Can everyone just pause for a moment and let you focus on caring for your baby before you lose your mind?

If this feels familiar, you are absolutely not alone. The first year of your baby’s life can feel like an ongoing stream of conflicting advice, often shared with love, but still overwhelming.

Much of the advice new parents receive is shaped by personal experience, cultural beliefs, or outdated practices, not necessarily your own values, or the latest research. Even when given with the best intentions, this flood of information can leave you feeling anxious, confused, and exhausted.

When every person you meet has a “right” way to feed, settle, or soothe your baby, it can feel like you’re constantly getting it wrong. This can erode confidence, heighten stress, and even impact your emotional wellbeing.

Here are some gentle, practical ways to navigate the advice storm and protect your mental health.

1. Pause and Ground Yourself

When you feel flooded by opinions, take a slow breath. Notice your feet on the ground. Feel your baby’s weight in your arms. These small moments of mindfulness help you come back to the present before reacting.

Grounding helps you respond rather than react, and to remember that not every piece of advice deserves your attention.

2. Clarify Your Own Values

Ask yourself:

• What kind of relationship do I want with my child?
• What does a “good day” feel like in our home?
• What sort of parent do I want to be?

Your values are your compass. They can guide your decisions more effectively than anyone else’s opinions. When you’re clear on your values, it becomes easier to let go of advice that doesn’t align.

3. Be Discerning – Even with Professional Advice

It can feel especially challenging when advice comes from health professionals. But even professionals sometimes share outdated or conflicting recommendations.

There’s often a gap between new evidence and everyday clinical practice. Some professionals may rely on what worked for them personally, rather than what’s best supported by current research.

If something doesn’t feel right, you can ask, “Can you tell me what this recommendation is based on?” or “Are there other approaches that fit with responsive or attachment-based care?”

You’re allowed to seek a second opinion. You are your baby’s expert.

You’re Allowed to Say, “No, Thanks”
Not all advice is worth taking. And declining someone’s suggestion doesn’t make you rude, it makes you a confident, attuned parent.

You know your baby best. Your intuition is one of your most powerful parenting tools.

Trust yourself. It’s okay to say, “Thank you, we’re happy with what we’re doing.”

A Professional Perspective

As someone who works in perinatal and infant health, I see how deeply parents crave reassurance and clarity. My role isn’t to hand out one-size-fits-all solutions, it’s to help families find their own way, through clear, evidence-based information and compassionate support.

One of the most valuable tools in counselling is values clarification: exploring what truly matters to you, so you can parent in a way that feels aligned, sustainable, and kind.

You don’t need to get it perfect. You just need a path that feels authentic for your family.

Final Words

Parenting is hard enough without trying to meet everyone else’s expectations.
When you start trusting your own instincts, the noise begins to fade.

Take what serves you, leave what doesn’t, and remember: your intuition is one of your greatest strengths.

If unwanted advice is starting to weigh on your mental health, please reach out for support. You’re not alone, and you deserve to feel confident in your parenting journey.