Rating: 
Summary: horrible stuff
Review: yes,this is horrible stuff,don't understand the popularity of this book at all. All those obsessive sleeping and feeding routines. How has womankind managed all these thousands of years bringing up babies - without clocks - and without busybody midwife dictators like G Ford telling women what they should be doing at any given moment in the day. For many of us with new babies - or indeed an older baby - we feel the need to be rest and enjoy our babies, sleeping when you're both tired, and feeding/eating when you're both hungry. But sometimes I wonder, is that just too easy, happy and obvious??!! (I would like to ask Gina Ford why should any mother with a new baby be washed, dressed and ready to "go" (go where one might ask) at 7 a.m. in the morning.) The years of work/school routines beckon soon enough - why not enjoy early motherhood for all its peace, love and spontaneity? To me, this book belongs firmly in the dark ages of child factory workers, where children were seen and not heard and babies were here to be disciplined and subjugated from birth (not to mention their mothers). As an side, today, I find it depressing to meet so many new mothers whose main subject of conversation is their obsessive sleeping and feeding routines, and I am sure books like this have a lot to answer for. P.S. Its interesting that Gina Ford's other book is on weaning - not breastfeeding, but weaning - another depressing obsession. ...
Rating: 
Summary: terrific
Review: My pediatrician recommended this book and after following its instruction after only a day! my 5 week old newborn was giving me 7-8 hours of sleep a night. While the program may seem rigid at first, it is worth adhering to in the beginning since it works!! Also, it really helped me establish a routine, which babies thrive on. The only reason I didn't give the book a 5/5 is that it doesnt always explain what to do if your child won't respond to the schedule. I still think its a must read for a new mommy who is feeding on demand (a no-no in this book) and not getting any sleep. It changed my life!
Rating:
Summary: Listen to your own instincts!
Review: We as mothers have to be very careful about advice that is telling us to ignore our own instincts. This book does nothing but. I was a frantic new mother, searching for any and all help I could get. I am in my 30's and both my partner and I are fairly intelligent, but really needed guidance. This book made me feel anxious and insane and told me to ignore my own instincts. One day I felt the need to rock my baby to sleep, but the book said not to. It made me cry. It was that day that I decided to forget the book and follow my gut. My baby is very happy, healthy, and has been sleeping through the night perfectly from 6 months. We did use controlled crying to help him to sleep (did the "Ferberizing method" and it worked very well (once we got around to doing it). The book did help us in the sense that it solidified our belief that routine is essential to life for our baby, and for us. However this book doesn't allow for your individual baby's needs. Each child's needs are so different and a parent needs to learn to respond--it is a learning experience! Just r-e-l-a-x a bit and get advice from many different books (buy a few before the baby comes so you are armed!).
Rating: 
Summary: Is a Schedule O.K. with you? BUY IT!!!
Review: When one writes a review of a self-help book, it should be assumed that the writer wanted to read the book, follow the advice, and test the results. I did. Gina Ford's system works exactly as she describes. After reading other reviews of this book, I'm astonished at the hatred some people have for putting babies on a schedule (as well as the personal assaults on Ms. Ford). We are first time parents in our mid thirties... educated and successful. A friend recommended Gina Ford's books just after our baby was born. After spending my twenties listening to co-workers tell nightmare stories about endless, sleepless nights and helpless depression, we tried Gina Ford's system. It worked like magic. Sure - every baby is different. But, believe it or not, they're all human. We all try to wake up in the morning, eat regular meals and sleep at night. So don't pass judgement on Ms. Ford. My guess is that if you compared the early lives of Nobel laureates and lifetime criminals you would find absolutely no correlation between babies on a schedule and those who were not. At 13 months, our baby is very happy, very smart and very loving. When she cries, we know why. When we put her to bed, she goes to sleep. When she wakes up, she greets us with a smile. There's only one question you need to ask yourself: Should an infant be put on a schedule? If your answer is yes, BUY THIS BOOK AND FOLLOW IT! If your answer is no, DON'T BUY THE BOOK! (and stop writing reviews of a book you knew you didn't agree with before you read it.)
Rating:
Summary: A schedule my baby loves!
Review: On a recommendation from another new mother, I bought this book when my daughter was 8 weeks old and we were working on her schedule "on demand" and both feeling tired and cranky. She immediately went from 2-3 feedings at night to one and was sleeping 11pm-7am by 12 weeks. Ford's schedules have helped me to know my child better -- I can tell whether she is hungry, tired or just cranky when she cries instead of guessing and hoping something will work. Take the schedules with a grain of salt -- sometimes you sleep in or take the baby out at night and it still works out in the end. But, they follow common sense and my baby is so much happier than before -- no more crying for an hour at night; lots of smiles.
