Birth Plans As Conversation Fodder

The news of your pregnancy often brings about a lot of advice; both solicited and unsolicited. While most advice comes from a place of care and affection, it may be overwhelming when too many people impose their take on pregnancy and birthing every time they get the chance to talk to you. The chances are that you already have a birth plan in mind, one that works well for you. Now when another person (or more) tells you that you’re doing the wrong thing and maybe you should consider something else, it can leave you in a position of confusion and fear.

The truth is that with the help of your doctor, you can chalk out a good birth plan on your own. You do not need a million people telling you what they think about it and what you should and shouldn’t do. So how do you avoid the kind of conversation that revolves around your birthing choices and pregnancy? Let’s find out:

In This Article

Be Blunt About It

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Sometimes, you just have to be honest, and straight-up tell them that you aren’t interested in their opinion about your birth plans. Make them understand that you know that they mean well, but you’re fully capable of making your own decisions, and you’ve probably already made them. You can also go ahead and tell them why you feel this way. They may not like it, but at least they’ll know not to do it again with someone else in the future!

Change The Topic

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The minute you see that the conversation is steering towards your belly and the baby in it, make an attempt to deflect. Hopefully, when you do this, they will get the hint that you aren’t willing to talk about the topic of your pregnancy. You can also tell them something like, “that isn’t up for discussion right now, but how about we talk about something else instead?”.

Walk Out Of It!

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Remember this — your body, your pregnancy, your baby! So, if someone starts with their unsolicited advice, you have the option of just walking away. People can make you uncomfortable and upset with their conversation. If it doesn’t sit well with you, you do not have to put up with it.

Let Your Doctor Take The Hit

The next time someone tries to tell you that water birth is a bad idea or that maybe you should reconsider your decision to try out alternative pain relief methods, tell them that the doctor thinks otherwise. The decision has been made with the medical expert. They can’t dispute that now, can they? If there’s one person who knows what’s going on with you and your pregnancy, it’s your doctor. So politely tell them that the doctor knows what they’re doing, so it’s best to leave it at that.

Give The Silent Treatment

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When all else fails, you let the advice flow in through one ear and let it slide through the other. People will always have something to say. You can try to shut them up, or you can try to shut them out. They can continue talking, while you can just continue with your life, with your plans in mind.

You need to know that there is no need to please everyone that comes your way. Pregnancy is complicated as it is, and the last thing you need is to put up with people who think they know it all. At the end of the day, you hold the reins, so do what you truly want (with the consultation of your doctor, of course). What are your thoughts on this? How have you dealt with such situations? Let us know in the comments below!

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