The New Contented Little Baby Book: The Secret to Calm and Confident Parenting

My husband called me from the airport when I was pregnant with my first and told me he ‘found a book that was the answer to how we should parent.’ Now, I have to say that I was sceptical but also humble enough to think that there would be experts out there who definitely knew more about raising happy babies than me. We have since used Gina’s Contented Baby book for our two children (and her others, e.g. potty training and weaning and contented toddler) and we recommend it to all expectant parents we know. Gina’s book and methods are straight forward and highly logical. Her routines are very clear to follow and explained so the parents can learn and adapt them as necessary. There is also a lot of problem solving guidance that I’ve found really useful in fixing issues. I also have appreciated how the routines adapt to the child’s age to make sure that we stay on top of changes that are needed. I’d also like to stress that I’ve found the routines and methodology to be very compassionate to both the needs of the child and the parents, making sure both have what they need and are as well rested as possible. The routines do require a lot of dedication and should be followed as closely as possible. They require parents to prioritise the routine as much as they can but, after witnessing many friends suffer the downsides of not prioritising routines, this is something we were happy to do. We have had two babies that we have raised with the Gina Ford routines and we are often told how happy and contented they are. Due to the routines, if they are upset, I’ve nearly always been able to understand why and I’ve not had to guess. Both my exclusively breastfeed children have slept through the night (with a dream feed) from a young age and my husband and I have nearly always had evenings together due to predictable children bedtimes. I’d recommend these books to anyone who is expecting a child and who is open minded enough to appreciate that, whilst our little miracles seem unique to us, they will probably have all the same predicable challenges as other babies and Gina Ford more than likely has the solution.

We purchased and read this for my little girl and I cannot tell you how much it helped us. We now have a child who has slept well from 6 months and is almost 2 years old. Anytime we find any bumps we use Gina’s advice to make the needed adjustments. With so much advice out there this is a breath of fresh air - practical, adjustable and most of all it works. Would highly recommend!

Bottom line: Are you a control freak? (be honest)If so, then this is the book for you. If not, then give it a miss. I did not read this book with my first, who was a nightmare baby sleepwise, but was eager to avoid that fate with my second so I did buy and read it then. I found her general baby care advice very sound and helpful and wished I had read at least that first section with my first. As for the much discussed routines, I think that she has based them on what has worked with lots of babies and therefore they will work fine for lots of babies. You have to take the book with a grain of salt and choose to use as much of the routine as works for you and your baby. I liked to dip into it every week or two and get an idea of how Gina thought things would be changing for my baby and then make up my own plan based on my baby's needs as well as the rest of the family's. I have to say that I would often put him to bed thinking he wasn't tired, but give it a try because Gina said to and then find him out cold in seconds, so I do think she knows a thing or two about typical baby rhythms. However all babies are not typical, her routines are virtually impossible if you have an older toddler to manage as well, and if you are a go with the flow kind of mum you may find you don'e enjoy being a slave to a routine. On the other hand, I think many new mums (especially type A ones) feel completely lost when they bring a new baby home. They have no experience with babies, and very high expectations of themselves. Finding themselves confronted with a whole new job, one which is far more important than anything they have done before and yet for which they are entirely unprepared, can bring on panic and depression (to say nothing of the effects of sleep deprivation and hormone upheaval.) This book can be a solid anchor for a new mum who feels out of control and overwhelmed. It tells you how to care for the baby, what to do with it all day, how to structure your new life, how to take care of yourself, and how to feel confident you are doing things more or less right. Once you feel like you have a grip on things, you can throw it away, or use whatever parts of it are working for you. It is important to realize with this book that it is for the MUM, not the baby. Most babies will be fine on this routine, on another routine, or on no routine at all as long as they are kept warm, dry, fed and loved. A happy mum (and dad) are a great plus for your baby, so if you think you are the type of person who will need some structure and guidance to keep you sane, then by all means buy this book and give it a try. If you think you want to use your instincts and be free to go with the flow, then this isn't for you.

Will recommend to everyone!

Un dinero muy bien invertido. Me compre otros libros de ella. Si sigues lo que dice y lo combinas con algunos ajustes dependiendo de tu hijo, saldrá todo perfecto!

Saved our marriage and saved our sanity It’s a full manual to having a contented baby who sleeps through the night and saves your sanity and marriage.

A very good book .should be read by all new parents.

The principles in the book are useful to understand how to schedule your baby’s day - sleep and awake windows etc. However, it is extremely rigid and assumes your baby and run to a precise timetable. The risk is that as a new mum, you’re made to feel like you’re failing which is the absolute last thing you need! Read the book, but take it with a handful of salt