How do you shut out the noise and opinions?

[SophieRules]

I’m 18 weeks and already getting opinions from relatives about how I should feel/what I should be doing to prepare/how I should raise my child etc I know this will be the case forever, as people as have opinions. I’m not stubborn and happy to take on board advice but equally I think with children people have so many opinions and for some reason feel the need to voice them all which can be tiring. Just wondering the best way to cope with this?

I'm 18 weeks, too, and had this a few times. I just nod, say "yeah", and leave it there/change the subject. Not much of a hack but I don't end up really listening so it doesn't take up space in my brain. I've found saying things like "thanks but we're not quite there yet" or "thanks but we'll figure out something that works for us" tends to make people double down.

I think people are well intentioned and just trying to help. Having a baby is the most earth shattering event in your life and from my experience it was relentless with nothing to compare it to. Those who have been through it are trying to make it better and help you as it is quite shocking. Just say thank you and move on.

'Thanks for that' with a smile then so your own thing anyway.

My family aren't so bad but husbands family are from a very different culture so I had a lot of this from his side - it didn't get any better once DD1 was born.

They believe mother and baby shouldn't leave the house for the first 40 days for a start..... then we clashed on clothing, co-sleeping, feeding, routines, BLW...... the just goes on.

I'm now pregnant again and I think they realised a lot of it fell on deaf ears last time so there hasn't been half as much this pregnancy

Smile and nod then move onto something else that must be talked about instead. "Oh, thanks for that info, hey, did you here about Tom and Maureen's roof falling in?"