Being a new first-time mum, I found it very easy to get caught up in all the books, magazines, articles, 'professionals' telling you to do this, don't do that, eat this food, don't eat that food (although I did get pretty strict on myself with what I ate but those

Frozen Cokes always snuck in as they became my obsession!). All of this before you've even had bubs. And don't think it stops after bubs comes, it just seems to come from more angles, family members, friends, strangers walking down the street. While most mean well and some advice is worth taking on board, it can get a bit too much.

After leaving hospital when Bubs was 1 week old, I told myself that I was going to listen to advice but only do what I felt as right. 15 weeks down the track, I thought I was doing pretty alright. Then a friend who has a 15 month old threw a spanner in the works and I started doubting decisions. It came down to the all important sleep topic. She appeared to have the 'perfect' baby who slept from 7 at night until 7 in the morning. She had had Perth's "Baby Whisperer" come in and teach her baby to self-settle with control crying and, after mentioning my baby didn't get off to sleep until around 10.30pm at night, she wanted to try the method on him. I was hesitant at first, he's only 15 weeks old, what person at such a young age knows how to self settle? She had the answer to that, a friend at her mother's group had spent the last 3-4 weeks with her 4.5month old teaching her to self settle and now she sleeps that 12 hours. After talking some more, I agreed to have the technique tried out on my baby.

That night I got very little sleep. I was too busy tossing and turning because something was telling me something wasn't right with the decision I'd made. The following morning I had Bubs' 3-4 month check up with the community nurse and I spoke to her about the technique. Through the conversation, I came to the realisation that I had gone back on my word to do what I felt as right, not what someone else felt was right for my child. The nurse summed it up very well:

"Follow your head, heart and gut. If all three agree with what you're doing, then go ahead and do it. If one of them is telling you not to do it, then listen to it."

As soon as she put it in those words, I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders, knowing the technique was not right to use on my baby.

That piece of advice should be told to all new parents. The baby is yours, no-one else's. You do what you believe is right for your baby. Listen to advice, store it away, thank the person for it, it will make them feel better and not cause any hostilities, especially if the person if friend or family. Act on the advice if you believe it's right.

Follow your head, heart and gut.