[MX6]

2455 is the photo of this log. Amazing capture there Parag. Memorable photograph there. Infants don't like the dark. Incidentally, maximum they can clearly see is 25 - 30 cms from their eyes. So most is hazy around them. And darkness adds to the chaos. So holding them at breast level with proper lights on mother's face is the best to console crying infants. They know they are in safe hands. When with the mother, it's better she doesn't use perfume or powders that mask her real scent. (I'm saying this particularly as it's understandable for women going to marriages or long drives in sweltering heat to use the perfume). This confuses the infants as they have a keen sense of odor and can recognise their mothers by the smell. Finally, how comfortable the mother is, that much comfortable the child is!
Good to know about your little one coping very well!
And your kid looks sweet.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by MX6

Infants don't like the dark. Incidentally, maximum they can clearly see is 25 - 30 cms from their eyes. So most is hazy around them. And darkness adds to the chaos. So holding them at breast level with proper lights on mother's face is the best to console crying infants. They know they are in safe hands. When with the mother, it's better she doesn't use perfume or powders that mask her real scent. (I'm saying this particularly as it's understandable for women going to marriages or long drives in sweltering heat to use the perfume). This confuses the infants as they have a keen sense of odor and can recognise their mothers by the smell. Finally, how comfortable the mother is, that much comfortable the child is!
Good to know about your little one coping very well!
And your kid looks sweet.

Thanks for the compliments MS and Its been months together that my wife has stayed away from perfumes for the sake of the kid. Most of the practices at home have also changed to ensure that we maintian the highest level of cleanliness and hygiene.

During the wedding too, she was there for a few minutes and I dropped her back though the weather on Sunday in Pune was real good and pleasant.

In fact, I never ever took the kid in my hands until my hands were washed and cleaned with a sanitizer whenever we stopped for a break (except for once where she was crying continuously and her mom super temsed). I wish my Mommy would've been a great help with some tips but we missed her while we were on the way to Pune and during our return she was indeed a good company for the baby and my wifey as well.

[MX6]

Having older generations helps a lot for first time parents. What is panic scenario for us is regular for the grandma!
This trip above all will instill in your wife super confidence in bringing up the baby. Very happy for that.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by MX6

Having older generations helps a lot for first time parents. What is panic scenario for us is regular for the grandma!

I need to mention a special case of mine where myself along with my sister were born twins and everytime my wifey is tensed or tired making her sleep, my Mom would always state her real life example of bringing us up both and managing the house and telling her that she is lucky that its only one for her !

[StarVegabond]

Hi Parag,

Thanks for sharing the picture of your angel. she is very cute
reminded me of my own daughter when she was infant.

in the first photo she seems to be saying..WoW, now i can see what is happening outside, previously dad had put me in a stupid seat. now it is much more better.

In the second photograph, she is wondering why these elderly people (grand dad) keep taking my photographs, while i am here very much for them to see ?

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Hi Parag,

Thanks for sharing the picture of your angel. she is very cute
reminded me of my own daughter when she was infant.

in the first photo she seems to be saying..WoW, now i can see what is happening outside, previously dad had put me in a stupid seat. now it is much more better.

In the second photograph, she is wondering why these elderly people (grand dad) keep taking my photographs, while i am here very much for them to see ?

Yes, the car seat was stupid as she was extremely comfortable on the way back and relaxed all the 14 hours from Pune to Bangalore without a noise. This is one reason why I dumped it in the boot on the way back.

The Idea to get a car seat was due to the following reasons:

1. It would've been too much of a task for my wife to keep her on the lap for the whole journey.
2. The baby in the rear facing car seat would feel more comfortable (esp while sleeping) and it would almost act like a cradle and at the same time the mother would sleep as well.
3. During the marriage and while taking her out during our lunch and other breaks enroute, the seat was the best place she could be in.

She kept changing her seats between the 2 ladies behind which also made them take rest by parts.

However, if its just my wife and the little one, A car seat would be essential for trips beyond 3 hours one way in the absence of my parents.

