Hm Gina Ford seems to be flavour of the month and I'm not sure I really like her style (or, maybe I haven't really looked into it that much, but there seems to be lots of routine and structure), now I know this is probably all good advice, but can someone recommend a more baby-led baby book???

I know it's not much help, but i read a few books (can't remember the names!) but i found that just letting Alfie take the lead worked a million times better!

i read one called 'the baby whisperer' but as Lisa said i just find it easier to respond to ava. Then again i'm a bit go with the flow person, not really into routines as such, apart from bedtimes. x

No, I'm not into routines and stuff either but Eli is just over 3 months now and still not going to bed until 1-2am haha plus a few other things that could do with being ummm tweaked

I read 2 - Gina Ford and the Baby Whisperer. I liked the idea of Gina ford but when it actually came to trying to put it into force there was no chance! alfie doesnt sleep for any length of time which straight away ruins the routine!

The baby whisperer i found useful. I follow the EASY routine. Eat > Activity >Sleep > You

The way it works is a baby works on a 90 minute sleep cycle. After you have fed ure baby, play with them and keep them awake and alert as u can. After 90 mins they chud be showing signs of sleepyness. This is when u shud put them down to sleep and then thats where the YOU part comes in.

I find it really does work, as after youve played with them for the 90 mins theyre knackered and ready for a sleep. I now know alfies nap times based on this cycle. Hes up and fed at 9, nap about 11 for about 45 mins then i play until his bottle at 12.30, nap at 3 blah blah.

Give it a try!

x

Ahh I vaguely remember you mentioning that before Amy, now that Eli is a bit older I think it might suit him better - I keep thinking ahh tomorrow will be the day that I get up early and everything goes according to plan, pah! Haha, I will keep trying though, the easy plan does seem to sort of fit with how Elijah is anyway at the moment

I'm a huge Tracy Hogg (Baby Whisperer) fan. I used to watched her on tv and thought her way of thinking was fab

She has done many books - http://www.amazon.co.uk/baby-whisperer/s?ie=UTF8&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ababy+whisperer&page=1

And there is also a baby whisperer site/forum too.

might just go for the sleep one - they are about £2.50 on play thanks ladies!

I have to admit im a Gina fan. I dont follow it strictly but my boys are in bed by 7pm and get up at 7am. I only start getting them into a routine around 3months as before that they are too young (apart from bedtime routine which i have done since early on) x

I got the gina ford book too and when I read it I thought no way am I doing this to my baby. But I loosely followed her advice (I had in my mind how she said my day should be) and in the end Tyler ended slipping into that routine himsef. Like Amandas boys my Tyler is in bed by 7 (normally a bit earlier) but sleeps 12 hours straight through. If it wasn't for that Gina ford book he definately wouldn't be in the fab routine that he is now (he also naps for 3 hours in the day which is great!)
so whilst most of her idea's I hated, if you always have it in theb ack of your mind (i.e oh he's been awake for 90 or 120 mins etc he should sleep now) then you'll one day realise your in a perefct routine lol.

Eli has decided to stay up for 6 hours sleep for 2 stay up for 6 sleep for 2, no good I have ordered the tracy hogg one about sleep as thats really the problem area

I've read both the Gina Ford and baby whisperer books and have taken bits of advice from both and used them to help Stephen get into his own routine. It definitely helped to get him in a good bedtime routine though. He now has his bottle, bath then a cuddle and a story in his room, then goes in the cot with his light show on and gets himself to sleep for 7 and he'll sleep till 6.30/7ish. I found Gina Ford helped me to know how much sleep he needed during the day at different stages too xxx