[AG2007]

Anyone following the Gina Ford routine? My baby is 6 weeks and I am (somewhat) following, but more using her routine as a guideline. Anyone on the same routine but baby cannot stay awake for the recommended time - up to 2 hours? My baby can only stay awake for about 1hr each time so ends up napping for longer than the recommended time as well. She sleeps fine throughout the day, but I noticed she is harded to settle at bedtime (7pm). Other than that she's quite a content baby

[spockey]

We've followed Gina Ford's routine from birth. By 5 weeks, he was "sleeping through the night"... as in we only had to dream feed him at 10 and then again at 6am. At 5 weeks, he was sleeping by 7pm. Today, he still sleeps at 7pm. Bub loves his routine and gets cantankerous when it's off. So we still follow Gina Ford's suggestions with a tweak here and there. I must say though... the first couple of days trying to get him to sleep at 7 (when he was about 4 weeks old) were rough. But it's paid off and I'm glad I toughed out those days.

[capital]

I found that my babies were ready for a nap again after about 1.5 hours of wakefulness, max 2 hours and they were overtired. I think you will have a much easier time napping your child if you catch them when they are starting to get sleepy versus overtired, so just follow your own babies cues and you will be doing great. I am leary of a one size fits all approach to parenting books, not all babies are the same. I haven't read this book so can;t comment on it directly, but I do think if you feed your baby when the baby is hungry, nap the baby when the baby is tired, play with the baby when the baby wants to play, generally follow your baby's lead, this is the best and easiest way to go about it. Babies know what they need and you will figure out how they tell you.

[turtle]

Don't give up on Gina, if it is not working right now then keep trying... By sticking to her routine it will really pay off. I was criticised heavily for following her, but my daughter has slept from 7 till 7 from the age of 4.5 months and the people who criticised me are STILL have problems at 20 months!!!!!!!! Keep going, don't give up on Gina, the routine will help you in the long run I promise!

[AG2007]

Thanks for input. After I've fed my baby she normally dozes off and if I put her on her playmat/rocker she'll only last about 15 mins and then yawns or gets irritable (ie she's tired). So I'm wondering if a baby can actually last 2hrs (awake) or is my baby just a "sleepy baby"????

[loupou]

Originally Posted by AG2007

So I'm wondering if a baby can actually last 2hrs (awake) or is my baby just a "sleepy baby"????

OMG! Yes, my son would stay awake for hours even as a newborn. It was torture.

[AG2007]

One more thing, Gina says to feed baby for 25-35 mins on breast and then the 2nd breast if baby's still hungry. I find my baby stops feeding in 15-20 mins. After that she'll refuse to take anymore milk. Anyone else's baby feeds that quickly?

[Lisa1]

I love the Gina routine - my 5 year old still to this day goes to bed at 7 and doesnt wake until 7am - I think it is a fab routine , the only downside being that it is not very flexible but for 90% of the time it saves my sanity! Interestingly I have a 7 month baby who has also followed the same routine since birth but since I have had to return to work my helper is struggling to follow the instructions and my baby has begun waking earlier in the morning ... I do remember it being very very difficult to keep her awake in the early days, but the hard work then definitely pays off....