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Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

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Original poster

anyone a member of contentedbaby website? Any good?

17 replies

twinmumma · 07/05/2009 14:28

Was thinking about signing up so I can read the case studies on the contentedbaby Gina Ford website.
I have loosely followed the book (try to stick to feed and sleep times suggested, give or take half an hour) but having lunchtime sleep probs with DS and also refusing bottle at 6.30pm - so wondered if any case studies on the site might help.... BUT it's £60 to join for the year - which I just don't have at the mo.
Anyone use the site and think it's worth signing up for?>????

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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ruddynorah · 07/05/2009 14:29

i'd say what's the point when you have mumsnet?

Original poster

twinmumma · 07/05/2009 14:38

its a v good point!!
I just seem to have so many issues that I am trying to sort - and so thought it might be worth reading the case studies!
u r right though!!

OP posts:

ruddynorah · 07/05/2009 15:18

isn't it just that you're struggling to make your baby fit GF's routine? so not really an issue if you just ditch the book

saintlydamemrsturnip · 07/05/2009 15:20

£60??? Blimey. That's a lot for a website.

I would change the bottle time if he doesn't want to feed at 6.30pm - perhaps try a bit later.

misscreosote · 07/05/2009 15:37

I joined for a year after I had DD1 and found it very useful and the forums extremely supportive for all the various stages of feeding and sleeping (and just for general support), plus if you have a real problem, you can send it over to gina and her team and they can follow through with you.

(Ducks) I would say its better than mumsnet if you are trying to follow some sort of routine (NB not 'THE' routine before I get flamed, as GF is adamant that it is to be adapted to suit your child, if you read the book!), as the moment you mention GF on here.... well, I don't often dare to to be honest

Original poster

twinmumma · 07/05/2009 22:40

I know what you mean misscreosote - re mentioning GF!! Was nervous about it myself!!
Not trying to follow routine too much ruddynorah! This is baby 3 so he just has to fit in for a lot of the time...
BUT - he was kind of doing the GF thing naturally as sleep times fit in with drop off at school etc. He WAS sleeping 2 hours or more at lunchtime up until a week ago - but suddenly is now waking after 30 mins and is distraught unless I get him out of bed. He used to sometimes wake during lunchtime nap and then resettle himself but he just can't do it at the mo. When I get him up - He is then happy for a bit - then gets really crabby and desparate for sleep - has a nap about 4pm for 30 mins and is still shattered from 5pm onwards.
When having 30 mins plus 2 hours - he made it to 7pm for bed and was a real cheery chap.
SO - he needs that sleep that he was having - but not sure why he has changed.
hmmmm
£60 is a lot for website membership. My friend joined and it was £40 in years gone by. Stil a lot - but much more reasonable - esp in this financial climate!

OP posts:

Original poster

twinmumma · 07/05/2009 22:42

sorry - meant to say that can't do 6.30 bottle any later saintlydamemrsturnip, cos he is just falling asleep then.... bless him. by 6.40 he can hardly keep eyes open!!

OP posts:

chandellina · 07/05/2009 22:47

hi twinmumma, my friend is on it and she says it's really good and you get very specific advice and tips about issues you may have. so maybe worth it since you do have quite specific concerns.

ChocOrange05 · 08/05/2009 08:19

twinmumma how old is your DS? Mine is now 6mo and we've done GF since the beginning. He did the 2 hour lunchtime nap really well until he was about 6-8 weeks old when he would only sleep for 45-60 mins at a time. I then discovered static radio and it has extended his naps to 2 hours +.

Let me know if you want more info.

saintlydamemrsturnip · 08/05/2009 09:08

oh well if he;s asleep by 6.40 then presumably he's too tired to feed at 6.30, so perhaps move the bottle to 6pm?

My third did a lot of sleeping in a sling and then ergo, I think he wanted to be around his brothers so wouldn't settle into a cot when they were there, but being in the sling meant he could nod off.

misscreosote · 08/05/2009 12:53

Twinmumma - sounds like you've probably identified the problem, he's tired! Don't know how old he is, but maybe he needs longer in bed in the morning, or maybe a longer/earlier morning nap, or just to go down for his LTN earlier (if any of that's possible with 2 others to look after as well - I'm only just about to have my 2nd so haven't experienced the joys of trying to juggle different needs yet....gulp). My DD never slept well if she was too tired. Maybe he's going through a growth spurt, that usually tires them out, or if he's just started crawling/walking etc, they get really tired then. I'm sure you know all this if you've done it all before with your first two though .

