Input Overload: Handling New Parenting Advice From Others

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)--If you've ever been a new parent, you know there's no shortage of opinions.

"Everything from how much they should sleep to how much they should eat," said Andrea Gaduae of Queen Village.

From expert advice to the experience of family and friends.

Add social media to the mix and it can be completely overwhelming. Not to mention confusing. As popular parenting blog Scary Mommy points out, we send moms and dads lots of mixed messages. In this post, which has now gone viral, one line reads: "Make sure you breastfeed because it's best, but not for too long and don't stop too early. And never breastfeed in public, but if you do, cover up. But, at the same time, make sure you normalize it."

"I think that pretty much sums it up," said Allison Paisley of Philadelphia.

Marisa Piccarreto, a parenting expert and owner of My Fabulous Mama, a full-service child care consulting business, says it's important to limit your information, even in the digital age.

Piccarreto says over-reading can make you question your intuition. Instead, she recommends selecting a few trusted sources that coincide with your personal values. Then, err on the side of evidence based research, as opposed to anecdotal information.

"People have their own bias and perspectives they come from. Each individual person may have had a bad experience or a good experience," said Piccarreto.

But, what matters most is your experience, which some say gets easier each time.

"I think by the second child they know what they should be doing and by third, they're absolutely sure," said Harry Linhardt of Society Hill.

"At the end of the day, if you can look yourself in mirror and think you had a good day, that's what matters," said Gaduae.