gina ford’s baby sleep method - does it work?
When I was three months pregnant, I excitedly bought Gina Ford's The New Contented Little Baby Book. The book came highly recommended, and I had seen its success first-hand. My sister followed the book to the tee, and both her sons were sleeping well through the night (and at naps) by 3 and 4 months, respectively. My sister-in-law also followed Gina Ford's method when her children were younger, and they were (and still are) fantastic sleepers.
I completed the book by the end of my second trimester, convinced that I was fully equipped to set my family up for good sleep and success. I even re-read the book at least three times—since it had worked so well for my sister and sister-in-law, I figured the key was to follow the method very closely.
When Elliot was born, I tried my best to adhere to the routine as precisely as possible. However, I didn’t experience the same success as my sister did and found it extremely challenging to stick to the schedule. Elliot took much longer to feed than the book suggested, and if I shortened his feeding time, he’d wake up hungry and earlier than expected. Even when he completed full feeds, he seemed to wake quickly and cry inconsolably. I was at a loss—I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, especially since the method had worked so well for those around me.
It wasn’t until my mom observed that Elliot was a very gassy baby and needed extra burping during feeds that we started to make sense of the situation. His feeding times simply couldn’t follow Gina Ford's stipulated schedule, and our playtime was reduced as a result. With more burping breaks, Elliot began to have more meaningful sleep, but I still struggled to put him to sleep without feeding him. This meant that when he awoke at night, the only way to soothe him was to feed him, which disrupted our nights.
As you may have read in my About Me section, I eventually hired a sleep consultant when Elliot was 8 months old, and the rest is history. That said, I still believe Gina Ford's book contains valuable insights worth considering.
what i liked: the new contented little baby book
Sample Schedules: The book provides sample schedules, which are incredibly helpful for first-time parents who have no idea how to structure their day. This can be reassuring during the early days of parenting when everything feels unpredictable.
Sleep Hygiene Tips: Ford emphasizes the importance of a bedtime routine, something I feel strongly about as well. Establishing a consistent routine can be a key element in promoting good sleep habits.
Avoiding Sleep Props: Ford advises against using pacifiers as sleep aids and cautions that rocking can become a sleep prop that interferes with long-term sleep plans. These insights can be helpful for setting up sustainable sleep habits.
What Didn’t Work: My Experience with Gina Ford's Method
Rigid Schedules: I tried to follow the method from day one, but it didn’t work for me at all. I felt disheartened because I couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong. The schedules might be too rigid for some families. While the book is still a useful reference for best practices and approximate schedules, trying to adhere to it too strictly can make it difficult to manage your life.
Additionally, some babies have erratic sleep patterns, and following a rigid schedule that doesn’t suit your baby can cause unnecessary stress. Flexibility is crucial in parenting since every baby and household is unique.Overtiredness Not Addressed: The concept of overtiredness isn’t really discussed in the book, but it’s something that as a sleep consultant I’ve learned is essential to consider. Overtiredness can lead to significant sleep issues, and as a sleep consultant now, I understand how critical it is to recognize and address this.
Would I Recommend Reading The New Contented Little Baby Book by Gina Ford?
If you're pregnant and have the time and enjoy reading, why not? There’s a lot of good information in the book, but it’s important to keep in mind that all babies are different, and the schedule might not work for your child.
If you like fixed schedules and planning ahead, this book will resonate with you—it certainly did with me!
If you’re already struggling with your baby’s sleep, then maybe not—you might be better off consulting with a sleep expert who can troubleshoot your specific situation and offer tailored advice.
Is it Necessary to Hire a Baby Sleep Training Consultant?
With so much information available, you might wonder if hiring a sleep consultant is truly necessary. When Elliot came into my life, I initially thought professional help wasn’t needed—after all, isn’t baby sleep supposed to be effortless? The saying “sleeping like a baby” suggests it should be straightforward. But I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The first 8 months with Elliot were filled with sleep deprivation, and I was barely getting 3-4 hours of sleep each night. I often felt like a zombie, struggling to embrace my role as a mother—a role I had dreamed of since I was younger.