Those pics wouldn't have been a part of this thread had I not given the task to her Grandpa (and may be no travelogue at all without the pics then!!)

Also, I totally forgot to mention that somewhere between Kolhapur and Satara her mom placed her flat on the rear seat and she was playing peacefully. All thanks to the recent removal of the art leather seat covers (after using them for 4 years) since I was sure that they willbe uncomfortable & sticky for the baby and the mother. The decision worked perfectly well. The stock fabric covers did a great job.

[MX6]

The car seat has it's advantage and it's not stupid. Just read about Nathan's accident. More than the convenience and comfort you've stated (the 3 points) car seat is designed to protect your child in case you have an accident. That is the sole purpose as well.
People might become cocky thinking that they might not have an accident. In worst case, if the child enjoys the freedom of sitting on someone's lap or hanging on to the back of the front seats, when you go abroad, one will have hell trying to acclimatise the child to close confines of a car seat, which is a regulatory stuff there.
So Parag, never under-estimate or think taking the car seat was stupid. You never know when things can turn worse.
I'm really happy that you bought a Car seat and used it atleast one way.
Now my baby is fast approaching 13 kilos, I will be upgrading to the next level. Though my mother keeps telling me sometimes that why not let her free, I reply that, when I go abroad, that option doesn't come up and I don't want her to acclimatize to wrong things!

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by MX6

The car seat has it's advantage and it's not stupid. Just read about Nathan's accident. Car seat is designed to protect your child in case you have an accident. That is the sole purpose as well.
People might become cocky thinking that they might not have an accident. In worst case, if the child enjoys the freedom of sitting on someone's lap or hanging on to the back of the front seats, when you go abroad, one will have hell trying to acclimatise the child to close confines of a car seat, which is a regulatory stuff there.
So Parag, never under-estimate or think taking the car seat was stupid. You never know when things can turn worse.
I'm really happy that you bought a Car seat and used it atleast one way.
Now my baby is fast approaching 13 kilos, I will be upgrading to the next level. Though my mother keeps telling me sometimes that why not let her free, I reply that, when I go abroad, that option doesn't come up and I don't want her to acclimatize to wrong things!

MS, the way I meant it to be stupid was the way my little one would be thinking about it. The context was meant to be punny from a child's view who'd be bored enough to see nothing but the same ceiling.

Before buying it, I had researched on so many forums including T-bhp and also watched videos on Youtube and how safe these seats really are and the installation part et al.

Finally I purchased the one which was safe and had features like proper belts for the child, provision to fit them with the car seat belt and also impact absorbtion from the sides. I completely read the owner's manual even before I put my child in it. I explicitly didn't mention its safetly features for the reason that it would be understood. Those 3 points come after these safety features of course.

Hence, I would definitely not underestimate a car seat for the purpose it is designed. I will religiously use it till I'm supposed to and like you, shall upgrade the same when required.

In my case, I frequently kept asking Mum and wifey If I can fix the seat at the back. Trust me, those jolts and bumpy roads were more safer when the child was inside the seat facing the rear.

The rear seat belt needs to a bit longer so that it can be fixed 100% accurately and for the same I will be evaluating buying a longer seat belt (of a bigger car/SUV) to manage this.

[StarVegabond]

MX6,

I think it my mistake, i should not have brought that word "stupid" in the sentence. I should have written "my dad had put me in a seat where i can not seen anything outside" instead.

more over i had written those sentences on what could be a child's thining

But we adults / parents have larger responsibility of keeping the children safe, under all possible conditions and remove any potential dangers.

hence car seat is extreemly important while driving with the infants
no doubt about.

[ExtremeTorque]

Originally Posted by MX6

That was later found to be due to darkness in the car.

MX, thanks for the tip. Planning for our little one by mid next year!

