To ask if anyone used Gina Ford method

[newmum1611]

Posting here for traffic
Did anyone use this routine? Did it work? I have a few things I’m not finding clear answers to with it..

[adiposegirl2]

This is interesting,
I read this post never heard of the GF method so had a quick Google... Turns out I pretty much did this naturally with my lot. Worked out well for my family

[StripyDeckchair]

The point about breastfeeding and supply is a really important one. If you want to breastfeed then responsive feeding (what used to be called feeding on demand) is really important in the early days. The baby feeding builds up and regulates your supply. Plus he will likely cluster feed when he's going through a growth spurt in the early days.
If you follow too strict a routine it can mean ending breastfeeding earlier than you want to in some cases as it can affect supply.

A 10 day old waking up every hour is totally normal. Rest when you can, forget the housework and anything else. If you want just lie in bed, feed and watch box sets (hopefully you have someone to bring you food and drink?). If you feel better getting out then go for a walk but don't push yourself too hard. It won't be like this forever but you just can't force a baby to go longer between feeds when they're so tiny.

[DoingMyBest2010]

I bought the book before my DD was born, even took my highlighter to it and made notes "room has to be pitchblack, no sound, no light, no nothing" etc..... DD was born, wasn't having any of it (and I got fed up sleeping in a cave, chucked the book away and did it my own way. The thing that did help me from her book was to recognise the different cries. The cough like one, the wailing one, the hiccupy one (can't remember how she described it). The controlled crying didn't work for us, we had a reflux baby with KISS syndrome. I do know of other people for whom it worked wonders though.

[minipie]

It doesn’t work if your baby has any sort of feeding issue, tummy issues or other health issues (eg colds from older siblings). And can be positively harmful in those cases.

If your baby is feeding well and has no health issues it will probably work; but then those babies will tend to sleep well anyway.

[Thirtyrock39]

It was v popular when I had my oldest in 2006...it's to much in the newborn phase but I found her nap and sleep times helpful as a guide- I don't think it's useful for breastfeeding as not inline with responsive feeding but as a breastfeeding mum I still used the sleep times all through the first year with mine as babies -a good example of this is my middle one was generally quite chilled but always hard work at tea time - gf recommends when they're very young a short nap about 5 I think and this was a lifesaver/ meant I could make tea, spend a bit of time with my oldest and meant the baby was much happier for rest of the evening and not overtired at bedtime
I preferred the baby whisperer for general routines and advice overall

[StripyDeckchair]

@minipie - I'm curious about the idea that a baby with no health or feeding issues will 'tend to sleep well anyway'. I've always thought that it was about who the baby is as much as anything - some are sleepers, some are really not. Obviously issues with feeding,etc, don't help but my DS is living proof that there are healthy, well-fed babies who don't sleep well! I know others do have babies who sleep though.

Crucially for the OP I would think that a 10 day old baby who slept well was the exception rather than the norm.

[bellinisurge]

Saved me when I was very ill as a new mum and didn't have my serious chronic condition (MS) diagnosed until dd was 3.
Poor care by hospital and resulting serious infection triggered an MS relapse.
Without a routine to follow, I would have had no chance. I tweaked it to suit us. I trusted it when no hcp offered me any help.
If I'd had help and support from hcps, I wouldn't have needed to rely on it so much.
Luckily, it suited us.

[Lindtnotlint]

Did it (gently) with all three and it worked a treat. She really really does not advocate 4 hourly feeding for tiny babies or letting babies cry a lot! And certainly I didn’t do those things. (Though the bits about eating toast are delightfully bonkers). We were always a bit “behind” her official timings in terms of age but didn’t let it bother us.

[SadieContrary]

I used it but not to the absolute letter. As another PP has said, I treated it like a guide

[MrsMWA]

I did it and it worked for us. DC and I were both badly injured from birth trauma so we stayed in the house, I EBF and followed GF to the letter. Depends on your circumstances and your baby. Having a strict routine saved my sanity and I had no help so I just got on with it without interference from anyone else. I also found elements of the baby whisperer worked well for us.

[StepAwayFromGoogle]

GF doesn't support CC for the first six months and after that only as a last resort. It seems to be a common misconception that she does though.

[QuilliamCakespeare]

Nope. It's batshit crazy.

[bellinisurge]

What was batshit crazy was me having to rely on a book rather than decent post natal health care. Because if I had relied on post natal health care I was offered I would have been batshit crazy. Only after my GP intervened did I start the long road to repair surgery and a diagnosis of MS.

[PaulHollywoodsSexGut]

[stands up]
[applauds @bellinisurge for absolutely bang on words]

[bellinisurge]

Thank you @PaulHollywoodsSexGut .

[ilovewelshrarebit123]

No but I followed the Baby Whisperer book by Tracey Hogg.

Worth a read and I found it very useful and my daughter was a dream (but that could have just been how she was anyway)!

[FilthyforFirth]

No, because I like my child. I was horrified when a member of my NCT described putting water on her 6 week old baby's face to wake him up if he was asleep past 4 or whenever the deadline is.

That about sums up for me how horrendous it is. I will say from 4 months I had a good-ish sleeper but I cant fathom doing something that uncaring to my own baby if I had a bad sleeper.

[MrsChollySawcutt]

Nowhere does the book say to put water on a baby's face to wake it up. That's just a batshit NCT friend.

[shaggedthruahedgebackwards]

I was just thinking same MrsCholly

There is some stuff in the book (like the need for absolute darkness during naps & not making eye contact) which are OTT and can easily be ignored while still following the routines for sleep/feeding

I've never understand why those who didn't find it helpful were so vehement in their opinions. Plenty of us did find it useful without doing batshit crazy things!

[Confusedbeetle]

As an ex-health professional who has done a lot of work with sleep issues I would say please do not use this method for many many reasons. Talk to your health visitor and ask if she has experience os sleep issues. You do not say how old your child is. Nice routines are useful ( nice, not regimental) from three or four months, and important for toddlers. Some babies are very easy to settle, others not. Find a person to help you, not a book. Your child is an individual sentient being, not a machine to be programmed

[PaulHollywoodsSexGut]

Piffle @mrschollysawcutt

Absolute piffle

[MrsTumbletap]

I did, I wouldn't have coped without her routines.

Used her book for potty training too and that worked a treat as well.

[malloo]

I don't get why people get so worked up about GF, if you don't like it, don't do it! It saved my sanity after weeks of DS sleeping no more than an hour at a time, feeding constantly and being miserable which was the result of the 'going with the flow' approach! Within a day or two of trying GF it was like he breathed a huge sigh of relief! Started sleeping longer, feeding better and generally being a happy wee baby! And no, i didnt do CC, didnt need to because he just started going to sleep, it was like magic! You don't need to follow it to the letter, it's just a book! It just gives you a guide. Also I think babies are all different, some like that approach, others don't. I didn't really do it with DD as she seemed quite happy to go with the flow anyway, although we did tend to follow the naps generally, i liked having time in the middle of the day. Used baby whisperer book as well, that was helpful.

[bellinisurge]

I know the book pretty well - it does NOT say put water on the baby's face to wake it up. That's just bollocks.

[3WildOnes]

I used it with mine from day 1. I used it loosely and only as a guide for naps and bedtime. I fed on demand. For me it was fantastic. Mine were always much happier when they got enough sleep. If I just went with the flow, they would have stayed awake for hours and been overtired and grumpy.