| Gina Ford, author of The New Contented Little | | | | times Gina Ford also suggests very specific |
| Baby Book is a controversial figure. Whereas | | | | sleeping times during the day to prevent the baby |
| modern medicine promotes demand feeding, a | | | | from getting overtired. This includes waking the |
| method by which a newborn baby is allowed to | | | | baby from sleep after set periods. Gina Ford |
| feed as often and as much as it chooses, Gina | | | | believes that babies require a set number of |
| Ford promotes what is seen as a more traditional | | | | hours of sleep during a 24 hour period and by |
| feeding schedule. | | | | ensuring that they do not go beyond this during |
| Rather than allowing the baby to dictate feeding | | | | the daytime hours, they will be much more likely |
| times, which often results in babies feeding almost | | | | to sleep at night. |
| constantly Gina Ford promotes a system | | | | One of the things that many parents find so |
| whereby babies are encouraged to feed regularly | | | | confronting about Gina Ford's methods is that she |
| throughout the day but at set times. By | | | | advocates controlled crying. However, it should be |
| scheduling large numbers of feeds during the day | | | | noted that this is a system that is used in |
| the babies' nutrition needs are met principally | | | | government run sleep clinics throughout the world. |
| during daytime and evening hours, allowing the | | | | Many people who do not follow these principles |
| breastfeeding mother some much needed sleep. | | | | when their babies are small end up in these sleep |
| Of course, Gina does not suggest not allowing | | | | clinics where they are forced to use them at an |
| newborn babies to feed during the night. Rather, | | | | older age. |
| she promotes a feeding schedule that allows | | | | As well as providing guidance as to how to get |
| them to work towards sleeping through the night | | | | your baby to sleep through the night Gina's book |
| from the age of ten to twelve weeks. | | | | also offers much advice about nursery equipment, |
| Not only does Gina promote scheduled breast | | | | breastfeeding and weaning schedules. |
| feeding, she also suggests giving one bottle of | | | | Although many people are not comfortable with |
| either breast or formula milk to babies from the | | | | Gina Ford's techniques she has a very large |
| very beginning of their lives. She also suggests | | | | number of supporters who claim that her |
| that parents should express one bottle of milk | | | | methods have transformed their lives. Those that |
| from the very earliest days. This means that | | | | have used her methods with success tend to be |
| when a baby goes through a growth spurt this | | | | very strong advocates of their use and believe |
| expressing can be dropped and the mother will still | | | | that they result in happy babies and happier |
| be producing enough milk. | | | | parents. |
| As well as offering a schedule of set feeding | | | | |