Pregnancy Info

When it comes to handling unwanted pregnancy advice, it is important to stand your ground and take it with a grain of salt. Many well-meaning friends and relatives in your life might offer you unwanted pregnancy advice, which can sometimes be difficult to stomach.

When you first become pregnant, you are bound to get tons of pregnancy advice and tips from just about everyone in your life that has been pregnant before, and even from those who haven't experienced pregnancy. Especially if you are a teen mom or young mother and this is your first pregnancy, everyone will want to give you their insight on things you should do while pregnant, things you shouldn't do while pregnant, etc. 

Some of that advice might be wanted or sought after. However, it is not always the case especially when everyone and their dog wants to give you pregnancy advice. Pregnancy advice and advice about your baby is important to get from those you respect and trust. However, it is best for you to do your own research by speaking with your health care provider and by doing as much reading as possible about  your own pregnancy, or even attending pregnancy preparedness classes. Every woman's pregnancy is different as well. This means that not all advice you will receive is even applicable to you and your pregnancy.

Handling Unwanted Pregnancy Advice:

There are a few tips to consider for those inevitable instances when you are forced to handle unwanted pregnancy advice. First, it is important to remain calm. It is understandable to become frustrated with people especially if you have to hear the same unwanted pregnancy advice over and over from various people. However, it is important to remember that unless they have been pregnant and go annoyed with all of the unwanted advice, they aren't going to know they are bothering you with their comments. They may just feel that they have something important to share with you and that you can benefit from their well-meaning advice. 

First, simply stay calm and listen to what they have to say. Then respond with a polite, "thank you for your advice," and change the subject to non-pregnancy related matters. However, this is easier said than done especially because when you are pregnant it may be all that any of your parents, siblings, friends and other relatives want to talk about. However, this is when you have to stand your ground if you really want to get away from the pressures of pregnancy talk. 

If the person keeps at the conversation soliciting that unwanted pregnancy advice, or even criticisms, it might be time to take the level of your tone from polite to firm. If simply thanking them for their thoughts doesn't seem to work, you may have to let them know that their advice is unwanted or unnecessary. For example, "I'm sure that worked for you, but I plan on doing things this way." All it takes is simply letting them know that you have acknowledged their advice and you appreciate it, but you already have a plan of attack ready that works for you. 

Because most of the individuals are simply trying to be helpful, it is important not to create unnecessary drama out of the situation regardless of how annoyed and frustrated you are getting with these relentless comments. Do your best to lovingly express to them that while you appreciate the advice and might take it into consideration, you are enjoying learning about the pregnancy process all on your own and you need them to trust you. It is also important to make sure your partner is willing to back you up on this effort so you can begin handling unwanted pregnancy advice as a team.

Sources: babycenter.com, parenting.com