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Original poster

Who is Gina Ford and why haven't I heard of her?

148 replies

LemonJellyKelly · 23/08/2022 22:40

That's pretty much it really.

I had my first child in 1997.
My second in 2009.

She must have slipped off my radar during those times.

OP posts:
pastabest · 23/08/2022 23:02

There's sirens going off in MNHQ right now.

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 23/08/2022 23:06

We don’t talk about Gina no no no no

MatildaJayne · 23/08/2022 23:06

OMG, SWMNBN! You named her!

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 23/08/2022 23:08

It was the tone that I think most of us objected to. That if we didn't follow her rules, we had failed in some way - and then you'd get smug mums saying 'I followed Gina Ford & never had a problem.'

My DC were absolute chalk & cheese when it came to routines. They both slept well, ate well, were fed on demand, but what worked for one didn't work for the other. Both teenagers now, and still operate at opposite ends of eating, sleeping & emotional behaviour - because they're individuals, not robots.

It did her no favours to threaten to sue MN - which in those days was one of the few places that new mums could come to ask for advice & support.

wheresmymojo · 23/08/2022 23:08

She's the Mumsnet Voldermort

sorrysaythatagain · 23/08/2022 23:08

@Allmyarseandpeggymartin 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 love it

Goldmember · 23/08/2022 23:10

I had my babies whilst GF vs MN was rife. I never read the book but got the jist. I liked the Tracy Baby Whisperer routine although I modified it, it worked for my both of mine.

Yankydoodledandy · 23/08/2022 23:10

Here]]

Skinnermarink · 23/08/2022 23:11

Ha!! Funnily enough I looked at her book today, because the baby I’m a nanny for was on Gina Ford. There’s a lot about ‘creaming’ your baby and rubbing oil in its folds, that has to happen twice a day. And of your baby struggles to sleep well at a lunchtime nap, she suggests cutting the morning one down to… five minutes.

WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND would go and wake a sleeping baby after FIVE MINUTES?!

interestingly, she had no children of her own when she wrote this piece of crap book.

Rosewaterblossom · 23/08/2022 23:12

It was the controversy around her that made me discover MN back in the 00s. I also followed her potty training advice which meant my dc were trained in 3 days (they were 2).

kimchifox · 23/08/2022 23:12

😱

Dahlia444 · 23/08/2022 23:13

100% agree with WatchtheSunrise. I GF all my babies including twins 2005-2010 and with tweaking and using my common sense it worked really well for me.

mondaytosunday · 23/08/2022 23:14

Yes I had my kids early 2000s and she was huge then. I read her books and took quite a lot of advice from them. I did have my kids on an evening routine from day one, but was much looser during the day, though it was from her I learned that you can wake a baby from a nap if going too long.
I had my kids in bed and asleep well before 8 and had the evening with my husband which was essential for both of us. A lot of her stuff is common sense, some too prescriptive, which I ignored.

Katypp · 23/08/2022 23:14

I agree with the op who said modern methods make things way more complicated than they need to be. There is a weird badge of honour to have a non-sleeping baby and being a martyr in pajamas until teatime.
I don't understand why anyone would not want a baby that slept and fed in a predictable way to enable you to get on with life, but as evidenced by some of the nonsense in here day-in, day-out, getting on with your life is the very last thing some want, or so it seems

Thornethorn · 23/08/2022 23:15

Our babies were genuinely more content on Gina Ford.

When she says have two slices of toast and tea she's not trying to control you. The point is to remind you that it's crucial to sit down and consume food and drink. You can obviously adapt what you like

The only thing no one can work out is how she has babies that nap so little in the early days. The rationing naps as the day goes on/getting up early to make sure last feed isn't the middle of the following night is all great and worked for us. But babies nap more than she thinks and I wonder about that.

thatisnotyours · 23/08/2022 23:15

EllenWaiteourkid · 23/08/2022 22:50

I have reported this thread, nobody can be that disingenuous.

Narc! 🤣

Redvelvet73 · 23/08/2022 23:15

Don't worry OP I've never heard of her either. My kids are 18 and 11.

Skinnermarink · 23/08/2022 23:16

Gina Ford didn’t invent babies in a routine though. Mine is in a routine (as in I know when he’s likely to want to eat and want a nap and he goes to bed at 7) but that has fuck all to do with Gina.

TheMooch · 23/08/2022 23:16

She wrote books telling you to eat toast between feeding your baby and them sleeping. Great if your baby understood military precision.
Scared the hell out of me.
Apparently went silent after she had a child herself.

Janedoe82 · 23/08/2022 23:17

I was aware of her when I had my first in 2008 and thought it all sounded like an unworkable pile of crap! Why would you wake a sleeping baby. Why would you not feed a hungry baby!!
My friend tried it and all the controlled crying nonsense and ended up a nervous wreck.

DrNo007 · 23/08/2022 23:18

My friend GF’d her baby and was the only new mum I’ve ever met who was never knackered. Her son turned out lovely too. He also was seldom seen overtired.

Skinnermarink · 23/08/2022 23:21

Oh and never, ever nap in the buggy. Or give a bottle whilst out. Do you know how restrictive that is to have to plan your day around cot naps and home bottles only 🤣

I hate it!! I’m asking if they follow Gina before taking on my next job.

KingscoteStaff · 23/08/2022 23:24

Two Gina babies here who loved the routines and slept 7 to 7 from 10ish weeks. As a new mum who knew nothing, I just followed what she said.

basilmint · 23/08/2022 23:25

Had DC1 in 2010 and her books were still pretty mainstream then. You probably didn't feel the need for parenting manuals with your second child.

MichaelAndEagle · 23/08/2022 23:25

I've heard of Gina, she was still a big deal in 2007 when DS was born. I knew she was controversial but what was her beef with MN?? I didn't come over to MN from netmums until much later.