Top 40 annoying pieces of advice for new parents

The top 40 most annoying pieces of advice given to new parents include “sleep when the baby sleeps”, “stop holding the baby so much”, and “I did THIS and my kids turned out fine”. “You must have a second baby soon”, and “you’re not holding them correctly”, also featured in the list of irritating guidance given to mums and dads in the first six months.

A study of 1,000 parents, with children aged 0-7, found the average new mum or dad will receive more than 200 pieces of “useful” advice by the time their baby reaches its half-year milestone.

And 44 percent say they received the first piece as soon as they told people they were expecting a baby.

Those who were given advice had to grimace through an average of NINE tips from well-meaning friends, family members, and strangers – each week.

As such, one in four (24 percent) reckon they were completely overwhelmed with people telling them how they should feed, sleep, eat, exercise, and behave.

And the most irritating pointers come from eager over-50s, who delivered almost two-thirds (64 percent) of the advice doled out.

A spokesman for baby brand Ergobaby, which commissioned the research to celebrate its 20th year, said: “It can be hard to navigate all the conflicting opinions the modern world throws at us.

“Your whole life is changing, and it’s hard to tell which titbits are useful, which are outdated, which are helpful, and which could be harmful.

“Added to this, for many aspects of parenting there is no right or wrong answer – what works for one child may not for another.

“All families are different, and while there are some universal truths, almost every parent will experience their child’s first months differently.”

And it seems mums-to-be receive the most advice – with 37 percent being told before their baby even came along that “breast is best” when it comes to feeding.

Another 41 percent were told to “bank” their sleep, as they “won’t sleep once the baby’s born” – while in contrast, only 17 percent of men were told the same.

Comments on the size and shape of bumps were rife, with 39 percent of women receiving comments on the size of their stomach – along with 36 percent being told the shape and height meant a particular sex of baby.

And one in three were encouraged to pile their plates high at mealtimes – as they were now “eating for two”.

But it’s not just mums suffering the effects of misplaced “help”, as 32 percent of parents-to-be were told ad nauseum to enjoy their freedom now, as life was about to change forever – along with “it goes by so fast, make sure you appreciate every minute!” (31 percent).

More than a quarter (27 percent) of parents polled, via OnePoll, believe unsolicited pieces of advice come from know-it-alls that can’t help giving out advice, even if it’s not wanted.

But the same amount think some people just want to be included in the process.

Ergobaby’s spokesman added: “People will have different motivations for wanting to give advice, but most genuinely are trying to be helpful, even if they don’t always succeed.

“Those who have gone through struggles before want to help their loved ones through it all.

“The joys and jobs of parenting are endless, and having people by your side can make a real, positive difference.

“One thing is certain, all parents are trying to do what’s best for their baby and for their families – which makes it hard to go wrong.”