| 131

Pensar Enfermagem / v.27 n.01 / November 2023

DOI: 10.56732/pensarenf.v27i1.277

Review Article

How to cite this article: Sousa IT, Bértolo MH. The role of grandparents in the transition to parenting: a

scoping review. Pensar Enf [Internet]. 2023 Nov; 27(1):131-139. Available from:

https://doi.org/10.56732/pensarenf.v27i1.277

The role of grandparents in the transition to

parenting: a scoping review

Abstract

Introduction

The transition to parenthood involves a set of intra and interpersonal changes, which affect

not only the woman and her partner, but also the entire family system. Grandparents are

highlighted as prominent figures in the contemporary family, constituting the main source

of support for the family in this process. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand

how grandparents can influence or not the transition to positive parenting, acting as

facilitating agents or as hinderances in this process.

Objective

To map the available scientific evidence regarding the role of grandparents in the transition

to parenthood of their children, encompassing the period of pregnancy, childbirth and the

postpartum period up to 3 years.

Methods

This scoping review was developed according to the methodology of the Joanna Briggs

Institute (JBI), 2020, with research carried out in April and May 2022 and updated in July

2023. Qualitative, quantitative or mixed studies were included, as well as review articles,

published in English and produced between 2015 and 2023.

This scoping review includes articles that address the role of grandparents in the context

of the transition to parenting of their children, including the time of pregnancy, childbirth

and the postpartum period up to 3 years.

Results

11 articles that met the inclusion criteria were included. Four categories emerged:

grandparents as a source of support; grandparents and their influence on family nutrition

and exclusive breastfeeding; the ambivalence of feelings and the role of health

professionals.

Conclusion

Grandparents can stand out as prominent elements of the family during the transition to

parenting of their children, developing instrumental, emotional, informational and financial

support roles; may influence exclusive breastfeeding and family nutrition. When concepts

and beliefs about fundamental aspects relating to children differ, ambivalent feelings can

arise and that lead to intergenerational conflicts. There is a gap in health care regarding the

inclusion of meaningful people in the care of the couple and the child, in this case the

grandparents.

Keywords

Grandparents; Role; Parenthood Transition; Pregnancy; Childbirth; Post-Partum

Inês Sousa

orcid.org/0009-0000-6952-0758

Maria Helena Bértolo

orcid.org/0000-0002-6612-2700

Master's student in Maternal and Obstetric Health

Nursing. Nursing School of Lisbon (ESEL), Lisbon,

Portugal.

Master. Nursing Research, Innovation and

Development Centre of Lisbon (CIDNUR), Lisbon;

Nursing School of Lisbon (ESEL), Maternal Health

Department, Lisbon, Portugal.

Corresponding author:

Inês Sousa

E-mail: isousa@campus.esel.pt

Received: 20.04.2023

Accepted: 11.09.2023

132 | Sousa, I.

Review Article

Introduction

Parenting can be understood as one of the most demanding

and challenging aspects of a person's life. Becoming a

mother and father is an important milestone and can

simultaneously be a period of great joy, but also a stressful

life event.

Thus, parenting can be understood as a set of

emotional bonds, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of

mothers and fathers, which is influenced by several factors,

such as previous experiences (from their own childhood),

personal and sociocultural circumstances, expectations and

beliefs.

It is also influenced by the sense of personal

competence, marital relationship or the relationship

established with the other parent, the support network

(namely the family), available social services, as well as other

situations of inequality or vulnerability.

The concept of

parenting therefore refers to the set of activities and

attitudes and the way of interacting in relationships with

children.

According to Meleis

, the transition to parenthood is a

multidimensional concept that presupposes changes in

roles, definitions and redefinitions of the self and the very

transition, which is considered a passage or movement

from one state, condition or place to another.

The transition to parenthood is a complex process of

various physiological, psycho-emotional, social, and

cultural changes and adjustments. It is a demanding

process, characterized by constant learning, skill and

relationship development, and deep identity

reconstruction.

