Gina Ford routine and bottle feeding

Psba · 2021-02-20T19:28:31+00:00

We are using the Gina Ford routine (roughly) as we did with our first and so far it's going OK. However, we are bottle feeding and so some of the feeding guides don't suit. For example in weeks 1-2 or 3-4 it says to split feed the 5pm and 6pm feed. With bottle feeding that's tricky though as if we give him 2oz at 5 he wants more, but we need to keep enough for him to Hve some at 6ish. (He has 5oz a feed). Is anyone else in the same situation? How do you split feeds with bottles? (I know some don't like Gina Ford's system, I'm not after debate on that, just help with this element of it)

SleepingStandingUp · 20/02/2021 19:29

If he's hungry at 5, what's the purpose of the splitting of the feed? Knowing why you're doing it might help work out a solution

00100001 · 20/02/2021 19:32

Feed on demand.

Your life will be so much easier.

Your baby hasn't read or even heard of Gina ford.

MothExterminator · 20/02/2021 19:39

We did very loosely Gina Ford many years ago.

Mine were distracted enough a the bath in the middle of the split feed to accept to wait for the second part. Do you have a bath between?

GenevaMaybe · 20/02/2021 19:39

I did a version of Gina Ford. I didn’t split that bottle in two, rather I made up 2/3 of the bottle at 5, then made up the other 1/3 at bedtime and a top up if needed. I also did a 10pm dreamfeed until solids were established.

Original poster

Psba · 20/02/2021 19:57

@MothExterminator

We did very loosely Gina Ford many years ago.

Mine were distracted enough a the bath in the middle of the split feed to accept to wait for the second part. Do you have a bath between?

Yes we do a bath between too. Just tricky as he feeds quickly at 5 so wants more but we don't want to over feed him by giving too much them and another bottle at 6

OP posts:

MothExterminator · 20/02/2021 20:06

It is tricky. Have you tried reading Gina Ford’s book “happy baby with toddler” or something like that? It is a bit more flexible as it assumes that you will need to adjust things here and there and if I remember correctly had some tips for that.

I am not sure I can help more than that . I BF before bath and topped up with a bottle after bath. Unless you could try with smaller holes in the bottle teats? Or a different bottle making it more of an effort to get the milk at 5?

Original poster

Psba · 20/02/2021 20:10

@MothExterminator

It is tricky. Have you tried reading Gina Ford’s book “happy baby with toddler” or something like that? It is a bit more flexible as it assumes that you will need to adjust things here and there and if I remember correctly had some tips for that.

I am not sure I can help more than that . I BF before bath and topped up with a bottle after bath. Unless you could try with smaller holes in the bottle teats? Or a different bottle making it more of an effort to get the milk at 5?

Different bottle at 5 is a good idea

OP posts:

MothExterminator · 20/02/2021 20:21

Hope it works out. It is a stressful time with a new baby

ShulamithFirestone · 20/02/2021 20:46

Why though? As another poster has said, your baby hasn't read the manual.

dotoallasyouwouldbedoneby · 20/02/2021 20:50

@00100001

Feed on demand.

Your life will be so much easier.

Your baby hasn't read or even heard of Gina ford.

This!

Original poster

Psba · 20/02/2021 21:02

@ShulamithFirestone

Why though? As another poster has said, your baby hasn't read the manual.

Of course they haven't. But they've also not heard of 'feed on demand so it's a pretty silly argument to say not to do something because baby can't read!

OP posts:

dotoallasyouwouldbedoneby · 20/02/2021 21:02

Quote OP:we don't want to over feed him by giving too much them and another bottle at 6'

Surely you can't overfeed a young baby? You offer milk and they will only drink what they want and need.

peachypetite · 20/02/2021 21:04

If your baby is still hungry feed them!

SleepingStandingUp · 20/02/2021 21:07

But they've also not heard of 'feed on demand so it's a pretty silly argument to say not to do something because baby can't read!
Baby will know instinctively that it's hungry and food has stopped. That's the point. They don't understand you're taking it away because a woman told you to, just that they aren't sated

N4ish · 20/02/2021 21:16

What’s the point of all this? Sounds unnecessary and stressful. Is it meant to make the baby sleep through or something?

