Q&A: Navigating Unwanted Advice, Opinions, and Input

Pregnancy Podcast

Vanessa Merten

Newborn, Parent, Homebirth, Vbac, Kids & Family, Doula, Firsttimemom, Midwife, Pregnancy, Doctor, Parenting, Pregnant, Vanessamerten, Physician, Csection, Prenatalcare, Breastfeeding, Naturalbirth, Nursing, Birthcenter, Family, Baby, Hospitalbirth, Health, Obgyn, Research, Trimester, Expecting, Labor, Mom, Diet, Dad, Birth

4.5 • 948 Ratings

🗓️ 7 May 2025

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This episode explores why people feel compelled to offer advice, how to filter helpful information from noise, and strategies to set boundaries without creating conflict. Get tips to kindly and assertively respond to strangers, coworkers, or close family or friends. Learn about the emotional toll of constant input, how to avoid second-guessing yourself, and how to strengthen your confidence in your decisions. If you feel pressured, judged, or exhausted by everyone’s opinions, this episode will help you navigate those situations with clarity and confidence in your choices.

Thank you to our sponsor

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Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium to access the entire back catalog, listen to all episodes ad-free, get a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book, and more.

Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You are listening to the pregnancy podcast with Vanessa Merton.
0:10.6	Hello, thank you for tuning into the pregnancy podcast.
0:15.7	In today's episode, we're talking about navigating unwanted advice, opinions, and input. We'll explore why people feel compelled
0:24.7	to offer advice, how to filter helpful information from noise, and strategies to set boundaries
0:32.1	without creating conflict. You will get tips to kindly and assertively respond to strangers, coworkers, or close
0:40.9	family or friends, learn about the emotional toll of constant input, how to avoid second guessing
0:48.0	yourself, and how to strengthen your confidence in your decisions. If you have ever felt pressured, judged,
0:56.2	or exhausted by everyone's opinions, this episode will help you navigate those situations with
1:03.1	clarity and confidence in your choices. You can find the complete article and all of the
1:09.3	resources for this episode at pregnancypodcast.com
1:14.9	slash unwanted advice. You are currently on the public feed of the podcast, which gives you access
1:23.0	to add supported content from the last year. Become a pregnancy podcast premium member to get
1:30.7	every single episode of the podcast, all ad-free, including hundreds of episodes exclusively
1:38.3	available to premium members. No matter what questions you have or what topics you're looking for more information on,
1:46.3	there's an episode of the Pregnancy podcast that has just what you're looking for. Check out
1:52.9	pregnancy podcast premium at Pregnancypodcast.com slash premium. Thank you to Pathways.org for their support. So much goes into preparing for a new baby.
2:09.0	You have to get a crib. You stock up on diapers. You get all the baby gear. But do you know what you're
2:15.4	actually going to do with your baby when they arrive?
2:19.0	New parents love the Pathways.org Baby Milestones app because it offers the support they need
2:26.2	during those early days at home. The first few days after you bring your baby home are a significant
2:33.2	adjustment. The app has you covered with a
2:36.8	first week survival guide that has everything from safe sleeping practices to why your baby cries
	...

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