Looking back, I realize that my approach to improving Elliot’s sleep didn’t consider his temperament, my parenting style, or our family dynamics. I was simply trying what had worked for others, without assessing whether it was right for us.
In hindsight, I understand that our journey could have been much smoother if I had sought guidance tailored to our needs. By prioritizing Elliot’s well-being and considering factors beyond just getting him to sleep through the night, I could have avoided much of the frustration and exhaustion that defined those early months.
So, is it necessary to hire a baby sleep consultant? I would say yes. Hiring a Sleep Sense™ consultant with the experience and training to recognize issues in our environment and schedule, and to understand Elliot’s temperament, was the best decision I made for our family. Without my consultant’s help, I probably would have continued in a zombified state, unable to enjoy the past year of motherhood (which I’ve truly cherished since getting the sleep I needed).
Create Better Sleep for Your Baby and Family with Night Night’s Baby Sleep Training
Now, equipped with my training in the Sleep Sense™ method, I'm dedicated to offering compassionate guidance and evidence-based strategies to help your family experience peaceful nights and joyful mornings. Whether you’re dealing with bedtime battles or midnight wake-up calls, rest assured, I have the tools and empathy to support you every step of the way. Book a free 20-minute discovery call with me, and take the first step toward gentle and effective baby sleep training to create better sleep for your entire family!
Other FAQs about baby sleep training
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Gina Ford's method revolves around establishing a strict routine from day one. The idea is that by setting a predictable schedule for feeding, napping, and bedtime, your baby will naturally settle into a rhythm that promotes healthy sleep habits. This method has resonated with many parents because it provides structure, which can be incredibly reassuring during the early days of parenting when everything feels so unpredictable.
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The Gina Ford method has shown great results for many families, like my sister’s and sister-in-law’s. The routine creates a sense of security for both parents and babies, which can make the process of settling into sleep smoother. Babies who thrive on predictability may respond well to this kind of structured approach. Plus, for parents who appreciate having a clear plan, Gina Ford's detailed schedules can be a lifesaver.
However, it’s important to recognize that not all babies (or parents) will fit neatly into a structured routine. Some babies have more erratic sleep patterns, or may struggle with settling into sleep despite following the routine to the letter. Others may find the rigidity of the schedule stressful, especially if their lifestyle or baby’s temperament doesn’t align with the book’s guidelines. -
The Gina Ford method is not strictly a form of sleep training in the way that some other methods are, like the Ferber method or the Sleep Sense™ program. Instead, it’s more about establishing a structured daily routine that includes feeding, nap times, and bedtime. The idea is that by following a consistent schedule from early on, babies will naturally develop good sleep habits without the need for more direct sleep training techniques like controlled crying or gradual withdrawal.
While some aspects of the Gina Ford method might overlap with sleep training—such as promoting independent sleep and avoiding sleep props—the method itself is more focused on creating a predictable routine that supports healthy sleep patterns. Sleep training typically involves specific strategies to help babies learn to self-soothe and sleep independently, whereas the Gina Ford method is about routine-based sleep management.
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Deciding whether or not to sleep train is a personal choice that depends on your baby's temperament, your parenting style, and your family's needs.
If your baby is having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking frequently through the night, sleep training might help establish better sleep habits. On parenting, it really depends on whether the sleep training method you choose fits with your parenting philosophy. It is also important to consider emotional readiness of the family to sleep train.
Finally, if your baby's sleep is affecting your ability to function, sleep training might be beneficial for both you and your baby. If it is also causing some tension in the household, sleep can help create a more peaceful environment for everyone.
Sleep training is not for everyone - if you are unsure about sleep training or have tried different methods without success, feel free to arrange for a free call to find out how we at Night Night can help you and your family.
