Gina Ford and Spongebob...An Unlikely Combination!

Well after all the drama of last week I hit Amazon hard!

A lot of friends recommended the 'Contented Baby Guide' by Gina Ford, so I thought it was worth checking out.

Forgot that I went a bit mad, they were only £3 each (2nd hand)

So far has arrived: Mums on Babies, Contented Baby guide to Weaning, From Contented Baby to Confident Person, Contented Baby Guide to Potty Training (perhaps 4 months is a bit early!)

I also remember ordering, the 'Contented Little Baby Book' AND the 'New Contented Little Baby Book'

They've not yet arrived.

So I perused the weaning book and the confidence book, and essentially they both say the same things, as I'm sure will the other 2 when they arrive, so if you need one, just buy the guide, it covers everything!

I've heard a lot of opinions on Gina Ford, there's a huge split a lot for and an equal amount against her advice.

The thing that interested me the most was that she doesn't have children. She's looked after 300 of other peoples. But is that the same? Is that enough experience to tell a parent how to raise their own child?!

However then I flaw my own arguement. I'm an avid Supernanny fan, but she doesn't have children either.

So I read the books anyways, and a lot of it the OH and I do through instinct, there was some handy peices of advice, maybe only 2 bits per book.

So if you are struggling, perhaps get the book, but just get it from the library.

I'd personally keep the 'Mums on Babies' one handy. Its a book with general advice, written quite humourously (there's a new one just called 'Babies' by the same authors) but it also has snippets from mums, using the authors website http://www.mumsnet.com/ I got the 'Babies' one a few weeks after I'd given birth, it made everything seem normal and more manageable, it had me crying laughing at some parts (links are in the Amazon recommended box over there somewhere ------->)

I found it more helpful to gather lots of information from a variety of people, people I knew, recommended authors, my gut, the internet and then come to a decision using them all!

So time for my Spongebob debate;

Sadly the Pro's and Cons still balance out.

Con:
I was SHOCKED! Spongebob was singing a song about FUN, so he decided to spell it out, Verse 1 and 2 F stands for Friendship, correct. Verse 1 U stands for You, bad, Verse 2 U stands for Ukulele, correct.
Verse 1 N stands for Anywhere, Verse 2 Anyone....!? WHAT IS HE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN?!

Text talk that's what.

Awful.

Pro:
Upon using the above arguement with The Daughter she informed me that in one episode he learns how to tie his shoelaces, which would in turn teach the viewer how to do it.
I'm yet to witness this, but for now he has the benefit of the doubt!

Bet Gina Ford would be shocked too!

I've also been dithering whether to go a bit further into the mums after effects of giving birth, the more, er, physical effects. Step too far or do you think it should be shared?!