A qualitative study on the perspectives of Turkish mothers and grandmothers in the Netherlands regarding the influence of grandmothers on health related practices in the first 1000 days of a child’s life

Abstract

Background Given the importance of the first 1000 days of a child’s life in terms of laying the foundations for healthy growth and development, parents are a logical target group for supporting health-related practices with regard to young children. However, little attention is paid to the influence of the wider social community on the health and development of young children during this crucial period. This includes grandmothers, who often have a significant influence on health-related practices of their grandchildren. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the influence of grandmothers on health related practices of their grandchildren during the first 1000 days, from the perspectives of both grandmothers and mothers with a Turkish background. Method This qualitative study in the Netherlands collected data during focus group discussions with grandmothers (N = 3), interviews with grandmothers (N = 18) and interviews with mothers (N = 16), all with a Turkish background. Data was collected in the period between June 2019 and April 2021 and analysed using a thematic content analysis. Results The influence of grandmothers and the wider social community on health related practices during the first 1000 days of a child’s life is substantial and self-evident. The support of grandmothers is often rooted in various socio-cultural norms and practices. The mothers of young children can experience the guidance and pressure they receive from grandmothers and the wider social community as quite stressful. Conflicting views and practices tend to arise between grandmothers and mothers when a grandmother babysits. Both mothers and grandmothers often find it difficult to discuss these differences openly, for fear this might lead to a family conflict. Conclusion This study shows that grandmothers and the wider social community play an influential role in supporting a healthy first 1000 days of a child’s life. The strong involvement of grandmothers may lead to tension between the mothers and grandmothers when their ideas about healthy practices are not in agreement and may lead to unhealthy practices. In targeting this wider social community, it is important to consider the various socio-cultural factors that underlie the advice, support, practices and beliefs of the individuals involved.

The Influence of Grandparents on Children’s Dietary Health: A Narrative Review

“…Some grandparents believed it was acceptable to indulge their grandchildren as they were not primarily responsible for food provision [ 25 , 30 ••, 31 , 32 ]. They sought to counterbalance the strict rules of parents with a more lenient approach to grandchild feeding [ 30 ••].…”

“…An important finding that was identified in many studies was the differing opinions regarding child feeding held by parents and grandparents and the potential for this to (i) prevent the adoption of healthy dietary practices and/or (ii) result in the adoption of unhealthy dietary practices [ 23 , 25 , 28 , 31 , 39 , 40 ]. While grandparents generally believed that parents had ultimate authority over feeding and reported respecting the decisions of parents regarding their grandchildren’s food options [ 22 , 24 , 25 , 28 , 29 ••, 30 ••, 41 •], the extent to which they complied with parents’ feeding instructions varied.…”

“…While grandparents generally believed that parents had ultimate authority over feeding and reported respecting the decisions of parents regarding their grandchildren’s food options [ 22 , 24 , 25 , 28 , 29 ••, 30 ••, 41 •], the extent to which they complied with parents’ feeding instructions varied. For example, in a study by Bektas et al [ 31 ], most grandmothers reported disagreeing at times with parents’ instructions for what and how to feed their child. They thus ignored these instructions, providing their grandchildren with food and drinks that parents did not allow (e.g.…”

“…Both grandparents and parents were reluctant to discuss their differences openly, fearing family conflict [ 31 ]. Parents were reliant on grandparents for childcare and did not want to impose on grandparent–grandchild relationships [ 32 ].…”

Proposing Jagani Tradition of Buton as a Convergent Cultural Intervention for the Demographic Dividend

“…The 1000 HPK is a golden period for a child, starting from the womb until the child is two years old, to prevent diseases and become the basis for the development and growth of the child [2], [3]. Therefore, parents become a strategic target for supporting health practices related to children because they become an example and determine their child's health behavior [4]. Even before becoming a parent, knowledge about preparing a healthy child is vital to know the strategic steps the government has taken to fill the gaps and gaps so that all parties can move in a convergent, holistic, integrative, Unfortunately, the concept of convergence in its implementation still needs to be improved.…”