The nation’s favourite pregnancy advice
Poll reveals what mums-to-be chose as the best advice they were given during pregnancy
The nation’s mums-to-be have revealed the top 20 best pieces of pregnancy advice they were given – with ‘sleep when the baby sleeps’, ‘ban visitors for the first couple of days after baby is born’ and ‘fill the freezer with homemade meals’ hailed as some of the most useful.
Researchers who carried out a detailed study shows 84 per cent of mums found the pearls of wisdom shared by family, friends and health professionals useful when they were expecting.
Mums know best when it comes to giving pregnancy and parenting advice, although mums-to-be also go to parenting websites for key information.
The research also revealed the average mum actively went in search of hints and tips from books, apps, websites and forums for up to 26 minutes every day during pregnancy.
A spokeswoman for Pregnacare vitamins, who commissioned the research via OnePoll.com, said: “It’s wonderful to hear that despite living in the internet age, a woman's best source of advice for pregnancy is still her mum.
“There can be so much advice on offer for mums-to-be, it can be a little overwhelming – particularly if it is your first pregnancy.
“So, it’s interesting to see exactly what advice mums-to-be consider to be the best they received.
“Mums-to-be often tell us that they were recommended to take Pregnacare by their mum, a friend or relative.
“It is heart-warming to know that the best advice is shared and passed down through the generations and we now have Pregnacare mums telling us that their mums also took Pregnacare before they were born.”
Other advice considered invaluable during pregnancy, according to the poll of 1,400 mums, was ‘breast is best’, and ‘don’t worry about the housework’.
‘Try not to compare your pregnancy to everyone else’ was advice 20 per cent of mums-to-be were pleased to hear.
While a further 19 per cent of mums-to-be saying they appreciated being told ‘it’s okay to ask for help’ by others.
The top 20 list of good advice for pregnancy includes ‘don’t Google everything’, ‘don’t eat for two’ and ‘make sure you allow time for a nap’.
While pearls of wisdoms mums found reassuring upon the arrival of their baby included ‘don’t rush to lose the baby weight’, ‘talk about how you’re feeling’ and ‘speak to the midwife or health visitor if you have any concerns’.
Other helpful tips advised mums to try to get into a routine as soon as possible, and to enjoy their new baby as everything goes by so quickly.
However, despite many women appreciating the advice they were given during pregnancy and after, the study shows more than six in 10 found some guidance conflicting.
Indeed, 38 per cent of mums were confused as to whether a dummy was a good or bad option, while the same percentage received differing information about bottle and breastfeeding.
A quarter of women polled were told different things about drinking alcohol when expecting, and 27 per cent weren’t sure about making a birth plan.
Similarly, 24 per cent of mums were unsure whether co-sleeping with their newborn was a good idea.
As such, more than half of mums stopped listening to some advice they were given due to its conflicted nature.
The spokeswoman for Pregnacare added: The results are not surprising, since it’s vital mums-to-be, go to a trusted source of information.
“So, as well as their health professional who could be more trusted than their own mums?”
Top 20 best pieces of advice
- Sleep when the baby sleeps
- Try to get into a routine
- Enjoy your baby as it goes so quickly
- Do what feel right for you and your baby
- Breast is best
- Try not to compare your pregnancy to everyone else
- It's OK to ask for help
- Don't make a birth plan
- Don't give them a dummy
- Don't Google everything
- Don't eat for two
- Ban visitors in the first couple of days so you can have time with your new baby alone
- Make sure you allow time for a nap
- Don't worry about the housework after the birth
- Accept all offers of help from family and friends
- Don't rush to lose the baby weight
- Speak to your midwife/health visitor/GP if you have any concerns
- Fill the freezer with homemade meals before the baby arrives
- Be prepared to feel overjoyed, terrified and overwhelmed all at once /Be prepared for a flood of mixed emotions after the birth
- Talk about how you're feeling/how you're coping (good or bad)