Claire Verity writes back

[Cocobear]

Anyone else seen this article from CV in the Daily Mail? (I would like to stress at this point that I found this via google search and not by buying a copy of the Daily Hatemail). It's a long-winded justification of her 'method'.

It's full of little gems: "For my critics, though, the most emotionally charged complaint relates to me saying that mothers should not cuddle a new baby for more than about ten minutes a day. It makes me seem cold and uncaring, perhaps. But it is a fact of life that brand new babies don't want to be picked up and held. Bless.

If babies don't want to be held, why did BabyDragon sleep peacefully and calmly in the sling?

and only in the sling.

lulu, I bow to your greater knowledge, but I thought the average weight for (full term) babes had gone up?

Just as we adults and generally a little, erm larger (better nourished or differently fed depending on lifestyle) than a few generations ago. Correct me (gently ) if I'm wrong.

Daily hatemail, love that one!

i googled it to check ! it might be more, but it 10 lbs is not the average !

you may recommence bowing, if you like

"Once babies go on to solid food they can sleep for longer, too2

I wonder if she means "normal" as in "not unusual" wrt babies' birthweight.

"I used to put my kittens and lambs into a pram and walk them through the village." [howl]

Message withdrawn

she is making no distinction between proper co sleeping, and people who might accidentally have fallen asleep with their babies, who might have been drunk/ drugged etc.. not taken adequate precautions

bottle feeding piglets and lambs, did she not allow their mothers near too? haha she really is deluded isn't she.

It makes me want to cry.
So so so sad.

i think it's correct to say that a sofa is a far more dangerous pace for a baby than a bed. more likely to fall between cushions, fall off, parents more likely to nod off, have a drink, smoke, whatever. and all those deaths get attributed to co-sleeping, most unfairly.

Although I have not seen much I personally find much of what she says ok, UNTIL she actually explains her methods, reasoning, and demonstrates it all THEN I think OMY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with babies do not NEED to be held ALL the time, that IF a baby needs feeding before 6 months then its ok, that you do sometimes have to switch on your deaf ears to allow child to sleep when it seems like its crying to be held but often just over tired. I also agree that many parents creat the problems they can not cope with thru their own actions, BUTTTTTTTTT thats called parenting and we shoulod all follow our instincts but take advice from everyone and go with the option that works best for you and your child.
I am not evil but I can be controlled when I think I need to be.

PS thru experience I agree some children need to sleep in the light and fresh air can help aid sleep, BUTTTTTTT I am totally agiainst sticking them outside to sleep and you going back indoors. Many people have conservatories, the modern day answer I feel, also long as well ventilated in summer and heated in winter.

Message withdrawn

FFS - human babies aren't lambs or kittens.
And newborns don't like cuddles? Funny that, my friend's baby seems to thrive on cuddles from mum and dad! The thought of being told I can only cuddle my lo for 10mins a day is inconceivable. I can't wait to hold my baby and give him or her lots of love and cuddles and eye contact. DH now has to restrain me whenever I see little babies coz I get a bit overexcited
My mother was brought up in the Truby King method, and she found it very difficult to show affection to the point where I felt very unloved. I won't do that to my child.

her complete lack of self awareness reminds me of the kids i have met in school with attachment disorders.

I also think she's hired a ghost writer/pr person the tidy up the messy edges of her 'career'.

Agree, kiskidee. My theory: CV probably needs to set some firm boundaries and be mean to her mother - not everyone else's babies. If it weren't for all the damage being done, I'd feel very for her.

I really wonder who actually employs this woman.

"As it happens, the strange case of my revoked invitation has proved the least of my concerns because, following my appearance on the Channel 4 series Bringing Up Baby, I have found myself at the centre of a national campaign of vilification, bordering at times on hatred."

Actually, I thought people started voicing concerns about her methods long before she appeared on Bringing up Baby, and that these concerns were made clear when the programme makers consulted organisations like the NCT. Nobody should have been under any illusion about the kind of reception Claire Verity would receive.

Well she didn't learn what she does from the MNT thats for sure! They don't even advocate GF on the course. I know as i did the course aswell.

Gawd. I've avoided a lot of the CV threads so far, and I'm definitely pro routines and such like - and some forms of sleep training - for older babies and toddlers; but FFS. Truby King.

And I am 44 and am now feeling I have worn really rather well for my age, shall we say.