Generational Bridge: Summa Health's Grandparent Class Makes Huge Impact

Mary Ann Craig’s grandfather sent her a letter saying he believed in her each week she was away at college. That support shaped her. She says grandparents might be able to make a huge impact on their grandchildren’s lives.

“They can spend time with their grandchild that a parent doesn’t always do because they’re concerned about all the other things they have to do,” says the Summa Health childbirth coordinator. “Grandparents will love their children and grandchildren all the time. They will hug them, kiss [them]. They’ll say how much they love you. That’s what children need.”

One way to impact grandchildren is to help care for them starting when they are babies. Ways to do that includes babysitting on date nights or one day a week or being a full-time caregiver, which is more common now.

“Grandparents today are much more involved and interested in learning things. A lot of grandparents today are caring for their grandchildren because their children are working and they want to help them out versus putting them in day care,” Craig says. “There’s no comparison to a grandparent taking care of your child. They have a vested interest."

Taught by a grandparent, Summa Health’s grandparents class helps grandparents learn how to care for their grandchildren by following updated child care guidelines. Take the 1 1/2-to two-hour class in person at Summa Health’s corporate Akron office Feb. 19 and April 15 or remote March 18. It started in 2017 and has become so popular that people living everywhere from Connecticut to Florida are taking it remotely.

"We want to embolden grandparents into what they can do for their grandchildren,” says Craig.

She shares what you can learn in the class and how you can take an active role in your grandchildren’s lives.

HUGE SHIFTS

A major part of the class is getting the grandparents up to speed on what changed since they raised kids — which is a lot! They discuss big changes in the birthing process including the father or significant other being at the hospital the whole time versus just during the birth and that the babies stay in the parents’ hospital room rather than the nursery. Also breastfeeding is much more encouraged, and there is ample help available from lactation consultants and more.

"A lot of people will be like, Why do they push breastfeeding so much? I didn’t breastfeed my baby, and my baby was fine,” Craig says. “We go into all the evidence about breastfeeding.”

A large safety shift is ensuring that babies sleep alone, on their backs and in empty cribs and there is no smoking in the house. Infants should not have cribs full of blankets and stuffed animals or sleep on their bellies or with parents like some used to. It is critical all caregivers are educated on safe sleep practices.

For diapering, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend using baby powder because it has been linked to serious health issues. Use a zinc oxide cream for diaper rashes instead. The particles from baby powder can cause respiratory problems, and when the powder is caked on, it can cause other health concerns.

“Really no air can pass through their skin soit can actually increase the chances of diaper rash,” Craig says. “The main thing is keeping their bottoms clean and dry.”

Understanding these changes will help grandparents be compassionate when communicating with the parents.

“Instead of these grandparents going to their children saying,Why are you doing that? I never did that, our goal is to prevent dissension,” Craig says. “We talk about all the different things and why they have changed through studies.

MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE

Baby dolls help grandparent students practice dressing, diapering and swaddling a baby. Plus, the class runs through scenarios like what to do if a baby cries. The instructor teaches them to check the baby’s diaper, its temperature or if it’s tired or under-stimulated or overstimulated. If the baby is hungry, the instructor teaches students to look for cues like turning its head toward food, bringing its hands to its mouth or crying. Afterward, if the baby needs to be burped, the class goes over burping positions such as putting the baby over your shoulder. Also if the grandparent is getting frustrated, the instructor recommends putting the baby in a safe place and calling the parents or taking a brief break, calming down and reapproaching but never shaking a baby.

Students also learn how to make their house or environment safe by putting on outlet covers, locking up chemicals and gating off stairways. In addition, they can hear tips on stimulating their grandbabies by gazing, talking, singing, using touch or presenting contrasting colors.

Another important aspect for grandparents to grasp is supporting the parents by bringing meals, volunteering to do chores, complimenting them and not giving too much advice but rather trusting their new parenting styles. If grandparents do notice the parents are experiencing sadness, anxiety or panic attacks, the instructor recommends informing the spouse and then getting a doctor involved in case it is baby blues or postpartum depression.

Many grandparents are happy with the class. “People say now they feel so much more comfortable in caring for their grandchildren than they would have. A lot of them were nervous,” Craig says, adding that they often go on to take Summa’s CPR class and car seat safety class, which ends with getting a car seat installed.

Craig advises taking the grandparents class to get more involved in raising your grandchild and making an impression that can last a lifetime.

“They never realized or thought about the impact they could make on their grandchildren,” she says. “If anything is going to help a child feel confident and secure, it will be having grandparents. Grandparents can make a big difference."