Unsolicited Pregnancy Advice — And What To Do With It

Congratulations, you're pregnant.

You will now receive unsolicited opinions from  your neighbour aunty, your colleague, may be someone who delivered in 2009, and occasionally a stranger at a wedding.

Nobody asked. Nobody will stop.

Here's how to survive it:

1. Smile, nod, move on You don't have to argue. You don't have to explain. "Okay aunty" is a complete sentence.

2. Have one trusted source Your doctor. That's it. When something worries you, go there - not Google at 2am, not the family WhatsApp group.

3. Know the difference between advice and noise Advice is specific, relevant, and from someone qualified. Everything else is noise. Most of what comes your way is noise. You're allowed to treat it that way.

4. Protect your mental space You're already doing a lot. Growing a human is genuinely hard work. You don't have to carry other people's fears and old wives' tales on top of that.

5. Trust yourself You know your body. You know what feels right. That instinct is real - don't let the noise drown it out.

If someone said drinking coffee makes more milk ? It's not true, by the way.

You've got this Mamma.