Infertility: Grandparents in waiting

“Do you have grandchildren?” This seems like a simple question and one appropriate to ask women and men of a certain age. However, for those who are grandparents-in-waiting this question can bring layers of pain, fear, and challenge. These feelings are all the more powerful for grandparents-in-waiting who themselves experienced infertility years earlier, but they can wallop anyone whose child is struggling to have a child. I’ll begin by defining “grandparents-in-waiting.” I use this to refer to people — usually in their 60s and 70s — who have adult children dealing with infertility or repeated pregnancy loss. Grandparents-in-waiting include those who already have grandchildren from their other adult children, and grandparents-in-waiting who have no grandchildren. There are also grandparents-in-waiting who face the dual challenge, or mixed blessing, of having a grandchild on the way through one daughter or son while another adult child grapples with infertility. Feelings that may arise for grandparents-in-waiting If you are a grandparent-in-waiting, here are a few of the feelings you might be experiencing or can anticipate. Helplessness. There is a saying common among parents, “You are only as happy as your least happy child.” Whether one has zero grandchildren or 10, it is painful to see one’s child struggling to have a baby. You may be surprised to find yourself coping with your helplessness and lack of control by avoiding your friends. After all, many of...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Fertility Infertility Relationships Source Type: blogs