You thought you were an extremely private person, barely noticeable and unknown in a big society until only when your baby bump started showing up through a tight top. Now, everyone knows you and wants to dump their knowledge on you. Suddenly, everyone has an opinion about your pregnancy. And what’s worse is, each one of them is too willing to give unsolicited advice. It happens everywhere, comes from all quarters. You have to field them at home, at your residential area, at the supermarket, in the bus, at parties, at the office, at places of worship, and even at hospitals. Moms, in-laws, aunts, neighbors, acquaintances, friends, colleagues, other pregnant women, and anyone and everyone you meet are undoubtedly the know-it-alls when it comes to unwanted advice during pregnancy. Actually, they seem to know more than your gynecologist! Don’t they?
This is a list of some of the most common unwanted advice during pregnancy (you never asked for them, remember?) that a pregnant woman will be hearing at least once (though there are chances that you will hear them multiple times) during her pregnancy:
- “Get all the sleep now. You won’t even be able to even breathe properly when the baby arrives”
As if catching more sleep now will compensate for your staying awake in future! Yes, I agree that the right amount of sleep is what makes you energetic and refreshed, but you just cannot sleep more if you don’t feel the need to.
2. “Don’t eat shellfish. It made me throw up like hell”
Well, each person has a different reaction to different things. If you are allergic to shellfish, you may also throw up or have some other symptoms. As long as you don’t have that problem, there is no reason why you should give them up just because someone else had a nightmare out of it.
- “Eat for two. You have a life within you.”
The life within you is not a fully grown adult to have a full meal. It just needs the nutrients from the food you take. If you feel full, that is enough for the baby too. Don’t over eat to unnecessarily complicate things.
- “Don’t go for scanning. It will only harm the baby.”
If you have doubts about this, consult with your doctor and discuss your apprehensions. Scanning can, in fact, be helpful to find out placental and fetal abnormalities.
- “You should consult so and so. He/she is the best in town.”
If you are comfortable and confident with your doctor, he/she is the best for you. There is no point visiting the so called, “so and so expert”.
- “The nurses in the labor room are the most horrible ones I have met.”
How comforting for an expectant mother! While it is good to be prepared to expect the worst, these kinds of talks can only stress out the mother-to-be. So advisory, pity!!!
- “Don’t drink a lot of water. The baby will have too much fluid around it.”
If every drop of water a pregnant woman drinks goes to the amniotic sac, she will be a reservoir waiting to burst by the end of the pregnancy term. Drink sufficient water to keep away urinary infections and constipation, two conditions very common in pregnant women.
It is not easy to escape the unwanted pregnancy advice. You keep attracting them like a magnet from every nook and corner. The best thing to do is to smile, nod, and let it go. 🙂
2 Comments
Priya Bapat
I agree. This has been my experience too. People are always there to advice. But you grow with your own experiences.
Shokhi Agarwal
True that Priya! Rather than getting affected make use of both the ears. That’s what I do, almost always!!! 😉