As well as putting out a statement regarding these allergations Channel 4 should answer the question that many people have asked. Was there any medical advisors present during the filming, and did the parents meet any medical advisors before, during or after the filming. I get the impression that medical advisors were shown the finished programme, but not actually involved during the filming.
This media interest in this programme should not be allowed to die down, until the truth is made known about this programme.
Agreed. The only way to make this happen is to carry on making a fuss. Those who shout loudest will eventually be heard. Not sure this is the place to be shouting as we're censored left, right and centre when Channel 4 gets upset by people speaking the truth.
Love to see how media shy she gets now, from putting herself about doing the poor me stint I think she may go a bit quiet now. I just knew she had no qualifications. I rang around places myself and found out the same as the times have. Not that it actually mattered, even if she had done some course doesn't make what she preaches right in anyway. But channel 4/silver river should've checked properly first.
Social Baby who started up the petition is another website were you can post and the comments will not be censored.
Keep emailing Ofcom and the NSPCC will also help. It is important to remember what the real complaint is, that Channel 4 allowed a programme to be shown on TV that involved neglect towards innocent babies. Parents were advised that strict 4 hourly feeding, and crys of hunger should be ignored. Love and affection were to be restricted to only ten minutes a day, if this is not child negelect I don't know what is. It is important that people do not lose focus on what they should be complaining about, which is the exploitation of babies for the making of entertainment. To sit back and ignore this makes us as guilty as those who exploited these innocent babies.
I've been pestering OFCOM and channel 4, and Hamish etc But no way am I going near Gina's website! Granted she's not as bad as Verity but she is still responsible for promoting unresponsive parenting methods.
I am not going to get into a debate about Gina Ford versus Claire Verity, other than to say Gina Ford does not promote unresponsive parenting methods. At least she is doing more to try and stop this neglectful type of televsion programme happening again, than many so called attachment parenting gurus.
Well I suppose she never got her chance to make her show. The BBC saw sense thank goodness, because I couldn't see a neglectful parenting method advocated on television I pestered the commissioner of BBC3 at the time, daily, and I was so happy when her baby show was cancelled. The details of Gina Ford's Babyschool were also exploitative of new babies and mothers. Living in a big brother style hours, 24 hours a day, cameras and baby training. Hmmm.
I have read her books and there is nothing responsive in them. Imposing schedules from a timetable, leaving to cry, are beneficial for nobody. For a start breastfeeding does not work on a schedule. You'd be lucky to manage it successfully. I know personally of women who have left babies to cry for hours based on the fact Gina Ford's books say not to feel guilty about it. If it's not what Gina intended then she needs to make it clear this is not what she advocates. Mothers and babies need to find their own routine together, learn each other's little ways and not be dictated too.
What do these experts know! These books written on their own beliefs not whats right for parenting skills,
Do yourselves favour chuck the books in the bin its only to make money out of parents like yourselves, thank goodness BBC saw sense and not make yet another reality baby show about another so called expert theories and inflicting their theories on poor mum & babies it about time these programmes were regulated and only proper qualified people using current health guidlines are used. how can someone lie about their qualfications on national TV, if she went for a proper job in childcare she would have to produce her certificates, her passport and have a current CRB, so on earth can she get a job on TV inflicting her method on the public.
You say that parents should not be dictated too on how to bring up their children, yet you go on to give your view how they should bring up their babies. So what you mean as long as everyone brings up their baby is your way, that is fine - a joke or what !
Also Gina Ford does make it clear in all her books that young babies should not be left to cry, and that an unsettled baby should be offered a feed, even if it is long before the recommended time.
With regard to her TV programme, please do not take any credit for the show being cancelled. Gina Ford put a message on her website which made it very clear that it was she who walked away from the show, because of reality type changes that was brought in at the last minute.
Are you claiming that she is a liar ?
It is interesting how you keep taking the debate away from the real problem of babies being used in a neglectful way to provide adult entertainment. Wonder what your reason for this is, are you perhaps a friend of CV ?
Franco33 - you are correct in what you say. Gina Ford does not promote unresponsive parenting. I have read her book and she states that you must always offer your baby a feed if they are crying, in case they are hungry. Her book does not say that you have to leave your child to cry. I read her book and tried to follow the routines but I did not stick to them by the letter - I adapted them to suit me and my baby, and I have to say that I am happy that I did.
Gina Ford is trying to distance herself from CV, because she doesn't want people to think she is the same as CV. GF is using a very clever publicity stunt (I think her attempt to sue mumsnet was probably hugely damaging which is why she is back peddling so hard on this one and trying to make herself look like the fairy godmother).
This shouldn't be a discussion about GF, I agree, but please don't tell people who diasgree with her methods to shut up about it.
We also have a right to disagree with GF's methods, whether they are exactly like CV's or not is a matter of OPINION not a matter of fact.
It's an absolute disgrace that Channel 4 or the production company didn't check this woman's qualification. They were clearly more interested in ratings or reality "drama" than protecting any of the vulnerable babies they were involving in their "experiment".
There needs to be regulation (with sanction) put into place to protect children used in reality TV shows. At the moment the producers and broadcasters are out of control.
Apart from writing to the NSPCC and The Prime Minster Gina Ford has said very little about Claire Verity. I don't think that anyone with half a brain thinks that Gina Ford's methods are the same as Claire Verity. Watching how Gina Ford dealt with Mumsnet I don't think that she is trying on any sort of publicity stunt, remember she didn't do any interviews on that one either. I am in publishing and the book tracker figures show that Gina Ford's book sales are still way ahead of anyone else who writes childcare books, despite the Mumsnet Saga. Lets face it with everyone so keen to debate Gina Ford she hardly needs to do publicity. I know parents who follow Gina Ford and parents who follow attachment parenting, both have happy balanced children. Parents should be allowed to follow a style of parenting they see fit. The issue here is whether the advice Claire Verity gave was neglectful or not, and what responsibilty Channel 4 should take on the matter.
