New parents are often a bit (or very) overwhelmed by all that a new baby entails. No matter how many books or websites you’ve read, there are always things that throw you for a loop. Times like these require the real expert, someone who’s been there before and survived – the grandmother.

The Grandmother

Many women wait anxiously to be a grandmother once their own children are raised and out of the nest. A grandmother has a chance to enjoy and love another child as much as she did her own, but with the knowledge she gained over years as well as the ability to send the baby home at the end of the visit. Grandmothers are critical for many new parents in terms of knowledge and support.

Grandmother’s Knowledge

Grandmothers may not know the absolute latest scientific breakthroughs, but they know what aspects of that new baby came from you. Perhaps your little one has colic the same way you did. Countless times grandmothers have been called for frantic reassurance that everything your baby is doing is perfectly normal and, in fact, you did it yourself as a baby.

Grandmothers have also been through the childrearing process at least once – she had you, didn’t she? Some things just come back naturally when an experienced mother of any age has a child placed in her arms. Your mother may surprise you with her uncanny ability to soothe a fussy baby, whip up a bottle in lightning time and elicit a burp you were sure would never come out. Better yet – she can teach you these tricks of the trade.

Grandmother’s Support

For many new parents, their child is much too precious to be left with just anyone. One of the few universal caregivers accepted by new parents is the grandmother. After all, she’s done this successfully before. The same can’t be said for the teenager across the street. Grandmothers are sure to love and snuggle our baby as much as she need to be loved and snuggled, and grandmothers have no problem sitting with baby in the rocking chair for hours on end – in fact, that may be exactly what she wanted to do in the first place.

There is really no substitute for grandparents. Not only did your parents love you with their whole being, but now that you have your own child, you can truly appreciate the depth of that caring. The best part of the deal is, however, not only does your mother still love you with all her heart, body and soul- she loves your baby just as much.