The kid will not bend?

arly1983

New member
DS2 has a temper. :whistle:

When he doesn't want to get in the (RFing) carseat he goes stiff as a board. No amount of special toys, singing, gerber puffs, pacifier will get him to stop.

I can get him to bend some at the waist BUT he braces his legs against the back of the seat and his back against the carseat and then I can't get his tush in seat of the seat so I can't tighten the harness as tight as it should go. He can hold this position for a scary long amount of time. I tried just waiting him out and then hoping it would go away. This is month two since he discovered this trick.

I have figured out that I can get in the van and wait a min and sometimes he relaxes and I can run around and tighten the harness really quick. :whistle:

I have the seat back reclined (as much as I am cormfortable with) to give him as much room as possible

I am stumped.
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Yup, that's what we'd have to do with Piper. It's really common, nearly every child does it. Thank goodness he's rear facing, otherwise he'd slide down into the foot well and then you'd have a world of trouble getting him back up.

We'd tickle Piper, and when she bent one of us would simply strong arm her so that she couldn't straighten again, then get the harness around her and do up a buckle. Normally I do up the chest clip first (personal preference), but when I've got an arching baby I get the crotch buckle done up first.

Laine's even started arching her back already. Sigh. Luckily I'm much stronger than she is, so it's not an issue yet.

Wendy
 

shorty393

New member
Well I see the tickling suggestion was already made. I feel your pain, my ds was the same way for a while and MAN is that kid strong!!! It's pretty sad when you can't force a 6 month old down. Good luck, I hope the tickling works.
 

swtgi1982

New member
DS2 does this when I got to get him out of his bucket seat. And if I forget and not put the handle all the way behind the seat he bumps his head sometimes on it. DS1 also will do exactly like OP child! it is irritaiing with two who do it! DD will occasionally do it too! GRRRRRR!:mad:
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
aside from the tickling (which always worked with my dd really well), there is also blowing on his tummy, threatening (and then doing this) to EAT his tummy (often, the threat alone is enough to make them giggle their little guts out)

And... if he's too mad to care about funny... there is the pre-emptive strike...

the key to this, of course, is having him either in your arms or a stroller or something where he's already got his legs in position.

scoop kiddo up cradle-hold style.. arm under knees, arm under shoulders..... (good to have van door open before doing this... if the kiddo isn't in a sling or stroller (like if you're just leaving the house), you can prep by having kiddo flung over your shoulder... I also like to tell them they are a big sack of potatoes... yep... magic.... I turned them into a sack of potatoes)

use the arm under the legs to keep him bent... grab his hips with the hand that WAS under his head (I swear, you can do this lightning fast when you get the hang of it) and pin them down... use your other hand to pull the buckle up and slide it under the index finger (I use the middle and thumb to pin the hips down) to hold in place

then (also helpful if straps were loosened to remove the kiddo) either buckle that part, or work the arms into the straps... whichever is easier... I used to do... buckle, arm, arm, buckle, tighten, chest clip, tighten

And I agree with Wendy... it stunk the first time she was like this and I had to put her in ff... she dropped to the floor.
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
I do the bend the kid in half trick too, only my magic turns kids into tacos, not potatoes. I've also been know to suddenly recline the vehicle seat all the way and "drop" the stiff kid into the seat. (put it back up after he's buckled)
 

momtoirs

Member
A tip that I learned from working with kids/adults with severe physical disabilities . . . if you can tip the head forward (chin towards chest), the rest of the body will follow into flexion, or bending. It doesn't always work, but its been helpful to me over the years getting kids to sit.

Tina
 

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