Rating: 
Summary: Do what she says or you are doomed to failure....yeah, right
Review: If you choose to read this book, PLEASE do so with some common sense. This is NOT a book for most parents. This is for parents who feel that they must put their child on a strict schedule no matter what their needs are. Ford implies that any deviation from her schedule will result in failure (as many of her "scenarios" show). She also makes it clear that she believes only her method will result in a happy/contented baby. In addtion, the book implies that you cannot breastfeed successfully because you're almost guaranteed a low supply problem unless you follow her guidelines (which involve expressing milk & feeding from a bottle at night). I can guarantee that this is not the only way to successfully raise a child...and I can also guarantee that you CAN breastfeed successfully without ever pumping or feeding from a bottle. If you choose to read this book or Ford's other books, please insert some common sense and listen to your baby/toddler. There ARE ways to have a routine (of sorts at least) without resorting to "controlled crying" and waking baby out of a sound sleep at specific times. In addition, there are other authors out there presenting similar parenting methods who at least give you the option to customize the plan to meet their family's needs. Some babies need more of a schedule...some need flexibility and patience. You know your baby better than anyone. Please don't feel that you must force your child to live by unnatural guidelines or mold to your life....try molding your life a bit to them. The rewards are indescribable!!
Rating:
Summary: My bible
Review: Couldn't agree more with most of the reviews. I read the other books, listened to the pediatrician and birthing class advise, and discussed with other pregnant friends how I too planned to "demand feed" and really "listen" to what my baby wanted. Problem was that when she was born, I apparently couldn't hear her over her loud wailing because I was still clueless. This book gave me an idea of at least what she probably was needing at particular times. First six weeks were very hard. We kept trying to stick strictly to the schedule. I'd run around bare-breasted in the middle of nursing to get the "book" because I had forgotten what we were supposed to do at exactly what time. Now I realize that was too extreme. As others also are claiming, best to take the suggestions in stride and not grade yourself by how closely you follow the schedules in the book. Now the schedule works great and she is eating a terrific variety of foods. With her suggestions your baby is trying turnips and parsnips within the first 2 months of being on solids. I've never even tried turnips and parsnips... Our baby seems to love every bit of all foods she is being offered which makes me feel like we're doing a good job of opening up her world. I'd highly recommend this book! Also a good combination with the "The Baby Whisperer" for a more mellow and nurturing routine.
Rating:
Summary: It really works!!
Review: This book was recommended by my UK friends who called Gina Ford the "Baby Nazi". They told me to read it and take what I could out of it. At first I thought there is no way I can do this. I was told by my pediatrician to demand feed, which totally conflicted with what Gina Ford was saying. I knew I wanted to get him on a schedule, but her schedule didn't seem to work for me. I couldn't hold him out long enough between feeds, he was hungry all the time. So I put the book away and forgot about it for a while. It wasn't until he was 3 months old, that I picked it up again and started following her feeding and sleeping routine. It worked!! He is now 6 months old and sleeps 12 hours through the night. I'm still nursing him and he weighs a very healthy 19 lbs. I love this schedule, it's great for both parents and babies. My friends were right, take what you can from it and make it work for you. I'm not as strict as Gina Ford would like, but I've made it work for me. A few of my friends keep their babies up late at night in the hope they will sleep in longer. This does not work, they all still wake up early whatever time they went to bed. Get them on a schedule! If it doesn't work in the beginning, try it at a later date like I did. It really does work!
Rating:
Summary: Thanks Gina
Review: As a new mother I had dutifully attended my antenatal classes and tried to take on board the current thinking of supply and demand feeding. Towards the end of my pregnancy I ended up being in hospital and my husband kept me supplied with baby books to relieve the boredom. This book out of all of them struck me as common sense- a complete contradiction to modern chapter and verse issued by health visitors! Even the midwives in the hospital saw it, and those with children agreed that establishing a routine was a good idea for you and your baby!!My husband works days away from home and I was determined that I would cope with the demands of a new baby on my own and at some stage return to my job as a shift worker. I stuck rigidly to Gina's routine and it worked without any effort. Yes it seems strict but I have had a baby that from the age of 3 months has slept from 7pm-7am. The other huge benefit has been that on this routine you get a 2 1/2 hour rest at lunchtime each day. I didn't find many other mothers doing supply and demand feeding that could boast that.
Yes my baby might have been a good baby anyway but my advice is try it, it might just be the lifeline you need. Everyone I know that's tried it swears by it. Thanks Gina.
Rating:
Summary: It's the best ever!
Review: I've read BabyWise and No Cry Sleep Solution. I tried both methods... it didn't work! Frustrated, puzzled and sleep deprived, when a friend told me about this book, I was real desperate. With a bub of 3 1/2 months, after 3 days of using Gina's routine, it worked! It's a miracle. The lil one is extremely happy and contented..he even laughs during his bath time.. as if he's looking forward to a 7pm to 7pm sleep time. Get this book...and be very disciplined! It won't work if you're not disciplined in terms of sleep and feed training. You will have no life for a while, but in the long term, you'll find you worry less about your child's well being. They'll be independent and happy.
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