Page 2 | gina ford for 6 week old?

kayleyxx · 2009-05-04T20:19:18+00:00

at end of my thether with DS and want to try gina ford but before i possibly go and waste a tenner can any one give me a rough idea of the times for a 6 week old please?

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CrushWithEyeliner · 05/05/2009 21:36

God 6 weeks was hell for me - GF just made me feel worse personally, DD just wasn't a GF baby as they say....

Mspontipine · 05/05/2009 21:42

Are we allowed to discuss Gina Ford on here? When I first started MNing couple of years ago we were not even allowed to mention her name.

Meglet · 05/05/2009 21:47

I was falling apart at 4 weeks with ds and we went onto GF. But he was mixed fed, it took longer for me to do it with dd who was bf.

stainesmassif · 05/05/2009 21:48

Have you tried the No cry sleep solution? she has some lovely suggestions that are less routine based.

what made me feel better in those early days was;
ignoring what time it was in the middle of the night. it was not useful knowing that i was awake at 3, 4 or 5

co-sleeping. once i realised that i could put a boob in ds's face and drift back off i found a new lease of life. obviously only possible when bfing. MN was enormously helpful in showing me that this wasn't as 'dangerous' as the HV would have you believe....

going for walks twice a day

putting the pillow over my head when i had exhausted all other avenues and ds was just talking to himself - ie not crying or distressed, just making noise.

most importantly - focusing on how beautiful this tiny baby is, they dont' stay small for long, and the price you pay is sleep. this time will pass only too quickly.
good luck!

BillSilverFoxBuchanan · 05/05/2009 21:52

Another vote for the No Cry Sleep Solution here.

Would be money well spent.

Pitchounette · 05/05/2009 22:17

Message withdrawn

TheCrackFox · 05/05/2009 22:26

Not a fan of GF. I naively bought the book 8 yrs ago (before all the controversy), I mean who wouldn't want a contended baby? I had no idea it was so strict. I am not much of a routine person so it really wasn't for me.

I threw the book in the bin after a week and decided to follow my own rules.

notperfectmum · 05/05/2009 22:47

I would normally give any unwanted books to the charity shop but binned my copy of Gina Ford because I couldn't bear the thought of passing it on to someone else. I have witnessed too many friends at their wits end because they think they are doing something wrong when their babies don't conform to the GF way. Babies are not robots!

Routines good, regiments not!!! I would also suggest the Baby Whisperer as a guide (not a bible).

notperfectmum · 05/05/2009 22:47

I would normally give any unwanted books to the charity shop but binned my copy of Gina Ford because I couldn't bear the thought of passing it on to someone else. I have witnessed too many friends at their wits end because they think they are doing something wrong when their babies don't conform to the GF way. Babies are not robots!

Routines good, regiments not!!! I would also suggest the Baby Whisperer as a guide (not a bible).

pranma · 06/05/2009 11:51

I hate GF's no eye contact rule
The Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg is great

hellywobs · 06/05/2009 12:03

I did GF - but only the bits I liked. Baby Whisperer is very good. With all these things, read critically and don't follow it all blindly, If it works for you and your baby, do it, if it doesn't don't. For example, GF says have baby feeding at 7am - as my son didn't wake up until 7.30 there was no way I was getting him and me up earlier!

DontlookatmeImshy · 06/05/2009 12:17

I also found the Baby Whispered quite good. I didn't stick to her times, although she does say be flexible, but found using her EASY routine a good quide for deciphering whether baby was hungry/tired etc. But like others have said only use books as a guide, take bits from them that will (or that you think will) be good/useful for you and ignore anything that
you don't like the sound off, doesn't feel right for you.

Is ds your first. I found just enjoying this time for what it is helped, sleepless nights and all, because it's such a short time and i certainly don't look back and think 'blimey i wish i'd spent more time getting that routine right and forceing him to sleep through at 6 weeks'

Wigglesworth · 06/05/2009 12:21

I bought GF and baby whisperer, baby whisperer marginally better in that it had a friendlier attitude and helped recognise what DS wanted.
On the whole though they were both a pile of pants and a waste of money, DS didn't do what the books said, he had silent reflux and screamed a lot for the first few months.
At every stage of your baby's development there will be a frustrating trait, unsettled first few months, doesn't take long enough naps at age 4-5 months, teething and won't eat, fussy eating in toddler hood.
Just relax and enjoy your new baby, don't worry about forcing him into a routine just yet he's still only tiny and adjusting to life in the outside world.

poshsinglemum · 06/05/2009 12:51

Sounds like it works for some people and not for others. I didn't do it as fed on demand and it does get easier. I remember feeling like crap for a few weeks though. It's very hard with a newborn.

hettie · 06/05/2009 16:08

step away from the books! Seriously don't do it......
I speak form both expereince and professional expertise.
The thing about tiny babies is that they are knackering and confusing and will drive you to your wits end. But what will make it better is if you can tune in to your baby (who undoubtedly will be a little different to any of the ones in any book). This of course is very hard to do and requires some kind of zen like ablity when you are tired and hormonal. BUT it's worth it. Try and listen to your gut instincts as to what your baby wants when (cuddle/food/sleep), be really attentive to little signs, changes in mood etc. Every baby likes different things, some like being rocked, some swaddled, some like being held lots etc etc. The more you tune in to what they want the more content they will be and less cranky. It's hard to learn tis form a book and (as others have pointed out) can make you feel like crap when your baby doesn't do what the books says it should be doing.

mummytowillow · 06/05/2009 21:51

I got both Gina Ford and Baby Whisperer and the Baby Whisperer was absolutely fantastic! GF very strict but can work if you can stick at it!

BW is easy and my daughter was really good on it, she actually slept through (well 9 til 6 when she was 5 weeks old)!!

And now she is just a little dream, content, funny and well behaved (well most of the time)!!

I got my BW book off ebay for £3, if you want the Gina Ford one you can have mine if you want, let me know??

MildWest · 07/05/2009 20:16

I've used Gina, and did find it useful but like others have said, I ignore some of the really strict stuff like no eye contact.

DD (5 months) is BF (4 feeds a day) and has slept through from 8 weeks. She has about 30 mins more sleep a day than the GF routine for this age.

Of course, this could have happenend without using the book, but others in my ante-natal group who didn't use a routine are still feeding 2 hourly at night and the babies will only sleep on their mums during the day etc.

We ignore the 'stay at home for naps' bit too - today DD had her morning nap to the sound of birdsong at the allotment!!

Original poster

kayleyxx · 07/05/2009 21:54

mummytowillow i will happily take the book of your hands lol!!
did anyone find a good way of settling baby without cuddling/rocking?

OP posts:

stainesmassif · 07/05/2009 21:57

depends how old. we used to swaddle a lot, successfully. we still tuck him in tightly and it seems to work.

stainesmassif · 07/05/2009 21:58

ooh, and he has a 'transitional object' - blue bunny - as per no cry sleep solution - really helps.

Original poster

kayleyxx · 07/05/2009 22:07

7 weeks on saturday

OP posts:

AllieBongo · 07/05/2009 22:09

i would also recommend baby whisperer - you get the same kind of structure as GF but with the love and cuddles thrown in too..

charlindubai · 21/05/2010 09:57

Use your instincts as a mother and not the advice of some stranger who has never had children. It is only a few months disruption out of your entire life - you owe it to your baby to give it all the love care and attention it needs in the first few months on demand. You will be paid back with a happy confident child/adult.