In having no idea who Gina Ford is?

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Who is Gina Ford and what sort of things she advises parents to do?

I'm only aware of the woman because I read about her having a strop with Nick Clegg. Will someone tell me who she is?

Yes, that sounds like a genuine post, mazstar!

MazStar, I also had a Contented Little Baby. But I think the book worked (WONDERFULLY) for us because DS, his father and even me, thrive in routines.

However I have also seen the damage that book can do to families not so suitable to those methods. My best friend loathes the book and says she is convinced that book landed her in deep depression. That book kept my sanity while dealing with a sickly baby with no support whatsoever apart of that of my then husband. I know both my friend and I are right.

All my respect for GF died on the days I saw her around here, she was such a fundamentalist bully I thought it was a troll pretending to be her. I was in those threads were she acted like a mad woman because people disagreed with her.

It was not until she threatened MN that I realised that the dear unpleasant troll was no one but herself.

When she had the problem with MN, Mumsnet was still a relatively small web site relying on good will donations from its members, and there was a real danger for it to shut. Thankfully it didn't. Actually, someway I think GF contributed like no one else to the success of Mumsnet. We were all so horrified at the thought of MN closing that one way or another we were in the national news before the end of the day, and soooo many people (between them plenty of ad paying people) realised the potential Mumsnet had, therefore bringing a lot of new users and a lot of advertisements that helped Mumsnet to survive and prosper to what it is today.

... Or at least that was my take on all that

Why would it be unreasonable not to know who GF is? You either do, or you don't. I have no idea who most film stars are, but I don't think that it would be worthy of discussion.

Welcome to MN MazStar, never before have I heard such sincerity in somebody's opening post.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm very busy campaigning for a [sarcastic] emoticon.

Groundhogs, some of us do in fact embrace free fall chaos! I could not use Gina Frauds routine if my life depended on it.

"She saved my life, my child AND my marriage "

I am doing doing to post my first

"Knowledge is power. More power to Gina Ford!" Mazstar are you American?

MazStar, if you are really what you claim to be- just an ordinary mum who happened to have a good experience of GF's method, how did you managed to acquire your interesting prose style?

Sold out at all the book stores may well be true. But ime you will always find a number of copies in the local charity shop.

I came to the site after seeing it mentioned in the news with Gina Ford (I was a different name then) I had no idea she actually posted on the site though! Do those threads still exist or were they all pulled?

A friend and I were having a look at the book in Waterstones the other day and we noticed that there wasn't nearly enough allowances for:

Coffee, dicking around on laptop while feeding baby, snuggling with baby for afternoon nap, the initial routine says baby has to be in bed in darkened room at 8:30am - so no school run then?, tossing baby at returning DH and buggering off for the evening etc

We think there should be a "Half Arsed Parenting Guide" where you make it up as you go along.

I never read the GF Contented little baby book but i did find the weaning one helpful with my dd (first baby, never been around children ever and not a clue what to do.) I didn't follow the book completly but i did get a good idea about weaning.

I also found the potty training one helpful too. Again i didn't follow the routine exactly but found her advice very helpful and had dd clean and dry within a couple weeks

You know, every time I see that photo I can't help but think of Matt Lucas

Personally, I would never use her method, as it seems very extreme. Is her method the one where she suggests you put the baby outside for a few hours a day in their pram?

I used to do that 5inthebed, park DS under a tree in the dappled sunlight and he would have a lovely snooze and then wake up and watch the leaves.

I would split my time between reading on a chair next to him, hanging up washing, gardening or playing with the dog.

Gina Fords book is fantastic i was absolutly clueless like most first time mums and the first few days with dd were horrid, kept wondering why we'd had a baby thats until we put her in GF routine, after that i loved being a parent and found it easy.

DD slept through the night from 6 1/2 weeks, no probs with weaning, potty training ect, and numerous comments on how happy dd is.

Ds was born 11 weeks ago and is following same pattern, already sleeping through night and very happy/smiley.

I will buy GF's book for all my preg friends

I am ready for the ear bashing i will get for being a gf fan

Not suggesting it is wrong. I can just remember watching that programme where different methods were used. One of them involved putting the baby outside every day, couldn't remember if it was part of her method.

Although the parents on the programme were made to close the door and do other things inside.

I'm not sure how many people slagging off GF have actually read her book?

If people are worried about Gina Ford but are still interested in routining then I would reccommend Tracey Hoggs books:

www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Baby-Whisperer-Connect-Communicate/dp/0091857023/ref=sr_1_ 1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265547282&sr=1-1

sorted me out

No 5inthebed, that was Truby King/Clare Verity. Gina Ford actually spoke out against it - it's much stricter than her books.

I do think it is good for babies/young children to get fresh air and I would happily put DS out in the garden in his pram as a baby but I wouldn't leave him out there crying, only if he was happy/asleep and usually I'd be out with him anyway. He used to like watching me put the washing out! Now I do still try and get outside with him every day but more because he is a toddler and needs to be exercised

I read GF's book (first baby, no friends with babies, no family around) and thought it all sounded very sensible. I like the idea of a routine and being able to plan.

Then I had DD. She (as others have mentioned) hadn't read the book, had no idea what was going on and was miserable. I was getting increasingly frantic at what a rubbish mother I was, when after about 6 weeks, a lightbulb went on in my head, and I thought "bother it" and dumped the book.

I proceeded to ignore what the book said and went ahead and fed her whenever she was hungry, put her down for a sleep when she was tired (rather than trying to force her to sleep when the book said to do so) and we were both MUCH happier. I now DO have a "contented little baby".

Apart from that, what I've now read of the general attitude and humourlessness of the lady put me right off. I can't bear bullies.

I don't think this thread will be around much longer. SWMNBN will be alerted by her special radar that we are all talking about her and this thread will disappear in a poof of smoke.

Now, where is MP and her rocket?

Oh and I've reported the thread before MN get threatened with legal action.

at poof of smoke. It will run away in a Kenneth Williams style, shouting "coo-eee"

gf routine is good IF taken with a pinch of salt and not followd to the letter

if you follow it to the letter you get children who wont sleep unless in a pitch black room

she was in my friends job as mn about 10years ago for twins, once she left my friend had trouble with twins as so rigid routine

again fine if you have one baby, but once you are are on no 2 and 3, impossible to do Gf as you are out and about at school/nursery/playgroups etc

suwoo

A lot of her advice is good in theory, but not in practice - which I put down to her not being a Mum.

Blackout blinds - of course they will make a baby sleep better! But what about when baby is not in its own house, i.e. at grandparents or on holiday?

Don't make eye contact at night feeds - make sense, as you don't want to stimulate baby. But what Mum can resist meeting those little eyes during a feed when it's your own?

All white clothes and linen - makes sense, as easier to wash hot, and dyes won't run. But it's lovely to have coloured bits and pieces, and you'll get loads as gifts.

I could go on. We ended up falling into a routine, so I don't have a problem with them at all. Just with GF herself (I read her while pg - it all make perfect sense until my own came along, and no, I didn't have any experience with babies myself, previously, or any grandparents in the country for support).

Ziggurat "Don't make eye contact at night feeds - make sense, as you don't want to stimulate baby. But what Mum can resist meeting those little eyes during a feed when it's your own?"

I am looking forward to these again, those warm milky sleepy quiet times, how could you not look into their eyes? DS used to BF while staring at me at night and I could see him slipping back into sleep, all droopy and warm and safe.

Gah have gone all mushy now.