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Sleep

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Original poster

Views on Gina Ford..?

55 replies

Highlandgirl · 07/12/2010 21:35

Hi,

First baby due in Feb, but just wanting to find out as much about sleep or rather lack of it...!

What are your views on Gina Ford?

Thanks,

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

swanriver · 07/12/2010 22:02

She's good, but don't take her seriously until your baby is at least 12 weeks old, especially if you like lie-ins She insists you get up every day on the dot at 7am! No snuggling and snoozing allowed in the early days...No days out with the baby in pram...
But she is good on sleep. I admit it. Her nap routines make sense once feeding is established. Take her with a pinch of salt and she's great.

Valpollicella · 07/12/2010 22:02

SWMNBM is how I found MN...I blame her for never being able to leave, 4 years down the line

JoBettany · 07/12/2010 22:05

I used it and loved it - really did have a very contented baby...

It doesn't work for everybody and I know lots of people absolutely hate it.

I don't know how it works as I didn't examine any of it very closely. One of my friends gave me it and I used it.

I really don't remember it being harsh, just helpful but am quite sure I took other advice and read other books too.

It's very hard. Everyone is so convinced their way is the best. I did muddle through okay though.

QueeferSantaland · 07/12/2010 22:05

Baileys for me, mummyberry.

But the lawyers. The lawyers!

I believe it is verboten to even utter her name, even in praise on these boards. She is a control freak values her privacy.

mummyls · 07/12/2010 22:07

ha ha hilarious- i had forgottena bout all the hoo-haa.. wonder if the thread will be deleted?!

Whoamireally · 07/12/2010 22:08

Oh Lord

camerondiazepam · 07/12/2010 22:08

Valpolicella - me too!

FanjolinaJolie · 07/12/2010 22:11

We did the 'lite' version. Didn't express as per the book just when I felt like it. Started at four/five weeks after feeding totally on demand.

Followed the sleep times to the letter but fed earlier if baby was hungry. My DC's seemed to need more sleep for their age but this is no problem at all.

Gave us our evenings together and a structure to our days which I appreciated. DC2 fitted in easily when DD1 was two yo and both had lunchtime sleeps at the same time, so did I and it saved my sanity I can tell you.

Both BF DCs slept through 10pm - 7am from six weeks and 7pm - 7am from 14 weeks.

Lived it, loved it!!

DDs are six and four now and still sleeping excellently for 12 or 13 hours per night.

Valpollicella · 07/12/2010 22:11

Nah, there's been plenty of GF Ford threads since. Everyone has been on best behaviour

For those not in the know.....a very short explanation here

Play nice people Poor Justine doesn't need any more stress

dycey · 07/12/2010 22:12

I couldn't understand how to follow the routines - my breast fed baby liked to feed 3 hourly abd was very alert from the start. I wished I could do it though! Still wish mine had turned into 7-7 clockwork creature! But if you can work with dome of the main principles then it can be helpful.

However I found the tone a little anxious making and prefer Penelope leach which is much more appreciative of the wonders of a tiny intelligent creature who wAnts your company, attention and comfort. It's nice to read people who view babies as fascinating - which Penelope leach does. As indeed they are!

bessie26 · 07/12/2010 22:16

read it & take the bits you like from it, but don't feel you have to follow it (or any book) word for word - all babies are different & you'll work out what suits you both soon enough.

FWIW I liked Gina's idea of a routine, but didn't want to force DD (or me) into a rigid schedule. We found the "Baby Whisperer" to be more our style.

Flossie69 · 07/12/2010 22:21

When I first read GF I found it all to prescriptive, and I needed to read all the explanations, especially on weaning, several times before they made sense.

I found that when my DD was about 4 months, she happened to be roughly in the GF routine, so I used the general shape of it, but always allowing slack in the system ie if DD wasn't ready to have a bottle at the exact time she was meant to, I didn't worry.

I also found my DD took a little time to adjust to the midday nap, but now really needs it.

Dycey - I read Penelope Leach with my first, DS, who is now 11, and am now really enjoying re-reading it with DD who is 7 months. I don't think her book has dated at all, and I really appreciated her wisdom and obvious love for children.

