sleep with us cooking noisily in the kitchen or with the vacuum cleaner on. But outside....it's a different story!

hi mita,


now that you have elaborate what you do...he's about 3 months now, should be pretty steady so perhaps you can raise his pram slightly (but not too much or too long a time as bad for posture) so that he's not flat on his back all the time. he's probably complaining he can't see anything!


i am a gina fan and although that's what she says initially, you will realise that later on, she will encourage that you at least put your baby down during his lunchtime nap in the comfort of his own cot. the late afternoon nap (the one between the 4-5pm one) is the one that can be taken outdoors in a pram, etc.


and i don't know about the baby books you have read but you will discover that babies "wake up" after a few weeks and become conscious of the world - they will not sleep away anytime anywhere (or all the time), a 3 month old will be curious to explore the world.

"I searched in many baby books that I have and ALL suggest that baby at his age just sleep away anytime anywhere (like yours, Cara). They are supposed to block out the noise and fall asleep."


I don't think our babies got that memo! ;) They both seem to wake for anything. Our oldest is over it but it took her over a year.



"now that you have elaborate what you do...he's about 3 months now, should be pretty steady so perhaps you can raise his pram slightly (but not too much or too long a time as bad for posture) so that he's not flat on his back all the time. he's probably complaining he can't see anything!"


I agree that he may be curious. Isn't it simpler to just get him out of the pram and hold him if he's awake anyway (if you can at that time)? Or use ye olde Baby Björn.





"she will encourage that you at least put your baby down during his lunchtime nap in the comfort of his own cot. the late afternoon nap (the one between the 4-5pm one) is the one that can be taken outdoors in a pram, etc."


We have always done the exact opposite and it has worked. But hey, whatever works is fine.

Wheelymate, I raised his pram slightly, and you are right...his mood improved!

Axptguy, I tried baby bjorn, but his head is still wobbly - and well, I am hoping that he can get used to his pram - he is getting heavier.

Thanks!

"Axptguy, I tried baby bjorn, but his head is still wobbly - and well, I am hoping that he can get used to his pram - he is getting heavier."


Wobbly is fine as long as you have him in the face inwards mode. Just don't keep him there for too long. 30 minutes upright is a long time when you're under 6 months. So you'll have to take both pram and BB with you. :(


Heavy is a relative concept. You'll get stronger as your baby gets bigger. 11 kilo baby in BB. Now that's something! ;)


If you have the old style/traditional model BB, ensure the "cross" where your straps meet in the back is as low as possible. This decreases strain on your back. The position most people have it just below the neck is asking for back pain.