The weird thing about pregnancy that nobody talks about is how suddenly everyone thinks they get a say in your choices around YOUR body, YOUR baby, and YOUR experience as a mom.
Your mother-in-laws want to be in the delivery room. Sisters keep asking if you’re “sure” about your birth plan. Your mom has even more opinions about what you eat…
And you? You’re over here trying to grow a human while managing everyone else’s feelings about it.
What I Wish Someone Had Said to Me
Your peace during pregnancy isn’t optional. It’s essential for you and your baby.
Your stress affects your baby. Your energy is finite. And every conversation where you’re defending your choices is energy you’re not putting toward yourself and your little one.
You don’t owe anyone explanations for your pregnancy choices.
Not about your birth plan, whether you’ll breastfeed, your maternity leave, or nursery colors. Nothing.
Plus, I have a hunch that you feel strongly about creating the calmest and most nurturing environment you can. You know it’ll serve your child into becoming a healthy, strong, happy person.
The Challenge With Pregnancy Boundaries
Knowing WHAT to Say When Family Questions Your Decisions (your diet, your birth plan, your breastfeeding…)
If you’re googling “how to handle family criticism during pregnancy” at 2am, you’re not alone. Most future and new moms struggle with the same conversations over and over.
You know you need boundaries, but don’t know what to actually say when friends start sharing birth horror stories “to prepare you.”
Meanwhile, if you ask for pregnancy boundaries advice, most people will give you advice that doesn’t truly work, like “Just say no.” “Don’t let people stress you out.” “Put yourself first.”
It’s incomplete. It’s likely to hurt the people you love. And, it’s probably not going to get your the results you need.
I recommend you download my full guide with 5 scripts for pregnancy boundaries every soon-to-be mom needs, but wanted to give you little snippets that you can use literally right now.
Here are 3 specific responses that work in real conversations:
- “I’ll think about it and get back to you if I have more thoughts or questions.” A soft way to say “this conversation is over. If I want to continue I’ll make sure to do it later.”
- “It’s really sweet that you care, but we agreed we’re keeping (birth plan / names / due date) private.” This is a great way to remind someone that parenthood is a team effort between you and your partner. And no matter how excited they are, your mom and mother-in-law don’t magically become decision-makers.
- “I have a lot of other things I’m thinking about and I’m not really open to discussing that right now.” This is a slightly less subtle choice, but it works. It reminds people that your headspace is yours. They can’t just fill it or feel entitled to it. You’re not in the position to invest your limited energy and focus on whatever it is that matters to them. There are so many changes in your own life right now, you need to focus on what matters to you. Yes, it’s a little edgier, but you can say this kindly and most people will respond well.
The people who could be great role-models for your baby will respect your pregnancy boundaries. The ones who don’t? They’re showing you exactly who they are.
Your job right now is to protect your peace – aka your baby’s peace.
The task at hand right now is to trust your instincts. You know, the ones you’re specifically designed to be in touch with for the health of your child.
And, on top of that, this is your time to prepare for the most incredible transition of your life. Because this is still YOUR experience too, as a mom, a woman, a human being. It needs to be the one you deserve.
Baby-Proofing Your Relationships Before Baby Arrives
Most women wait until they’re postpartum and overwhelmed to address family dynamics. But by then, you’re running on fumes and everyone’s already established their patterns.
The secret is handling this NOW – while you still have bandwidth. While you can think clearly and establish the relationship dynamics you want in place before your baby arrives.
Your job right now isn’t to keep everyone happy. It’s to baby-proof your relationships so you can focus on being an incredible mom.
Ready to baby-proof your relationships before your baby arrives?
The Pre-Mom Era program helps future and new moms set the boundaries they need. So they can step into motherhood feeling confident and supported—not drained and overwhelmed.
Whether you’re trying to conceive, currently pregnant, or a brand new mom dealing with everyone’s strong opinions about your choices, Pre-Mom Era gives you the exact framework to handle family pressure with grace and confidence.
Learn more about Pre-Mom Era and apply before the next cohort starts →
Not ready for the full program yet? Start with my free “5 Boundary Scripts Every Soon-to-Be Mom Needs” to begin setting boundaries that actually work.
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