As if trying to get to grips with being a parent isn’t challenging enough, some people like to think that some annoying advice thrown into the mix should sort things out a treat. Here, a fantastic collection of parenting bloggers share some of the most annoying advice they have received to date as parents…

A for APP THIS

I curse the day anyone told me about this ‘great breastfeeding tracker app’ when I had my first daughter. I used it from the first feed onwards and became totally obsessed with it. As in, I couldn’t actually feed the baby without my phone to hand, and became neurotic about timings between each feed. In hindsight I should have just trusted my maternal instincts! Apparently mums have breastfed without mobile phone apps since the dawn of civilisation needless to say next time around, breastfeeding was a little more relaxed! – Sarah from Mum Muddling Through 

B for BANISH THE BABY CARRIER

“Don’t use one of those baby carriers she’ll never learn to walk”. – Hannah from Hi Baby Blog 

C for CRY IT OUT

Let her cry it out – if you keep picking her up she will never sleep’. Worst advice ever! Controlled crying totally wasn’t for us, and funnily enough – even though I went to her every time she cried – she slept through at 5 months old and still does now.- Kate, from My Family Fever 

D for DON’T SPOIL THE BABY

Don’t spoil the baby… You’ll make a rod for your own back” My baby. My choice! – Beth from Twinderelmo.co.uk

E for ENJOY EVERY MOMENT

“Enjoy every minute” is one that really used to upset me with my first. I didn’t understand why so many older people (who had children) were saying it to me. No matter how positive I am, it is virtually impossible to enjoy every single minute! – Esther from Inside Out & About 

F for FORGET THE BREASTFEEDING

“If you breastfeed, your other half won’t be able to bond with baby”. Jog on love! Helen – Helen from from Yummyblogger.com

G for GIVE THE SLING A SKIP

“Don’t wear them in a sling, they’ll get too used to it and never sleep anywhere else”…amongst other things I have rolled my eyes at. – Sophie from Sophie and Lily 

H for HA HA HA HOME COOKED??!

All this organic, home cooked meals and no junk food. We all had Heinz jars and crisp and coke and we grew up just fine”…from a severely overweight relative whose siblings are ALL overweight and who is herself a mother. – Prabs from Absolutely Prabulous 

I for IT’S JUST A PHASE

The “squealing lights flashing red light” kind of annoying toy from hell parenting advice I have ever received is the one line -“This is just a phase”, the presumed antidote to all parenting problems. Imagine you have clambered the hills and mountains, crossed piranha infected water, burnt off leeches and not changed underwear for 39.33 days just to meet this wise old tribal medicinal woman of all motherhood for some help and the only thing she says to you is “It’s just a phase.”  How helpful is that advice when you have a tantruming spawn from hell, a night walker who stalks the family or a picky toddler who survives on white bread and strawberry jam, summing up all the moments when you feel so useless as a mother and making you feel even more helpless? – El from Agent Spitback

J for JUST BITE BACK

“If he hits/bites then hit or bite back so he’ll learn how it feels.” Um – no! He’ll just learn that hitting or biting is an acceptable way to get your point across and/or that might is right…- Milla from Live Oxfordshire 

K for KEEP THE GENDER SPECIFIC

Don’t dress your daughter in “boy’s clothes” (a baby cricket sweater to be specific), it will confuse her… Riiight. – Jess from Babi a Fi  

L for LIE DOWN ALWAYS!!!

