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Original poster

Anyone using the Gina Ford method?

104 replies

MarchelineWhatNot · 01/10/2012 04:59

Hi, I have just had a baby and am trying the Gina Ford method to get some routine into our lives. I work (freelance) so it would help for me to know when the baby is due a feed or a nap so I can schedule clients. My other kids were fed on demand so this is all new for me.

Is anybody else using this method? If so, how are you getting on?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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DoodleAlley · 01/10/2012 14:29

By the way they tend to discover the world between four and six weeks and start sleeping less so enjoy the calm
Right now!

areyoutheregoditsmemargaret · 01/10/2012 14:33

I feel really sorry for you, that's very tough.

I would warn though that thinking GF could solve all your problems could be very stressful indeed. If your dc doesn't conform, you will be freaking out with the added stress of worrying about what's "wrong" with your baby. You could roughy follow the guidelines but remember your baby hasn't read the book and please dont' beat yourself up if things don't go to plan. Good luck.

DoodleAlley · 01/10/2012 14:38

I'd agree with the previous poster though it took work to establish the routine which was a bit of shock having seen a friends baby just do it without effort and the book gives no hit of it taking effort.

Maybe try it in a week or two and see how it goes? Pm me if you have any questions it's very much in my
Mind atm as I'm pregnant again

OneLittleToddlingTerror · 01/10/2012 14:42

It didn't work for me either. I was worried why my little one just slept all day. I couldn't even wake her up from sleep with a nappy change. We have hardly any pictures of her awake from before 3mo! I didn't do anything and she slept through from 11 weeks or so. EBF on demand too. Sorry to all those saying you need Gina Ford to get a baby sleep through. Some babies just naturally sleep through from an early age, GF or not. You can't tell unless you run an experiement with two identical babies, same mother and see if using a strict routine makes a difference. Anything saying, I did GF and my baby sleeps through is non-scientific.

pookamoo · 01/10/2012 15:03

Just a question, out of genuine interest, how do you get your babies to go to sleep "when they should" ? Mine only sleep when they are tired and/or bf/rocked to sleep. I was loaned a copy of CLB when DD1 was very tiny, and I couldn't understand how she expected the baby to just go to sleep at xYZ time.

OP this is your 3rd child, what did you do with your others?

Many people do manage to work and have a more baby led routine.

GF style is not suited to breastfeeding, IMHO. The supply/demand is how bf works, and if you try to get babies to bf at exact intervals it doesn't stimulate the milk supply to correspond with the baby's development...

DoodleAlley · 01/10/2012 15:08

Actually I found the early routines really helped with my supply as its got a fair few feeds during the day to build up your supply.

bishboschone · 01/10/2012 15:09

I don't think you can make them do it , more a case of steering them in the right direction . I agree it may have happened anyway but I wasn't prepared to take the risk .

DoodleAlley · 01/10/2012 15:09

Obviously you would feed if baby was hungry in between but that didnt happen for us. Might have done for others I don't know

bishboschone · 01/10/2012 15:09

I didn't breast feed but I think gf has designed the routines for maximum milk .

bishboschone · 01/10/2012 15:10

Supply .

Rubirosa · 01/10/2012 15:16

I don't think they are designed for maximum milk supply at 3 hourly feeds are fairly infrequent for most breastfed newborns and she doesn't allow for cluster feeding. A more typical breastfed newborn would feed 10-12+ times a day, more frequently in the evening.

ZuleikaD · 01/10/2012 15:19

Yes, DS used to feed three times per hour in the evenings, never mind once per three hours.

DoodleAlley · 01/10/2012 15:24

Im going to bow out now as its become more of a general discussion but feel free to pm me, OP, if you have any questions you think I may be able to help with and good luck

bishboschone · 01/10/2012 15:30

Oh we'll . I didn't breast feed so I don't really know . Just the book is based around breast feeding and when I was ff I had to read between the lines .