EmmaRoyd · 07/12/2010 22:23

I also like lists and like being organised. I read it before DD was born and thought it sounded very sensible so decided to follow the routines. As soon as DD was born I realised how ridiculous it was to think that a baby would fit into a timetable in a book. All that happened was I got ridiculously stressed because DD wouldn't do what the books said she should/could do. Eventually I abandoned it and decided to follow my instincts instead. Several months down the line I picked it up again and was surprised to find DD had a very similar routine to the one Gina was suggesting, as did a lot of my baby friends who hadn't read Gina. DD had got there all by herself. The ONE piece of advice that Gina gives that I agree with is to offer a bottle (of EBM if you don't want to give formula) from the age of 2 weeks, as opposed to 6-8 weeks which is what HV will tell you. I did this with DD and had no problems. Now I'm on second baby I didn't bother out of laziness and now I can't get him to take a bottle at all. I can't go anywhere or do anything. Never mind, I just stay home in the warm and cuddle him while I burn all my baby books on the fire

PrincessBoo · 07/12/2010 22:34

Gina Ford, or her book, has been famously compared to Marmite, in that you either love or hate her (or her book).

I wasn't interested in anyone else's routine but my baby's, and when I picked up her book and flicked through it for the first time in Mothercare I hissed at it. [hgrin]

Not my cup of tea. But whatever floats you boat.

PrincessBoo · 07/12/2010 22:35

ohbugger. I meant

Mimile · 07/12/2010 22:42

It worked for us and DD, although we only followed the routines loosely.
I have zero support other than DH, and the style of the book suited us, if a little prescriptive.

FairyArmadillo · 07/12/2010 22:50

I had a look at the book when I was pregnant, but the routine didn't appeal to me. I did the Babywhisper's EASY routine at 6 weeks. Prefered it as it was more baby-led and not so rigid. Also my son liked his lie ins. I was blessed with a 2 month old who could sleep in til 9am, and no way I would spoil that for us by waking him up at 7am.

stickylittlefingers · 07/12/2010 22:58

have you looked at the book? I got it out the library and quickly worked out it wasn't for me, so put it back without incurring further cost.

I think you'd be able to tell within a few pages whether it's going to be your style. I couldn't be arsed even to keep reading, so I knew it wasn't going to be my Thing - but it might be yours, who knows?

EdgarAllenSnow · 07/12/2010 23:09

i think there is some good stuff to be gained: light bright and noisy during the day - warm dark and quiet at night = the best way to get a baby to sleep more at night. and don't be too quick to pick them up...let them self-settle(though i think if you know baby is due a feed then sooner is better as they just go back to sleep once fed)
and babies do find doing the same stuff most days settling.
that's pretty much it though.

Valpollicella · 07/12/2010 23:12

The bit that really really pissed me off was her telling when to eat...I know it's probably a 'helpful reminder' in the chaos of the early days... But I am defiant and didn't want a book telling when to eat my morning toast

PrincessBoo · 07/12/2010 23:17

Wish I wasn't being so bloomin' diplomatic because I don't want to get MN in any trouble when really I want to kick off big style

OldieButBaddie · 07/12/2010 23:18

Valpollicella · 07/12/2010 23:20

Oldie, you need to sit on your hands more than sellotape your mouth really

Emo76 · 08/12/2010 09:13

I think her principle of trying to make sure your baby feeds enough during the daytime that they don't get hungry at night is quite sensible and is something which has "worked" with both my children. However I have never tried to follow her set routines, mainly as they would start with waking my baby up and I see no point in that!!

notcitrus · 08/12/2010 09:19

I hurled her book across the room in despair when ds was about 3 weeks. The advice isn't nearly as bad as the hectoring tone of the book, but she never addresses what to do if you put your baby down for a nap and they just howl until they're supposed to get up again - surely pointless as well as nasty?

Turned out I had a very cheerful and relaxed but totally anti-routine baby - as soon as I just went out and carted him along and let him feed and sleep when he wanted, we got on really well.

The no-eye-contact in the night made sense when ds was 18 months or so and just wanted attention, but beforehand it was simply feed baby, all go back to sleep.

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