Product Description

Sleep is probably the most misunderstood and confusing aspect of parenthood. Babies are supposed to sleep most of the time, aren't they? Well, some do, but an awful lot don't. Gina Ford's practical guide helps parents understand their children's sleep patterns and gives them invaluable advice on how to solve or avoid common problems. Starting on the first day at home after the birth, she advises new parents to disregard any advice to let the baby's habits rule the roost. By creating a structure of regular feeding, sleeping and playing times, parents can help their baby to find a rhythm that will be comfortable for all concerned. Among the questions this book answers are: how much sleep do babies need? What's the difference between a sleep and a nap? When can certain feeds be dropped? Gina Ford's blueprint for creating happy and rested babies and parents has been successfully applied over many years.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3033 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Review
Gina Ford is the Delia Smith of parenting...while Delia tells you how to make the perfect omelette, Gina Ford in her baby-care manual The Contented Little Baby Book, draws on 30 years' experience to tell you how to nurture the perfectly happy baby --You magazine

For an astonishing number of mothers she has proved a saviour --Daily Telegraph

For me she was an absolute Godsend
--Kate Winslet

From the Publisher
A guide to peaceful nights from the popular authority on calm and confident parenting

About the Author
Gina Ford has over twenty years' experience of looking after babies and young children. She has worked as a maternity nurse all over the world for all kinds of people, from lawyers and bankers to newspaper editors, pop stars and other high-profile media personalities. She is the author of seven parenting titles and her own website www.contentedbaby.com

Customer Reviews

This book saved our sanity!
When my son was 6 months old, he was still waking up 3-4 times a night. Every time I put him back to bed, I couldn't get back to sleep myself, knowing that he was going to wake up again anyway...I couldn't think straight, I was so knackered. My health visitor couldn't help, my GP told me it was normal and I was beginning to feel really low.
One day a lady in the park recommended reading this book. I thought, why not, I have nothing to lose. Well, it was an eye-opening experience! After reading it - it made loads of sense - I went out and bought the Contented Little Baby Book too (I was warned off that book by loads of people, so I never touched it before 2 months ago!). That weekend I started putting him on the routines and used the advice from the sleep book and guess what? After a few nights, HE STARTED SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT! I could hardly believe it the first night, but then it just continued. I feel so stupid for listening to all the negative comments about Gina Ford books, instead of reading them myself and making my own mind up. My darling baby boy is 10 months old now and he is an outrageously happy kid! We are seriously considering having some more children now...
If you are a new mum, struggling to cope with lack of sleep or simply someone who wants to understand their baby more, then I hugely recommend you to buy this no-nonsense sensible book. It is simply fantastic!

Sleep....and how to get it!
I've followed the CLB routines with both my daughters (now aged 1yr and 5yrs)and wouldn't have it any other way! Many people comment on how happy and contented they are and a lot of that must be due to the amount of solid sleep they both get.
I found the book a very useful addition to the CLB book, as it covers so much information on sleep in more detail than could be afforded in the CLB.
It covers how much sleep you should expect your baby/toddler to need, from birth to 3 years old (and the importance of a routine).
As the book is split into 6 chapters, you can quickly go to the section that's applicable to your babies age.
As with the other Gina Ford books, it contains many detailed case studies of when things have gone wrong. It is very comforting to read how other people get things wrong too, but that the problems can be corrected!
As a parent, one of the most frustrating things is the fact that just as you get used to a certain routine with your baby...they go and change it! Because babies needs are ever-changing, it is so handy to have this book to dip back into for reassurance.
Well worth a read!

Thank you Gina!
I bought this book when my second daughter was 3 weeks old, she's now just turned 4 months and is sleeping through the night, settling herself for day naps and is one of the most contented little babies I have the pleasure of knowing. Gina Ford really comes in for some stick, it's such a shame, her routines are brilliant and it's obvious how much she loves babies. I think the problem is that people take her routines too literally, you have to use your common sense and tailor them to your baby - for example my daughter at 4 months is still having an early evening catnap of 30-45 minutes, she can't make it through till 7pm otherwise whereas Gina advises to drop it around three months. Her basis for good sleep is a 7 to 7 routine with babies main, most longest sleep at lunchtime. As your baby gets older you gradually reduce the length of the naps either side of the lunchtime nap until you are just left with one nap - really that;s it. You just tweak it to fit your baby's needs, some need more sleep, some less.

Thank you again Gina - you are a lifesaver!