[prince_pervez]

Hey Parag,
This thread was overdue nahi ? All those posts in the Mumbai Bangalore Road trip deserve a seperate thread.
And you got a kiddo and where is the thread for that ?
Anyway, she is cute. One more thing I read from your OP, she started crying as soon as lunch was served at Sakam. I heard and have experienced that babies know when their mothers are going to eat. Thats what I heard and observed.

Great pictures there. Make me do that round trip all the more faster. Here all the roads are like NH4 (Belgaum - Kol) lol, but driving in India has its own charm, nai ?

Good ya, many can take tips from your experience on how to manage kids on long drives.

Take car man. Great thread! Rated it!

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

Hey Parag,
This thread was overdue nahi ? All those posts in the Mumbai Bangalore Road trip deserve a seperate thread.
And you got a kiddo and where is the thread for that ?

Hi Prince,

All those Blr-Pune runs followed by the updates on the Mumbai-Blr roadtrip thread was a religious practice for me at least but this one surely deserved a separate thread since It was my little one's first roadtrip and that too for a one way distance of 850kms and I always intended to share the experience.

Anyway, she is cute. One more thing I read from your OP, she started crying as soon as lunch was served at Sakam. I heard and have experienced that babies know when their mothers are going to eat. Thats what I heard and observed.

You are right on the timings when the smart babies cry. It has been usual that even my mom tells that they always wake up when their mom is taking the bite. I know it is only a co-incidence but it is indeed a miracle experiencing all this.

Great pictures there. Make me do that round trip all the more faster. Here all the roads are like NH4 (Belgaum - Kol) lol, but driving in India has its own charm, nai ?

For the trip which I always used to do in 12-13 hours took (will take) 14-16 hours and the reasons are obvious. It surely had made me more patient and forget looking at the clock and check how late I was (though I still couldnt resist calculating the time - aaadat se majboor )

It is a different experience that requires different skills to drive safe and smarter on our highways as the Pune-Blr stretch alone is a great example on how differently driving style changes between different regions. For anyone of we driving enthusiasts, it is indeed a great learning and above all, an experience of its kind. Also, my experimenting with complete night runs between Pune and Bangalore also made me know many positives (and lesser negatives) on doing this stretch with my Dad. As a family, a day drive is always better and safer but night driving has its own charm!

I am now all prepared to take her to Rajkot sometime this year with a halt in Pune of course. The Mumbai - Ahmedabad stretch is another highway that I need to explore and experience.

Thanks indeed for reading it through and rating as well!!

[arindamray]

Parag: Indeed a good read for me as I am planning for road trip with my baby some time soon.

The only problem is she does not like tha car seat and cries inconsolably in the seat. Anybody faced the similar situation and have remedy for the same?

For that matter, she likes to be in lap. She hates cradles, pram, anything which distances her from other human.

She is 7 months now.

[MX6]

Once babies get used to being "lapped" they hate any other surface. You will have to first start sensitizing her to the car seat (with small distances first). She'll cry. But one needs to distract her with enough stories, toys, music, gestures etc. Putting her in the car seat shouldn't make her feel that she's no more the cynosure of all eyes. When realisation slowly dawns on her that it's her own seat, she'll adapt slowly.
It's not a legal issue to be seated in the lap as long as you are in India. It's more of a safety issue in the unfortunate case of an accident alone. However, if the baby doesn't get in to the car seat now, it will not till it understands and follows things, and reason, which can vary from 2 - 4 years. And till then it will be a pain on foriegn travels, where it's mandatory!
Try placing her in car seat at home in front of her favourite cartoon programmes. Try hanging her favourite toys on the car seat and see whether she tries reaching for them. Above all, try to give her the assurance that the seat is just her special place. Once she settles, try extending her time in the seat gradually, then take her outdoors.

[prince_pervez]

^^ Damn that comes from experience nai ? My kid also wails once put on the bed or foreign place of rest instead of a human. It needs practice to be alone. Wifey is travelling to Kolhapur with the kid this month. Lets see how he behaves in the car seat. Of course she will be at the back seat with the kid and a driver will be driving the car.