Alternative thought - if he's stopped taking so much milk, then maybe he's hungry? Blimey, I don't know, sorry, probably not much use! - that's why the website is useful, if you post his age and full 'routine' of sleep and milk/food then lots of the experienced GF 'followers' can see what the probblem might be.

Original poster

twinmumma · 08/05/2009 14:11

Thanks guys.... all really helpful stuff.

He is 6.5 months....
2things I think are the problem

dropped lunchtime bottle and just has the solids... since doing that he has not slept well at lunchtime.
cos not sleeping well at lunchtime he is tired (even with an afternoon nap) at bedtime bottle... so doesn't want it.

ANYWAY - .... progress
last night he took 5oz from bottle (hooray!) and then bf. slept from 7pm - 7.05am (he cried for about 2 mins at 1.30am and 4am but we dind't go to him)

AND - so far today he has had 1.5 hrs sleep at lunchtime. It's a miracle!!
I have stuffed him with food and given him 1oz from bottle.

Fingers crossed he is going back to how he was a fortnight ago - and then he will be his old cheery self too! Feel like a weight has been lifted - just cos I know he needs this sleep!

His routine (for anyone who is interested!)
is:
7am BF and then half weetabix or tablespoon ready brek with bit of fruit puree
8am top up BF
9am ish - sleep (he wakes at 30 mins on the dot!)
11.30 solids (was having no milk but am offering it again now = although not v interested)
12.30 sleep - 2 hours in theory
2.30 BF
5pm - baby rice and fruit
5.45 ish bath
6.20 ish - bottle offered (7oz) but often has about 5oz and then BF.
Bed 7pm
Wakes about 6.30am onwards usually.

Thanks again for all messages. Will keep referring to GF (as I did with the twins - it worked like a dream with them!) but DS does have to fit in, being number 3!
As I said - hoping that we may have turned a corner.... but u know what it's like - we may be back to square one tomorrow!! Will keep positive!

OP posts:

Original poster

twinmumma · 08/05/2009 14:11

sorry - meant to say...chocorangeo5 - would love to know more about static radio idea!

OP posts:

misscreosote · 08/05/2009 14:48

Hee hee - glad to hear he might have sorted himself out - was probably a growth spurt or something! I seem to remember DD driving me to distraction periodically wondering what I was doing wrong, then suddenly it would all be fine again (still is now, except we're onto the temper tantrum phase... ).

ChocOrange05 · 08/05/2009 18:58

twinmumma basically when you settle them for their nap put the radio on a fuzzy station and leave it on throughout. It needs to be quite loud - louder than if they were crying IYSWIM? The idea is its a constant noise throughout so if they come into a lighter sleep its not a diff environment which might wake them completely. I don't know - but it works with my DS so I use it!

HTH - let me know if you try it.

Original poster

twinmumma · 21/05/2009 13:33

ChocOrange05 - I am going to try it tomorrow I think!
lunchtime nap still a nightmare most days. Today he has woken again after 40 mins and cried for 10...but now gone silent - so I am hoping....
He should be SHATTERED - as this morning up from 4.30am - 6.30am.... (cos not taking night time 6.30pm bottle and then hungry in early hours)
then half hour nap from 9.30
So - he needs a good 2 - 2.5 hours now really.
we'll see!
Thanks for advice re the radio.
He hasn't really got anything that settles him...e.g. a dummy or a special toy. I give him a muslin and a blue teddy each night and he certainly does little bf tongue against the muslin at times.... but my daughers both had little pink bunnies that one sucked the foot of, and one sucked her thumb and held the label of the bunny....
wish DS would suck his thumb!!

thanks for the radio advice. will let u know how we get on!

OP posts:

MerlinsBeard · 21/05/2009 13:40

twinmumma

just to let you know that the majority of MNetters will reply NO to you asking if it's worth it! (MN and GF had a legal "thing" a while back)

Personally i struggled more with trying to get DS2 into THAT routine than letting him find his own - different with twins i appreciate that) however why pay for something when you can get a variety of different answers here - a combination of which may work very well for you

Good luck

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