2024: Year of the Boy Grandma

2024: Year of the Boy Grandma 

This has been a year of team building and by that I mean we almost have a basketball team…….three of our four grandsons came into play this year…February, August and September.  They join the captain of the team, our five-year grandson.

As I shared in March 2024 in my commentary in “Do I Look Like a Boy Grandma?”, I have learned and (relearned) much this year interacting with my two daughters, son, daughter-in-law and two son- in-laws.  Here are a few takeaways when it comes to “helping”, breastfeeding, formula feeding, infant feeding, baby sitting and Boudreaux's Butt Paste®  

“Helping”.  Our grandson born in February 2024 is local, so we were able to see him often …..but always after calling first to set up a date and time. New parents need time to figure things out with a newborn and don’t need unsolicited information or visits. We always asked if we could come over, asked what they might like for dinner and didn’t overstay our welcome. Be in tune with the new parents’ wishes and actually, ….well, help.  Our other two grandsons, born just about one month apart, are further away which required us to stay with the families longer term (which could have been a problem in and of itself being around for two months). Again, ask what they would like you to do to make the newborn at home transition easier.

Breastfeeding/Formula Feeding.  Oh boy! The conversation around breastfeeding continues to be polarizing and partisan. I never worked in the area professionally but know enough as a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), that it is the preferred way to provide nutrition to your baby based on recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, World Health Organization and Dietary Guidelines for Americans. However, if it difficult to breastfeed, supportive resources are available and new moms (and dads) know all about them. Support whatever decisions the parents make (all our new moms breastfed or are breastfeeding). Social media and acquaintances can make a new mom feel uncomfortable in whatever they choose to do. This time is tough enough without the pressure of judgement. Overbearing grandparents aren’t needed either. If you do want to offer advice, suggestions or other comments, do so in a supportive and pleasant manner. 

Starting Solid Foods. How fun it has been introducing solid foods to our 10-month-old grandson! Baby-led weaning (BLW) or baby led feeding, is a new term for me.  This is a concept that puts babies in control of what they eat by putting age-appropriate foods in front of them and letting them choose what they want and how much they want. For example, scrambled egg and small banana pieces. We raised our kids with the traditional spoon feeding, i.e., introducing pureed baby food with little spoons. In researching traditional spoon-feeding vs BLW, there appears to be no issues nutritionally, however choking is a higher risk. Whichever route your child takes, talk about it and be supportive. 

A helpful book on the subject is Simple & Safe Baby-Led Weaning by Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN.  BTW, I was able to meet Malina at FNCE® this year and received a copy of her latest book, Safe and Simple Food Allergy Prevention: A Baby-Led Feeding Guide to Starting Solids and Introducing Top Allergens with 80 Family-Friendly Recipes. It is another terrific resource for the new parents with everything you need to know about food allergies and introduction of certain foods that have a higher incidence of allergenicity. 

Diaper Rash. When I had kids we used Desitin® which was the go-to diaper rash ointment containing zinc oxide. Now the go-to is Boudreaux's Butt Paste® an extremely thick white paste that works wonders on a red or rash-y butt. Both are great however I think Butt Paste is just a cooler name and logo. 😊

Here’s to a fabulous 2025!

Matzeller KL, Krebs NF, Tang M. Current Evidence on Nutrient Intakes and Infant Growth: A Narrative Review of Baby-Led Weaning vs. Conventional Weaning. Nutrients. 2024 Aug 23;16(17):2828. doi: 10.3390/nu16172828. PMID: 39275146; PMCID: PMC11397666.

Cox AM, Taylor RW, Haszard JJ, Beck KL, von Hurst PR, Conlon CA, Te Morenga LA, Daniels L, McArthur J, Paul R, McLean NH, Jones EA, Katiforis I, Brown KJ, Gash M, Rowan M, Fleming EA, Jupiterwala R, Bruckner BR, Heath AM. Baby food pouches and Baby-Led Weaning: Associations with energy intake, eating behaviour and infant weight status. Appetite. 2024 Jan 1;192:107121. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107121. Epub 2023 Nov 14. PMID: 37972656.

Correia L, Sousa AR, Capitão C, Pedro AR. Complementary feeding approaches and risk of choking: A systematic review. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2024 Nov;79(5):934-942. doi: 10.1002/jpn3.12298. Epub 2024 Jun 27. PMID: 38937992.

https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/php/breastfeeding-strategies/index.html