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

Rating: - recipe for postnatal depression/ babies can't read!
As a community midwife(with three young boys myself) lots of my time is spent dealing with the mess this book creates. A few babies will conform to the schedule, most will not despite the frantic efforts of their parents. The result is a woman who blames herself for failing, this feeling is amplified by the pressing need for the majority of women to return to work, and for the baby to be compliant in order for this to happen.

In short the book appeals to couples eager to stay in control and makes promises it cannot possibly keep in the majority of cases. Buy something a little more forgiving and accept that early parenthood will be unpredictable and tiring - you won't need something else to beat yourself up over.

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Rating: - Use it as a framework!!
Oh how I wish I'd had this book at the beginning but my midwife didn't approve so I trusted her. I've since realised that she doesn't have children and is therefore somewhat unaware.

If you try to do this book to the letter you will feel inadaquate. Better to use it as a framework and tweek things to suit you and your child. As the time has gone on though, I've come to realise that she's mostly right.

I have lost count of how many problems i've avoided because of what i've read in this book and the toddler one. My daughter is two now and every so many months I dip in to see what i'm aiming for. Its full of great info although i'm not a great fan of her writing style.

My advice is get it, get Tracy Hogg too (she's a bit more lefty) and remember "framework" and "small changes". It still won't make it easy but at least you'll have some idea what is going on and when.

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Rating: - Absolutely awful
You will not end up with a contented baby, rather, a convenient one. If you want to control your baby and end up with an automaton then this is the book for you. If you want to love and enjoy your baby as much as possible then check out William and Martha Sears books!

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Rating: - To balance out more extreme views
I feel the need to balance out the rather extreme reviews this book has had. As a new mum myself I heard about the book, and came on and looked at the reviews, and felt a little overwhelmed. Some say treat it like a prenting bible and follow every word and others say you shouldn't even attempt it and accuse the book of being 'cruel'.
After having had my son (who is now 7 months), I would say that this book is excellent as a starting place. If you, like me, have had advice crammed in every orifice from every person you know and need some good solid advice this book is very useful. It gives you a good sense of an 'ideal' and the confidence to put the suggestions into practice, and it's not as rigid as everyone makes out if you read it properly. On the other hand, the routines are planned down to every last detail and this can be a bit tricky considering what babies are like.

I feel the best way this book can be viewed is: read it, absorb it, then put it to one side and do what YOU feel is right. Refer to it if you get stuck, and for suggestions and guidance, but don't pressure yourself or your baby into strictly adhering to it, but don't completely disregard it. My son wouldn't wake 3 hourly despite everything I tried he would only wake after 4 and slept through the night from 5 weeks (which I am now finding isn't such a bad thing after all!!!)But I had the confidence that I knew a bit about what was going on thanks to Gina Ford.

In other words, just use your common sense and trust your instincts. Only you know what is right for you and your baby. Every baby is different.

I hope this review is helpful to you.

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Rating: - Don't get stressed!
I read this when I had a newborn and it stressed me out - all the things that I should be doing... several months on I have a happy baby, who slept through the night (12 hours) from 3 1/2 months. I have done little that Gina says. So don't let her stress you out! That said, there is some useful information, and Gina isn't afraid to give facts and recommendations that other books and health visitors shy away from, and it can be useful to have this clear guidance, even if you do choose to ignore it!