Gina Ford has actually worked!!

very-happywife · Jul 22, 2010 9:02AM

Ladies when i was pregnant I was totally against the whole Gina Ford strict routine, a friend gave me her book and I put it to one side thinking I would never use it. Anyway Emily is now 10 weeks old and we were finding it hard to get her in a routine and she seemed to be all over the place. We had established the nighttime routine as she loves her baths and to be honest has always self settled and gone to sleep, but no matter what we did she would still wake at 1.00am 3.00am and then want to get up at 6.00 - 6.30am so we were both knackered and desparate for a bit more sleep. Anyway last week I got the book out and read it and started to follow the routine suggested - I must add that I only followed the routine loosely and have adjusted it slightly to suit us, and I def do not do the whole avoiding eye contact, controlled crying etc I have just used the timing on the sample routine and for the last 3 nights Emily has had a nap in the morning which is something she has never done despite my best efforts. She has been in bed fast asleep by 7.00pm and she has slept through each time until 7.00am (with a quick feed at 10.30pm) I can't believe it and am so pleased.

I can't believe I have used Gina Ford as I was sure I wouldn't but then again I must stress I have only used the routine times given and have adjusted them slightly, but just thought that if anybody was struggling to find a routine it might be worth having a look!

2littleboys · Jul 22, 2010 3:27AM

Im glad its worked happywife.
Its strange you said this though. I got her book out yesterday. I brought it when pregnant but when he was born I put it too one side & decided to let him lead the way. But now Im desperate for a full nights sleep! Although like you I dont agree with all her theories.
Do you mind me asking if your breast feeding? as the routines in the 'Contented Little Baby Book' are all geared to breat feed babies. Do you have this book or another one of hers? xxx

flutter-by · Jul 22, 2010 4:07AM

Really glad it worked for you. Am very interested myself, trying to get Seb to sleep through the night.

What are the timings of the sample routine?

Flutterby.x

apple-pie-73 · Jul 22, 2010 4:51AM

Sounds good, glad you're getting some well deserved sleep at last!

We're a bit hit and miss so I may look at her tips again - although last night lo slept from 8pm till 5am and when she woke at half 6 I gave her a dummy and shushed her alot and she nodded off again till 8 so was quite impressed! Might try that again and delay the morning feed, maybe then she'll stop waking in the future? Who knows!! lol.

xx

Pumpkin-Pie · Jul 22, 2010 5:10AM

thats great that its working for you. I tried to follow the routine recently but after a fortnight of struggling to keep her awake after 5pm and having a very unhappy, over tired baby at bedtime I've given in. She wasnt sleeping through anyway. Now i let her nap when she wants, keep bedtime the same and she still settles down happily. I also dont like keeping bath to 10 mins max as she absolutely loves it lol. Perhaps something to try again when she's a little older x

very-happywife · Jul 22, 2010 5:13AM

Babymay no i'm not breastfeeding - I worked out how much formula Emily should be having per 24 hours (approx 2.5oz per lb of body weight. She is nearly 10lbs so should be having around 25oz) and then distrubeted this across the feeds) Yes it is that book I have got.

Bascially my day looks a little like this:

up at 7.00am and feed (5oz)

tummy time and playgym

Emily normally has a nap then at about half 8 until about half 9am (Gina suggested only 45mins at this time but as Emily does not sleep for the full 2 and half hours suggested at lunch Iet her have an hour here)

Another feed at 10.30 - 11.45am (5oz)

Bouncertime

Nap time around 12.00pm (she only sleeps till half 1)

smaller feed than the others around 2.00pm (4oz)

small cat nap around 3.30pm - 4.00pm

Around 5.00pm I make her a 7oz bottle and she has 3oz at half 5 then bath at 5.45pm the the other 4oz at 6.15 after the bath.

7.00pm into her sleeping bag and in cot self settles to sleep watching her mobile.

10.00am I go to her nursery open the blind and switch in the light this wakes her up then she has a 5oz bottle and then back in her cot to sleep.

She has woken sometimes at 5.00am but has gone back to sleep with her dummy until 7.00am. Although on the first day we made her 7.00am bottle up and gave her 2oz of it at 5.00am which sent her back to sleep and then gave her the rest at 7.00am when we got her up.

Bascially Gina is trying to get the point across that if you work out what formula/milk baby needs and try to give them that during the day with enough sleep as well then it means they have enough nutrition in them to get them through the night and touch wood so far it has worked for us.

secretsquirrel · Jul 22, 2010 9:02AM

I'm also following the routines (I never in a million years thought I would when I was lent the book) but have to admit I've seen a huge improvement in Maya's mood, ability to settle herself and stretches of sleep.

I disregard the comments about avoiding eye contact etc, and find the 'instruction' about when and what I should eat for breakfast(!) hugely patronising!!, but follow the feeding times and naptimes where possible and realistic. I often find if we're out for the day, or visiting friends and family, the timings can go haywire but I don't beat myself up about it. Maya will have to get used to a bit of flexibility - we aren't rigid people and don't want her to be $:\$ )

For those looking to start a routine, I've also heard very positive things about The Baby Whisperer.

Ellesmere · Jun 18, 2019 7:04PM

Hi all. I’ve been loosely following GF for nine months although I found that my son always needed shorter wake times than she advocated. None the less here we are at nine months (he dropped the third nap at 8 months or so), and naps seem to be going haywire. He wakes up on average 6.30/45 and bed time is 6.45/7. GF 9-12 month says nap 9.30-10 then lunch time 12.30-2.30. The last three days I am struggling to get my son to last till 9.30 but I’ve done it with distraction. And I’ve woken him up at 10 (I always woke him up even when he was doing 9-10). The problem then comes with the lunchtime nap. He gets super sleepy at 11 but after 11.30 lunch gets energetic again, but when I put him down at 12.30 he just won’t settle until at least 1, and then will only sleep till 2/2.15 and is then super cranky by dinner time (5pm). Today he didn’t fall asleep till 1.30 (very very unlike him) and woke up at 2.15 exhausted but refusing to sleep!!!! could he just be finding the shorter morning nap too difficult? Shall I bring the lunch time nap sooner? Before he used to sleep 12.30-2/2.30 at least.

Thank you!!

Gina Ford has actually worked!!

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