“If they sit up before 4 months it’ll damage their back, make sure he’s always laying for now…”- Lizzie from FirstTooth  

M for MUST MEDICATE

The one I’m getting at the min is ‘ that’s a painful cry you going to give her calpol !!’ No I’m not unless she is actually poorly !! – Jessica from Beauties and The Bibs 

N for NO NIGHT FEEDS

Babies don’t need night feeds after 6 months’ . Complete and utter nonsense – night feeds aren’t just for nutritional benefits, but emotional ones too. Adults aren’t expected to be shut in their rooms without food or water for 12 hours, so why should babies?… – Vivienne from Another Bun 

O for ONLY ONE BOTTLE

“Let’s just give her one bottle and see if she’ll take it.” Lazy nurse who didn’t want to spend the time cup-feeding my preemie when she was ready to have her NG tube removed (and wouldn’t allow me in case I did it wrong). Erm, no – let’s leave the tube in if necessary, and when the time is right I’ll go back to BREASTFEEDING. – Kate from The Less Refined Mind

P for PUDDLE PANIC

“You shouldn’t let her play in the puddles, she will catch a cold!” Actually no, a cold is a virus. – Vicky from Being Tilly’s Mummy 

Q for QUIT WORRYING

Don’t worry, she’ll grow out it! Don’t worry?? My daughter hasn’t wanted to eat anything for a week and you’re telling me not to worry? Seriously, are you listening to yourself right now? – Talya from Motherhood: The Real Deal 

R for ROD FOR YOUR OWN BACK

“Rod for your own back” – the amount of times people have told me doing things like Co sleeping, picking up when they cry, baby led weaning etc… even babywearing will make me a rod for my own back is untrue! – Lauren from Belle Du Brighton 

S for STAND UP? BE CAREFUL!

“Don’t let her stand up like that, you’ll make her bow-legged!” – Grace from Dear Freya 

T for TRY TO “BED IN”

I was told when my daughter was 4 months old by a mum whose baby was a similar age that I needed to spend 1 day a week having a ‘nurse in’ in bed to ensure my body made enough breast milk for her. 1 whole day a week. In bed. For the entire time I intended to breast feed for. I mean, what mother has time for that clearly unnecessary event?! – Mim from Love From Mim

U for UP YOUR MILK SUPPLY

“If you breastfed more you’d up your milk supply” when I told the health visitor that I’d introduced one bottle of formula for my daughter of an evening so I had a break and daddy could do a feed. I told her a happy mummy was better and would make fora happy baby and I breastfed the rest of the day thanks! – Geraldine from Jog on Mum 

V for VACATION WILL SORT IT OUT

Shockingly, the worst advice I ever received was from a GP. My son was 9 weeks old and I was very unwell with anxiety and PND. My husband had to accompany me to the doctors as I didn’t like to be alone and I so anxious I could hardly get my thoughts or words together. After explaining my difficulties to the locum GP she said “What have you got to be depressed about? You have a lovely new baby and the sun is shining outside.”  She suggested a holiday to cheer me up. The most ridiculous, misinformed and frankly dangerous “advice” I could have received in my current state. Thankfully, I found support in other, less ignorant, healthcare providers and eventually made a full recovery. – Laura from The Butterfly Mother 

W for WINDOW OPPORTUNITY

The “window of opportunity” with weaning! Thanks for that, Daily Mail! My mother in law was worried we had missed the window because we did BLW at 6 months. Because clearly there are adults that still don’t eat food and just have milk. Oliver eats EVERYTHING (except mushrooms) and she soon changed her mind as she excitedly got her camera out at every meal! – Natalie – Diary of An UnExpectant Mother

X for X-TENDED REAR CAR FACING IS CRUEL

“Extended rear facing (car seat) is cruel and they have no where to put their feet. ”
My son happily rearfaced until beyond 4yrs old and 109cm with very long legs. It isn’t always more expensive now either as cheaper ERF seats have been brought out. I’m a single mum on benefits but I saved my arse off and went without to buy the safest seat I could. – Hannah from Hannah Spannah 

Y for YOU TURNED OUT OK

“I did it with you and you turned out okay/ are still alive!” – Ayse from arepops 

Z for ZZZZZ WHEN THE BABY SLEEPS

“Sleep when the baby sleeps !!!!!” Ahhhhh RAGE I had a non sleeping baby. It makes me want to punch people….. breath ……- Alyssa from Mum To A Monster 

Does this ring a bell? What annoying advice have you been given as a parent? Do leave a comment and vent!