Unwanted Pregnancy Advice

Politely Decline

This can be especially difficult if you’re not used to butting heads with your family. Pregnancy is a growing experience (literally and figuratively!). Take advantage of this time to grow strong and proud of your values. You will often be overwhelmed and filled with doubt, just due to the sheer amount of conflicting information out there about the best products and diets and workout routines for expecting mothers.

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It will be scary, but it’s best to find out what you will and won’t stand for before you bring a new life into the world.

Keep an Open Mind

If you’re reading this article, then you’re clearly already doing this. Staying open to new information doesn’t mean that you have to accept advice from everyone, all of the time. There may be some really helpful pregnancy tips from friends and family (and magazines) that you hadn’t considered. Keep an open mind, but also know that there’s no 100% right way to handle pregnancy or to giving birth.

Unless a family member’s unsolicited pregnancy advice becomes toxic, try to be firm but gentle. It’s okay to fight with family, but don’t hold a grudge or excommunicate someone from your support group because as the old saying goes, it really does take a village to raise a child.

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You may need your in-laws to babysit when you’re planning a couple’s getaway a year down the line. You might really want to vent to your sister if she’s your closest friend who’s also been through your experience. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the one unwittingly imparting unsolicited pregnancy advice to your friends when they’re expecting.

Keep an open heart and mind. Pregnancy is often difficult but also wonderful. You will grow and change as a person, and so will your relationship with your partner, as will your relationship with the rest of your family. Decide how much you’re willing to share with your loved ones and make clear cut boundaries from there.