I know you don’t want to hear any criticism of the method but it seems mean to take a bottle out of the mouth of a baby who clearly wants more.

theleafandnotthetree · 20/02/2021 21:18

@MothExterminator gives good suggestions, my experiences of using Gina Fords methods is thankfully long in the past but I do think the 'distraction' of the bath in the middle of the split feed worked well. Mine also got a little baby massage once they hit 6 weeks or so too which dragged it out a bit further. I was breastfeeding but I cant imagine it makes too much difference. And for those who immediately dismiss GF, I found it worked very well for mine, they were indeed (mostly) contented little babies and the routines kept me sane and sort of in control. If it works for you, go for it. Some of my friends used to tease me - I remember one friend texting me at 8.10 or something in the morning asking me had I had my tea and toast yet - but the results sort of spoke for themselves. You don't have to follow it to the minute but as a basic framework or routine - and especially for those of us with literally no clue and no support - it is very useful.

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 20/02/2021 21:31

Why wouldn't you feed a hungry baby? What's the reasoning? I dont get why you'd tease a baby with some of its food then make it wait for the rest?

MothExterminator · 20/02/2021 21:32

I think everyone find a method which works for them. As long as your baby is happy, all is well.

When I had my first, I was completely baffled in regards to what to do. It helped me to have a routine to follow, know when to encourage my baby to have a nap and try for reasonably set times to feed her. In retrospect, I took it a bit too seriously and worried a bit too much but, having said that, she was a very happy baby and I obviously fed her if she was hungry outside “the schedule”.

With my third, I was much more relaxed and still relied on the basics of the schedule (but from the book which takes a toddler and other commitments into account).

For me, just to have an idea about how much sleep a baby needed at different times during the day and a different ages was very helpful and my babies were mostly really happy as they always were well rested. The feeding schedule was helpful as well as I sometimes fed them before they realised that they were hungry.

But others have other experiences and like to raise their babies differently. As long as the baby is happy, I don’t think there is any right or wrong.

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 20/02/2021 21:33

How is the baby happy if it hungry and not being fed?

00100001 · 20/02/2021 21:40

Feeding on demand is responding to babies needs before they get to the crying with hunger phase. It works, because it's instinctive for babies to let you know they're hungry, cold, scared etc.

00100001 · 20/02/2021 21:41

as long as the baby is happy.

Yep. A fed baby is a happy baby.

theleafandnotthetree · 20/02/2021 21:43

@MothExterminator

I think everyone find a method which works for them. As long as your baby is happy, all is well.

When I had my first, I was completely baffled in regards to what to do. It helped me to have a routine to follow, know when to encourage my baby to have a nap and try for reasonably set times to feed her. In retrospect, I took it a bit too seriously and worried a bit too much but, having said that, she was a very happy baby and I obviously fed her if she was hungry outside “the schedule”.

With my third, I was much more relaxed and still relied on the basics of the schedule (but from the book which takes a toddler and other commitments into account).

For me, just to have an idea about how much sleep a baby needed at different times during the day and a different ages was very helpful and my babies were mostly really happy as they always were well rested. The feeding schedule was helpful as well as I sometimes fed them before they realised that they were hungry.

But others have other experiences and like to raise their babies differently. As long as the baby is happy, I don’t think there is any right or wrong.

That almost exactly describes my experience. And my children were really happy and frankly did a lot less crying than most other babies I knew then or since because I knew roughly what to do and so responded to them before they got hungry but also didnt just shove a breast in their mouth every time they whimpered because I knew they were well fed (exceptions being growth spurts etc). The point of the split feed is to give them a bit of a feed to keep them going til after bath etc when they then have a lovely big relaxed feed and go down for a good sleep around 6.30 or 7 if I recall.

CanIGetARefund · 20/02/2021 21:46

Did you know Gina Ford did not have any children? The current NHS advice is "responsive" feeding. Which means feeding in response to your baby's hunger.

theleafandnotthetree · 20/02/2021 21:47

@00100001

Feeding on demand is responding to babies needs before they get to the crying with hunger phase. It works, because it's instinctive for babies to let you know they're hungry, cold, scared etc.

How is crying with hunger better for the baby though, this is what I've never understood really. Surely its better to ensure they are fed, warm, dry etc before they get to the yelling to tell us they're not stage. I havd never understood this.

theleafandnotthetree · 20/02/2021 21:48

@CanIGetARefund

Did you know Gina Ford did not have any children? The current NHS advice is "responsive" feeding. Which means feeding in response to your baby's hunger.

Oh God this one, I think there's toothless 90 year old men in remote villages in Timbuktu who know Gina Ford doesn't have children. I genuinely don't see what that's got to do with anything