To consider gina?

[Pickles77]

Okay AIBU to consider buying a gina ford book? I have the mumsnet baby book which is great... But got the impression most mumsnetters don't approve of gina ford? I'm not sure I will, I'm just intrigued by the fuss? And want to be the best mum
I can be...

"Is it ok if you're breastfeeding? Can you feed on demand and still follow?"

yes, for newborns she says not to let them go more than x amt of hours without a feed but if they demand it sooner then give it, She's actually about making sure you feed regularly, a common misconception is that she is about WITHOLDING feeds which is completely the opposite!

It's rubbish for breastfeeding, dangerous in fact as breastfeeding babies need to feed loads to begin with and that does not fit easily into her "routines". Trying to force a baby into a routine as she suggests will affect milk supply and not take into account the differences between BF and FF.

IMO.

IME, routines don't seem to be compatible with breastfeeding, at least not until the baby is a little older. The baby needs to be demand fed in order to build up supply, which kind of goes against the routines in a major way. She does advise expressing from day 1 and topping up to combat this, but some women struggle with expressing.

Just something to bear in mind.

It helped me, first time round as I had no clue

And there's a lot of sexist-lookist-ageist ire about her I don't think quite fair

Cross posts, sorry!

Don't think you need Gina Ford to be a good mum. Why don't you just go on what is right for your baby?

Mine was FF

Thanks for everyone's opinions was amazed at the responses! I think I'm defo going to try the library for that and the baby whisperer tomo! The
Mumsnet books are good though aren't they I'm 26 weeks and find it quite reassuring? I'm not plugging it honestly

convert I was like you, not 20 but no prior experience of babies whatsoever! (IMO people who believe in instinct either have babies in their families or younger siblings or peers with babies first) so it was great!

I wouldn't have felt a failure if GF hadn't worked as I read a variety of baby books when pregnant so that I could decide which to use when I met my baby, I didn't "fail" at the ones I didn't use. Its easier to read it in advance and NOT use it then not read it in advance, then decide you need it and then try to read it with an unsettled newborn! I couldn't read my own name for the first few weeks of motherhood!

I love to know if anyone who followed it and got on with it was breastfeeding.

Do you think a klaxon goes off in MNHQ as soon as ole Gina gets a thread started about her?

wheresthepopcorn

Some people don't have instincts about their babies, don't know what is best, need a book to help them make sense of what might be going on.
Taken with a pinch of salt, of course

Just because I can't really imagine it

It frustrates me when people say that Gina Ford says you should have contact with your baby etc, the book isn't there to tell you when to cuddle your baby and how to love them, you are supposed to do those bits by yourself. I think if it was written in a much fluffier way people wouldn't have so much of an issue.

Sunshine - one of my best friends had a very prem baby, and breast fed. She used it successfully

Monkey I agree if I'd started Gina 1 of my three wouldn't have ended up in hospital and one dangerously near. Not all babies are good at asking for food,feeding or putting on weight. Regular feeds/routines really help in these situations.

akaemmafrost you obv read a different book to me, GF makes sure you keep up your supply by feeding on demand if your baby is demanding enough, but if not, encouraging it to feed MORE (so your supply is kept up) - was ideal for my sleepy jaundice baby who if left up to him would hardly have fed at all!
She does NOT tell you not to feed a newborn at any time if demanded, she tells you to make sure you DO feed regularly

OP- Please don't listen to the Baby Whisperer on breastfeeding (if you are planning to). She is dangerously wrong on many points and her ideas about elastoplasts on your breasts is just crazy IMO (you can't defame the dead, right?).

monkeymoma exactly! I looked at loads of books but there was too much, follow your own instinct crap that doesn't help if you don't have an instinct to begin with!

No, I read the same book monkey and that's my opinion .

Exactly Convert.Gina was the best most thumbed book I bought.

It's interesting to hear from people who have a positive view of her. I've not come across this before

convert there's no need, BW is GF with fluffy frills

"Why don't you just go on what is right for your baby?"
I did. I read GF in advance but hoped it'ld all click into place without having to use it and I'ld instinctively know what I was doing - didn't work out that way so I tried the stuff I'ld read and that worked best

I'm pregnant again and plan to re-read it. I have NO idea if I'll use it or not, I haven't met baby no2 yet, but I know that if it does turn out so as we need it i prob wont be up to reading it at that point so I'll read it in advance

It's also interesting to hear the negatives too

I mixed bf, expressing and formula when I did GF. DS was a nightmare to bf long before we had a routine .

I remember being quite excited doing GF, it was like having a little project .