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Parenting

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Original poster

Any point in buying Baby Whisperer book for 8 month old ds? or should I get the toddler stage one instead?

24 replies

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 31/03/2008 13:43

Anyone read this? worth getting it now or is it too late? should I get the toddler one instead? Are they good?

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Original poster

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 31/03/2008 13:52

bump

OP posts:

MegBusset · 31/03/2008 13:56

I hate hate hate the BW. My copy was binned after a few wretched weeks where I suddenly felt I was failing at everything.

I would save your money and trust your instincts... and MN!

FasterPussyCatGrrrl · 31/03/2008 14:23

why do you hate it megbusset? have bid on one on ebay.

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SheSellsSanctury · 31/03/2008 14:30

I read it and loved it. I was totally against baby books but as I watched her on the TV and liked what she said this was the one I bought.

I would recommend it but would also add just dip in and out of it when you need a bit of guidance.

Dont think there is a middle ground with BW, its like Marmite, either love it or hate it!!

Original poster

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 31/03/2008 15:18

Thanks- so would you recommend it for an 8 month old baby, or is mainly aimed at new babies?

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MegBusset · 31/03/2008 16:06

Her BF advice is completely wrong (just ask Tiktok on the BF board).

She is just as dogmatic and prescriptive as other routine-based parenting 'gurus', just wrapped up in a thin veneer of baby-centredness (OK I know that's not a word but yswim).

She calls anyone who doesn't follow her methods an "accidental parent" -- highly insulting.

I could go on...

MegBusset · 31/03/2008 16:08

She says BF past a year is for the mother's benefit, not the baby's.

This is all just off the top of my head, if I hadn't chucked the book in the bin I could give you more examples of why I hated it...

TillyScoutsmum · 31/03/2008 16:14

Just to be awkward - I neither loved it nor hated it ...there were some useful bits in it and there were others I didn't agree with and ignored.

OP - what are you hoping to get out of it ? For me, the most useful bits were what various cries, signals etc meant (i.e. tired, hungry, bored etc) and by the time dd was 8 months old, I would probably have got those worked out anyway. In which case, the next book might be more relevant....?

Original poster

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 31/03/2008 17:35

tbh I'd just heard lots of people say it was great. We don't have any specific problem, ds is quite an easy baby, although it'd be nice to have an idea of a routine to follow as we currently have no routine for him and it does lead to the occasional meltdown, forgotten late meal or bottle, or missed bath etc and I'm trying to get organised and give him a more varied day.

Perhaps I should email Claire Verity, I've heard she's fond of routines...

OP posts:

MrsTittleMouse · 31/03/2008 17:36

I hated it. DD was a very difficult newborn and didn't want to sleep, needed entertaining constantly, and fed all the time. The book makes NO allowance at all for breastfed baby growth spurts, and I felt that DD's lack of sleeping was entirely my fault, which wasn't helpful. There was no way that DD was going to fall into a routine. It actually took 8 months of the same bedtime routine for DD to get the hang of it, and that was a bedtime that was completely in tune with her body clock.
Perhaps it is more useful at 8 months when the baby is more in a routine anyway, but it's certainly not good for babies of a few months.

MrsTittleMouse · 31/03/2008 17:37

Ah, OK, if your DS is an easy baby already, I bet that you'll have more success, as you won't be fighting his true nature.

princessmel · 31/03/2008 17:39

I'd just use MN to find out anything you need to know. Its great for asking questions and getting advice/support about whatever you need.

TillyScoutsmum · 31/03/2008 17:42

Yes - or she who shall not be named - they're both big routine fans

Tbh - BW doesn't really give much info in terms of a routine (timings etc.) - more just the order of doing things (i.e. Eat, Activity, Sleep). Not sure that really works once lo's are having 3 solid meals a day though. Personally, I wouldn't bother getting it if your baby is 8 months

Original poster

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 31/03/2008 17:42

Fair enough! I may post a thread about people's routines for their older babies then. I just want someone to tell me what to do because I'm too busy to make my own decisions, how crap is that? lol

OP posts:

Original poster

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 31/03/2008 17:44

Oh, was joking about CV by the way, I'm sure she's trapped under a house somewhere by now anyway.

OP posts:

TillyScoutsmum · 31/03/2008 17:45

I know what you mean - sometimes I just want someone to TELL me what to do so I don't feel like I'm making it up as I go along

My dd is almost 11 months so I'll happily post our "routine" (such as it is) on your thread

blueshoes · 31/03/2008 17:52

I dislike her Baby Book intensely - difficult bf-ed baby. She never breastfed. She is also dead BTW.

puffling · 31/03/2008 17:53

I'd buy swmnbn instead, if you want routines. BW is fine but the book is a load of waffle. The BW web is free and you'll get lots of advice on there.

phlossie · 31/03/2008 18:02

JATGB - I've just posted about routines. I also hated BW (for the reasons MegBussett stated, really) but did have a sneaky read of what she thought a baby's routine should be - just so I could see if we could fit into it. Following it roughly worked for ds. Dd's all over the place, though, so I would like to know when the Baby Whisperer lady recommends feeds and naps, just to see if I can pay some attention to timings and to see if that helps. But, tbh, I wouldn't miss a morning out to fit in with her. Sounds awful, but my ds needs to run around with children his age and I need other grown-up company or else I'd lose my mind. And there lies my fundamental reason for hating routines and routine books!

phlossie · 31/03/2008 18:03

What's swmnbn?

VictorianSqualor · 31/03/2008 18:16

she who must not be named

VictorianSqualor · 31/03/2008 18:18

BTW OP if you do want swmnbn book I have the 'contented little baby' (had to buy it to see what all the fuss was about bought it off ebay though so no money in her pocket ).
I'm happy to send it to you.

MiMao · 31/03/2008 18:23

I really liked this book and like the other book who we are no longer allowed to mention I just took bits from it that suited me and babies.

Babies change so much and so do your routines etc so I never stuck to anything and just followed what suited us best.

I did read the baby whisperer when dd was 5 weeks and wished i had it before she was born so if I were you i would get the next one. not sure what its like though.

I think if you have got to 8mths then you dont really need any books because your baby can tell you most things now, you know what their little moans are, the different cries, when they're tired, fed up etc...

phlossie · 31/03/2008 20:33

MiMao - I misread your post and thought you were saying that you wished you had tried the BW before your dd was born! Now, getting your bump into a routine I'd like to see - maybe I should email a suggestion to swmnbn?

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