I give you clear warning, this place is goiing to go NUTS when Channel Four airs Bringing Up Baby on the 25th Sept... Claire Verity!!!

[Aitch]

seriously. i'm watching it now for work and it is terribly upsetting. Claire Verity says 'i'm a bitch, i'm mean to them but it works', no touching, no eye contact, lots of talking about 'baby', presumably because she can't be arsed remembering the name... oh it's AWFUL.

well, having read all the posts to about 8.30 last night, i sat down to watch with my DP.

he's now a convert to The COntinuum concept method !

we're both up in arms about CV and Dreena whatserface.

The thing is, to most 1st time mums like myself, what claire verity says almost makes sense. i remember being v judgemental about people who didn't let their babies cry for a bit, because surely if their nappy was fresh, they'd been fed and winded, they were fine and just whinging and didn't actually NEED anything. Especially as I have spoilt my dog rotten and she's a nightmare and i didn't want the same for my child (!!!!!)

I let DS cry for 20mins when he was about 2-3 days old, because that's what i'd been told to do and I have never forgotten it or forgiven myself that i could be so naive.

Now that I have him, i realise that there is so much more complexity involved. I read and read and read when he was firstborn, to try to understand him, and followed various advice - including almost controlled crying at 3 months. I now know that all those books should have gone out the window and should have just followed my instincts. I think we're almost taught to expect that the experts know best, following programs like supernanny and the like and the reality is that there is nothing better than a parents instinct, with a bit of guidance from MNetters .

The worst part for me was the look on Mia (?) dads face when CV told him he couldn't cuddle his own daughter. Not just now, but never. He was gutted, and there is no getting that time back. It goes so quick and he was missing out on that vital bonding time before he went back to work. Felt so sorry for him.

ANd also, that parents want their lives to go back to normal once they've had a baby. I mean, WTF !!!! your life will NEVER be the same, and if you want it to be, what the FUCK is the point in having a baby in the first place ?

I will reserve an open mind as to the rest of the series though ! Will be interesting to see the outcome.

Sorry for the lengthy post and I'm sure it's all been said already !

Not read every post, but I don't see that CH4 are in any way advocating CV's approach?? They are just presenting it, and surely it speaks for itself - i.e. the inhumanity of it must surely put any sane person off the Tuby King method?
BUT what I do think is awful is using newborn babies in an experiment. I am ashamed of myself for watching the programme, and I won't be watching the follow ups. The number of people complaining is only justifying CH4's decision to make the programme, they are making huge profit from all the mums watching, we should just boycott the follow ups and then hopefully no further 'experiments' will be filmed.