i know you will all think i have finally lost it but i am going to write a book called .... "tear up all the baby books and go with whats right for you and your baby!":x
how many of us have read these retched "help"books when all we really need to do is relax and trust our own instincts:\)

i agree babies ,children and for that matter adults all need routine to help us function but can you imagine as an adult someone saying oh its 7 oclock eat ,oh its 8 oclock sleep,i know your tired but its 9 oclock so play??!! etc...

i think its all marketing to get us frazzled parent to buy the books that get us frazzled in the first place telling us we all need to get a book cos we are not doing it right!!!!:\? how many of us have posted on here cos this or that method isn't working??
babies are babies and yes you can get a routine some of them comply very well and very early but what about the ones that dont are they bad babies or are we bad parent or just maybe they are wee people just like us and don't want to do what the books says they should :\?
madness over think im having a hormone moment:roll:
fea x

hi fea!

no, i dont think it is hormones! just common sense!!

i believe that if you are sensible about things, and consider what others say before making your own decision, then you & your baba will be fine!!

if you are gonna try baked beans & toast on a 6 week old (yep! i know them!!) then you need a lobotomy, not a book!

good look with your book!!!!

Hahahahaha!
This is so true!
I worked myself up into a state before as Ruby needs to wake up at 10am to 'play under her play gym with no nappy on' and nothing I do will wake her up!
The first few days were awful as I bought the Gina Ford book and it even told me what time to make some toast and when to have a glass of water!
I can see its so ridiculous now but I was so desperate to the 'perfect' mum and have the 'perfect' baby!
We've both been much happier since I just did what I thought was right.
Mind you i'm not fully cured as i've just bought the Gina Ford weaning book. WHY DO I DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????!!!

Great post! xx

i hid all my books when my lo was about a month old when i realised that the saying 'mums know best' is sooooo true! (ok I admit I 'refer' to them occasionally but I tend to do what I feel my baby is asking for)

Fab idea, you have my full support!!
I never read my books from hv and mw (well I read up on the immunitations(sp?)). I just thought she is my daughter I no best. I have gone against advice on times like putting my daughter on her front to sleep as she was most comfortable like that and I bathed her everyday since she was 2 days old.
I have brought the 'Annabel Karmel's new complete baby and toddler meal planner' mainly for recipes for Freya.
Good luck and Take care
X X X

Totally agree!
Starting weaning soon so got Annabel Karmel book and checking meal planners for week and Oh said "why don't you just take each day as it comes". My word he has a brain!!! Only joking!
The book is ace - but will just be using it for the recipes.

That is all I used it for. Freya loves it.
Kerry and Freya
X X X

I never bought a 'how to bring up baby' book, only thing I got is 2 Annabel Karmel ones for the recipes. I didn't really believe in some woman who never had children (Gina Ford) to tell me when to hug my baby and when to let her sleep, eat and poo.

Didn't realise Gina Ford didn't have kids.
At least Annabel karmel has got kids (and sadly lost one).
When i first met my hv she told me never to buy a Gina Ford book as she makes you out to be a terrible mum if you don't follow her advice (hv words not mine)!

Thats a great idea. I never used any of those books. I just take each day as it comes and what happens I go with it. I have a routine but I am not strict with it or the times. It does me or Kara no harm at all.

has gina ford not got kids then? i though she'd had hundreds from the potty training advice book my friend had!!

hiya,im sorry but i have to disagree,as a first time mum and you come home its very frightening! yes we all should go on our insticts which is a natural part of becoming a mummy but if it wasnt for gina ford and her advice i dont think i would have got my lo into a good routine! i did addaped it slightly but my dd has never had any problems with sleeping or anything really,most people i no asked me what i did to get dd into such a good routine and i tolt them about the book since then they to have had a much happier life it just all depends on whether you want your independance back sooner rather than later and i dont consider myself to be a bad mother for wanting a life after children.

highlandfea I say go for it, you would probably make a fortune!!

I have been feeling a bit stressed recently as my lo wasn't sleeping at the times GF said she should sleep at (and this was in the free GF book I got with Prima baby magazine). And I then I thought 'what the hell am I doing trying to make her sleep at certain times!!'

I do agree like routines, mainly because I worry that she is not sleeping, feeding, playing enough otherwise, but I think I have been quite hard on myself worrying about it and that is just stupid!!

I think as much as these books try and help to take the stress away they can often add to it!

i say go for it

i am a 1st time mum and have never read nor bought any of these types of books as i dint want to waste my money,if maybe you havnt been around babys or had much contact with them i might suggest getting 1 but i got lennon into a routine myself which always changed by the odd hour or so as they get older anyway,but i always went with my own instincts and couldnt be more that happy with what i have achieved

my step sister in law let my dad and step mum look after their baby who is 6 months over night and brought a thermomiter for them to use as his room had to be 18 digrees c,when i was told this i was like what why? they also told them he had to be in bed for 6.30 so she wasnt to happy when she phoned at 7.20 and he was up with them watchiing dr who lol

babies are all different so i dont think you can base a book on what all babies should be doing,only the parents can read their babies,i think a bit of common sence goes a long way

mind you i dont see the book being that long a read lol

maybe a page saying "stop reading silly books telling you what to do with your babys and believe in you own intsincts" lol

never bought a book at all, not even a recipe one.
dont see the need - me and baby and dad have been doing brilliantly all on our own without some childless hardnosed stupid person telling us how to do everything. And were first time parents.
Allright, weve had some scares, but i'd much rather consult a HV or MW or Mother for adivce...

Havent seen the point in a recipe book either as we know what children should and shouldnt have, and i really enjoy cooking and baking so am pretty imaginative myself. (if i do say so myself! :lol: )

maybe you could add some pictures to your book fea? cartoon images of mothers throwing away 'how to bring up your baby by someone who doesnt know him/her' book..... ;\)

xxxxx

Haha, good idea!

Have to admit I've read pretty much every baby book going. Dunno why really as I've never followed a single one of them! I just love reading and love my babies so thought I'd combine the two!

I do find some useful advice in them but couldn't follow a strict routine- esp not Gina Ford. Not to be rude but I'm suprized she doesn't tell you when to go the toilet as well! I did like the baby whisperer easy routine but don't see the point in keeping a newborn awake to 'play' so ignored that one as well!

A routine emerged naturally with my first baby, there was nothing contrived about it and slept through most night from 6 weeks. I bought the routine books as I was scared of having 2 babies so close in age and worried how I would fit everything in but again a natural sort of pattern has emerged.

xxx

I agree with both sides here. As someone who has used a fairly well known book (by someone who does have kids!) and found it very helpful, these books and guides are fine to dip in and out of but we should never let them override our own instincts as mothers or doubt that we know best. And family and friends are a fantastic resourse for info and advice too.

i can hear the publishing houses all queing up to sign me up for this book lol or maybe like grudie says cos its such a short read it will be a pamphlet(sp?) with cool pics (SY like that idea lol) that the hv can give out lol ... glad i not alone in my thoughts . i know some people swear by them and thats cool but remember to listen to your own inner intuition its there for a reason
fea x

wanting door to door canvisers (sp?) lol

is there anyone out there who wants to do the pics for my pamphlet?? lol
canvesers(sp) welcome
just think with all that money i will make i can aford to buy a gina ford book lol lol lol !!!
better still she could come nanny for me......NOT!!!!

fea x

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