Parental experience depends on parenting

strategies and responses, and these include cognitive

components of learning and decision-making, relational

components such as family support, and operational

components such as task sharing, routine reorganization,

and role reconciliation.

Having support, whether

emotional or physical, can be seen as a crucial aid in this

process, decreasing the perception of stressful events, and

helping parents cope with them more effectively.

Thus, the

nature of the transition to parenthood affects not only the

woman, but her partner, and the entire family system, and

in turn involves a set of intra- and interpersonal changes.

Dessen

highlights grandparents as prominent figures in

the contemporary family, constituting the main source of

support and support for the family in this process,

promoting emotional, material and financial support.

Parents will be faced with a set of new and unexpected

situations for which experience, or lack thereof, does not

yet provide effective or convincing answers. At this point,

the support provided by grandparents, whether

instrumental or emotional, if provided properly, becomes a

protective factor in the adaptation of parents to the new

task that is required.

To understand these transitions, it is essential to know the

structure and functions of the family support network,

since they vary according to the socio-cultural context, time

and stage of life of the individual and the family as a group.

It is therefore extremely important to understand how

grandparents can influence or not the transition to

parenthood, acting as facilitators or barriers in this process.

Finally, and after consulting the JBI database, it was

confirmed that there is no scoping review on this topic,

which further accentuates its relevance. With that in mind,

the objective of this scoping review is to map the available

scientific evidence on the role of grandparents in the

transition to parenthood of their children, encompassing

the period of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum

period up to 3 years.

The research question of this scoping review is: what is the

role of grandparents in the transition to parenthood of their

children?

Methods

In order to guide this scoping review, a protocol was

developed, published on the Open Science Framework

(OSF) platform, with the identification

DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/KJC2Y.

Inclusion Criteria

Population Type: This scoping review will include articles

addressing grandparents who have experienced the

transition to parenthood of their children and other

community members who have witnessed the experience

of grandparents transitioning to parenthood of their

children.

Concept: This scoping review will include articles that

address the role of grandparents who have experienced the

transition to parenthood of their children.

Background: This scoping review will include articles that

address the role of grandparents in the context of the

transition to child parenting, including the timing of

pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. The

postpartum period was considered up to 3 years after

delivery, since it is intended to cover the physical,

emotional, psychological, social and cultural developments

and adjustments that this transition comprises. This longer

period thus highlights the importance of considering the

transition to parenthood as a continuous, complex and

demanding process, promoting a more comprehensive and

holistic approach.

Types of information sources: This scoping review will

consider all studies of a qualitative, quantitative or mixed

nature, as well as review articles, published in Portuguese,

English or Spanish, that meet the inclusion criteria

described. Regarding the temporal issue, it is decided to

define as inclusion criteria the studies published in the last

8 years (2015 to 2023), with the purpose of gathering the

latest scientific evidence.

Research Strategy

The research strategy of this scoping review aims to identify

articles published in Portuguese, English or Spanish in the

last eight years that portray the role of grandparents in the

transition to parenthood of their children.

According to the strategy defined by JBI

, this was planned

in three distinct stages.

Pensar Enfermagem / v.27 n.01 / November 2023 | 133

DOI: 10.56732/pensarenf.v27i1.277

Review Article

As a first step, a search was carried out limited to the

CINAHL, MEDLINE databases, through the EBSCOhost

platform, and the Scopus database, to identify articles on

the subject. To this end, the keywords extracted from the

natural terms of the research question were used. Then, an

analysis of the words used in the titles and abstracts and the

identification of the indexed terms corresponding to each

database was carried out.

In this sense, a table was prepared referring to the

keywords, natural terms and respective indexed terms

(table 1), in order to organize the first stage.

