Any new Mums following a Gina Ford CTB timetable?

[Lynstoun]

It seems to be frowned upon by midwives and certainly wasn't encouraged at NCT antenatal but any mums I've spoken to seem to swear by it.

Thoughts/experiences?

[Lynstoun]

I meant CLB timetable!

[Hidden]

I don't really agree with her philosophy on feeding, particularly waking a baby to feed. It seems completely unnecessary. She goes on about how that would be necessary for premature babies or ill babies, but that doesn't mean it's needed for all babies!! Some of what she says about cuddling for the baby and not for your own needs does make sense but I just don't believe in it enough to follow it. I'd rather establish my own routine that suits me and my baby

[gigglysheep]

i always thought everything would come naturally and instinct will tell u whats right. I think if baby is sleeping, let them sleep. their little bodies will do exactly as it needs and will surely wake up when they are hungry enuff to feed. It depends on how u feel personally, if u'd rather do things according to textbook to make urself feel better that ur doing all the right things then go for it, theres no harm xx

[Hidden]

Im a great beliver in following your own instincts when it comes to parenting.

Ive personally never read Gina Ford's book or anything but i truly think the information in these sort of books should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Theres only one person who knows your child better than anyone & that person is YOU!!

[DrFluffy in reply to Hidden]

She's a mentalist! I only read a few books as my friends told me her advice is nuts, and I wanted to check out her degree of crazy for myself! I'm sure that woman causes PND!

[Hidden in reply to DrFluffy]

Looool! x

[DrFluffy]

Given she has precisely no children of her own, I take it all with a pinch of salt... I mean, leaving a newborn to cry if you're sure they're not hungry or dirty is plan mad and evil... Cuddles are the best!

[Hidden in reply to DrFluffy]

Wow, she has no children of her own but feels the need to advise other mothers on how to raise their own.

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

[Lynstoun]

Loving the responses! Definitely making me smile to read such strong reactions : ) x

[Hidden]

We have her book I think it's a load of cr@p!! That's putting it politely! X

[cheekymonkey3791]

My friend swore by it but I was also witness to how much her life revolved around this routine and god forbid you disrupted the routine, all hell would kick off.

No thank you, I will run with what bubba wants and go from there.

[Hidden]

My Friend recommended it but I thought it was ridiculous. ..I think u and ur baby should learn together and the maybe some hiccups on the way but u get thru them together and Work out ur own pattern to suit urselves x

[scoffcat]

Seems to be a marmite thing - people either love it or hate it. I had a flick through the Contented Baby book and it's not for me. The main upside seems to be that your baby does sleep; downside that you're a slave to the routine, which makes going away/going out for visits etc very difficult.

I've just read "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg, which I've found quite useful. I agree that it's best to follow your own instincts and learn along the way, but as a first timer I feel I need some kind of guidance to get me started! I don't agree with everything in the book (toilet training from 9 months?!!), but I'll take the bits I find helpful and ignore the rest. For info, it recommends a routine (basic cycle of eat, activity, sleep, repeated through the day), but not worrying too much about the exact timings of those, more following the baby's cues for whether they're tired now, etc. And no controlled crying, which I just couldn't do.

But everyone's different; I think you have to find what works for you. Thinking of all my friends with kids, they've all done things completely differently and all now have lovely kids. And I'm sure all my best laid plans will fall to pieces once I have an actual baby! (It all sounds so easy in a book, doesn't it?) :o)

[Dozymum]

I think you have hit the nail on the head when you said 'everyone's different'. You need to do what works best for you and baby .It may take a while to figure out each other's needs, but you'll get there.

My two girls born 2 y 1m apart really were chalk and cheese. The first was very difficult and didn't want to sleep anywhere away from mum or dad's arms. She also refused to take a bottle and it was years before she slept through.

The second was a relative breeze. She was very contented and easy to look after. We could let her have a brief cry in her cot before she slept (never prolonged)).

Their behaviour as babies is really reflected in their characters now (aged 16 & 14). The eldest is still emotional and sometimes clingy; the youngest is laid back and more resilient.

[Lynstoun]

Secrets of the baby whisperer is next on my list to read : ) x

[candiceandsesame]

I think no routine/book will be perfect for every mother and baby.

Read what you want and take away the bits you find useful but personally I like the idea of a routine so I can try and get out of the house but I don't want a routine to take over my life