Fairylea · 01/10/2012 15:32

I was a firm believer in gf until I had my second baby. Now I just think you are either lucky and they happen to fit in with it or you're not. Ds literally would not sleep. Imean record 8 wide awake at 6 weeks despite doing everything per the book.

OneLittleToddlingTerror · 01/10/2012 15:33

I don't know how they feed only every 3-4 hours either. I remember reading it, and trying to understand how a young baby can go for 4 hours (that's the midday one) without any feed! Mine was feeding every 2 hours or so at that age. And I can't get her to wake up, so it's the opposite problem of trying to get a baby to sleep at the wrong time. Both GF and the Baby Whisperer are big on no feed to sleep. I couldn't get mine to feed longer than 10min since a newborn and I even went to see the NCT bf consellor and asked if there was anything wrong with DD. She was always in a bf-induced coma within 10min!

aufaniae · 01/10/2012 15:54

I never understood the no-BF-to-sleep stuff. It seemed to me that nature was crying out for DS to sleep after feeding! Why mess with it? It worked so well!

I have never had to sit beside a cot, desperately trying to get a young baby to sleep. Total waste of time if you ask me!

nellyjelly · 01/10/2012 20:34

Nature intends babies to fall asleep after feeding. That is why all those hormones are released when the baby is fed. It is just that what nature intends is not compatible with routine and 'getting back to normal'.

NK2b1f2 · 01/10/2012 20:34

Neither have I, aufaniae. Are you suggesting that that is what GF requires?

Lozario · 01/10/2012 21:13

I've always thought that the basis of the GF routine was a good meaty lunchtime nap in order for the baby to be chirpy ish in the afternoon. I bf so always fed more than the book said but I took heed of the suggested nap times, adding a bit more daytime sleep as I think her times were optimistic for my two.

OP - was wondering then if you could do a morning nap on first school run, a midday-ish nap from 11.30-1.30ish with a feed before going on 2pm school run and then a later afternoon nap if necessary? I think even GF suggests a split feed to keep the baby topped-up in the evening too, ie at 5ish and then 6.30? I usually did that, especially for 2nd as it kept baby quiet when the toddler was eating!

I never really went for the dreamfeed idea though, mainly because I couldn't stay up that late (!) and DH was often working, and just couldn't bear the thought of disturbing her!!

Good luck OP

Original poster
MarchelineWhatNot · 03/10/2012 06:42

How does this look as a routine?

6 am: feed - kick around on mat - nap
9 am: feed - top & tail and dressed - nap
12 pm: feed - big nap in cot
3 pm: feed - go for a walk in pram
6 pm: feed - bath - family time
9 pm: feed - bed
12 am: feed
3 am: feed.

I should add that she does sleep a lot as she was premature. I would drop some of the naps as she gets a bit older.

OP posts:
LadyInDisguise · 03/10/2012 18:43

Sounds a really good routine to me :)
What I have found not helpful is to try and have a routine at night. Not looking at the click and how often I got up was better ie not feeling resentful if it didn't go to plan.

Original poster
MarchelineWhatNot · 04/10/2012 05:32

Thanks LadyInDisguise. Yeah, the night time feeds times are just a general guide. Although oddly enough, she has woken up within minutes of 12 am and 3 am for the past few days.

OP posts:
Happybunny12 · 04/10/2012 08:13

Ping!

Ah, as a relative MN newcomer, I was wondering why GF didn't come up in discussion more! Now I just need someone to fill me on how the obsession with Pom bears started, why people have 'gold' in nns, what a mumsmet scarf is?

apartridgeinapeartree · 04/10/2012 08:29

You should be able to find the Pombears thread in classics.

No idea about gold. (Was it something to do with the Olympics perhaps? No clue, sorry!)

The mumsnet scarf is a large animal print thing IIRC? Or maybe brown with randoms spots. Not really my thing (sorry) I clicked the link once, though "oh, that's it then" and then didn't rush out to buy one.

Female celebrities wear it from time to time and people get all excited that it's code to tell us that they're a mumsnetter :)