It is interesting how you keep taking the debate away from the real problem of babies being used in a neglectful way to provide adult entertainment. Wonder what your reason for this is, are you perhaps a friend of CV ?
If you read my other posts you'll see this is not the case! GF's show was going to exploit children...I'm not sure what book you have read by GF but it sounds very different to the one I have seen! I am involved in NHS maternity committees and hear the horror stories from midwives about "gina" babies. Mothers in tears thinking they have failed because baby doesn't do the schedules, breastfeeding failing, dehydration problems requiring hospital treatment. That's just he start of it.
I never said I took credit for the show stopping, but you accused attachment types of not trying to stop exploitative parenting shows and I tried my hardest and was pleased when it was cancelled. I do know what happened that christmas. I also had a discussion with Jo Frost about leaving babies to cry before Supernanny even aired. I would love to see that off our screens too. It's terribly disrespectful, touting quick fix ideas, showing distressed children on tv for "fun".
I'm not saying everyone should parent my way, just that they should be fully informed of all the risks of first. Then they can make the choice, if they choose to train their baby then on their head be it. It's not like that though, women who would make lovely mothers are bullied out of their instincts because some book demands that's how to do it. When it would be so much better to just do what feels right for them but bad books, bad programmes and a childist society makes them ignore their instincts. Someone needs to say if your baby cries it's ok (more than ok) to cuddle her, you won't be spoiling them at all despite what all these training experts say. As for friend of CV...you must be joking. I couldn't last a second in the same room as her.
Moogyboobles - you talk of the 'horror stories' that you have heard about 'Gina babies' - that may be so but I know of at least 5 'Gina babies' (one of them being mine) and they are all thriving and are all happy little babies. The other thing is that just becasue I followed a routine (quite loosley really) from Gina's book does not mean that she is a 'Gina Baby' - she is mine and I merely used the book as reference and adpated it to the needs of my baby.
One other point is that you say that you are not telling people to parent your way....you then go on to say that should they decide for themselves to 'train' (whatever that means) then 'on their head be it'.....it is this expression that gives people that you do think it is only your way that is right!!
I have been reading these forums with amusement and horror. I have used Gina Ford with my first child and will again with the child I am expecting and find it offensive that people think I have neglected my children in any way. I see the points regarding CV and think the point about the reality programme is the only valid one. How dare people critcise others who are trying to do their best to ensure their children and their family are happy - i would normally never pass opinion on anyone elses parenting as I know it is the hardest role I have ever had and I have run several large companies but MY OPINION is that routines work, children need them and thrive on them so when you are up all night and so is your whole family, think on.
Look I believe parents should be responsive to individual baby's needs. Should be fully informed of any risks to any approach they may choose to take. Because they are not obvious, they may appear to be fine at the time but science has proven they are not in the long run. So more needs to be done to let parents know of the damage of certain parenting methods. Obviously lots stick their heads in the sand and get all defensive but my opinions are based on scientific fact not just on what I feel is right. I don't care if their parents are happy with how things are, that is not always an indication of how the babies are doing. A compliant, well behaved, sleeping through baby maybe handy but is not necessarily going to reach the potential they could've with a more responsive family. People pander way too much to parents' feeling and needs and not enough thought is given to the baby. My son doesn't keep the family up at night, we are not forced to stick to a timetable, we can go out with no worries about comforming to books or schedules. I'm just saying there are consequences to how you treat a baby, lifelong implications that are often overlooked and rarely talked about yet affect the whole of society so really should be addressed more often.
Getting back to the point in hand - how do the parents who took part in this "experiment" now feel, realising that they entrusted the care of their newborns to an unqualified person, and took on the advice given (in some cases to an almost religious fevour - remember how paniked Ranna was when the babies might not get fed exactly on time?). Maybe Mat and Vicky are still logging in - it would be interesting to find out if they still feel they got the right advice.
franco says: "I am in publishing and the book tracker figures show that Gina Ford's book sales are still way ahead of anyone else who writes childcare books, despite the Mumsnet Saga"
hi franco, you have just confirmed my worst fear, that GF is extremely popular and that some people still follow her as one would follow a prophet.
perhaps you would like to give an opinion on why the UN says we have the unhappiest teenagers, who use drugs, get pregnant and are involved in more antisocial behaviour than children on the continent ?
there will be different views as to why this may be, my personal view on this is that as moogy says we do live in a baby/child unfriendly Britain where the focus is on the parent's ability to go back to work asap, and to have as much time to themselves asap.
you only have to go to other Europen acountries to see children everywhere and anywhere, babies in restaurants and coffe shops even late at night, being hugged and kissed and passed around the tabels. i remember when we were in Spain a few months ago. there wasn't a single hotel or restaurant where my son wasn't welcomed by the management and the waiting staff and given gifts, the same in Italy. how often does that happen here ? rarely, and they don't just do it for show because they are after tourist money, i have stayed with families in these countries and have seen how they treat their children at home. i have also lived in several middle eastern countries where bf rates are incredibly high and again same story, no routines, no schedules, happy children. they do it because children get lots of attention, they are liked and are treated as a focual point for family life.
children are not to be seen or heard in this country and i think the likes of CV and GF have a lot to answer for this sad fact.