Table 1 – Systematization of the inclusion criteria, natural terms and respective terms indexed in the CINAHL, MEDLINE

and Scopus databases

Keywords

Natural terms

CINAHL indexed terms

MEDLINE

Indexed terms

Scopus terms

Grandparents

Role

Transition to parenthood

Parenthood transition

Parenting transition

Childbirth

Pregnancy

Post-partum

Childbirth

Pregnancy

Postnatal period

Parturition

Pregnancy

Parenthood transition

Parenting transition

Childbirth

Pregnancy

Post-partum

In a second stage, a search was performed using all the

natural and indexed terms identified in table 1, in the

databases separately.

In the CINAHL database, a search of the natural terms as

well as the respective indexed terms was done, later

crossing with the Boolean operator OR. After aggregation

between the natural terms and the respective indexed

terms, a new search was carried out associating the results

obtained previously, with the Boolean operator AND. This

process is depicted in Appendix I and with the search

expression:

((grandparents OR (MM “Grandparents”) OR

“grandparents”)) AND ((role OR (MM “role+) OR

“role”)) AND ((parenthood transition OR parenting

transition OR “transition to parenthood” OR “parenting

transition”) OR (childbirth OR (MM “childbirth+”) OR

“childbirth”) OR (pregnancy OR (MM “Pregnancy+”) OR

“pregnancy”) OR (postpartum OR (MM “Postnatal

Period+”) OR “postpartum”)).

The same steps were followed in the MEDLINE database,

with the respective terms identified in Table 1. This process

is presented in Appendix II.

Regarding the Scopus database, only the natural terms were

searched, since this database does not present indexed

terms, crossing the terms childbirth, pregnancy and post-partum,

with the Boolean operator OR, as well as with the terms

parenthood transition and parenting transition and the remaining

terms with the Boolean operator AND. This process is

depicted in Appendix III.

Finally, in the third stage of the research strategy, an

analysis of the bibliographic references of the selected

articles was carried out, looking for more evidence,

especially primary evidence.

This survey was conducted between April and May 2022

and updated in July 2023, extending its time limit to 2023.

Study Selection

The articles found were analyzed by two independent

reviewers, taking into account the relevance of the title and

the abstract. Duplicates and those that did not meet the

previously defined inclusion criteria were removed.

Subsequently, the selected articles were fully analyzed

through full-text reading, meeting all the inclusion criteria,

and none were excluded. This step was also carried out by

two independent reviewers, and the disagreements between

them were resolved through discussion.

An article was integrated by analyzing the bibliographic

references of the previously selected articles.

Data extraction

A data extraction tool was built by an independent reviewer

as per JBI

indications. This tool was tested in order to

ensure its clarity and accuracy of the extracted data. The

data of the selected articles were extracted using this tool.

Thus, the extracted data detail with clarity and specificity,

aspects about the phenomenon of interest, population,

objectives, study method and significant results for the

research question.

Data presentation

The data extracted from the selected articles are presented

in narrative form, as well as in a table (Appendix IV), which

organizes the studies according to the title, authors, year of

publication, country of origin, language, type of study,

objectives, sample and results relevant to the research

134 | Sousa, I.

Review Article

question. The discussion of results is elaborated in narrative

form.

Results

Search Results

The search in the three databases identified 63 articles. After

the duplicates were removed, 57 articles remained for

analysis of titles and abstracts according to the defined

inclusion criteria. At this stage, 47 articles were excluded

because they did not meet one or more inclusion criteria,

leaving 10 articles for full-text analysis. All 10 articles were

analyzed and none were excluded. The bibliographic

references of the 10 selected articles were also consulted and

another full-text article was integrated, in a total of 11

articles included in this scoping review. This process is

schematized in the Prisma diagram to which figure 1 refers.

Figure 1- PRISMA diagram: research results and selection of studies to be included in the scoping review. Adapted JBI.

Characteristics of sources of evidence

The articles selected in this scoping review were published

between 2015 and 2023, and 72% (n=8) were published in

the last six years. They are all articles published in

international journals, such as the Journal of Family Issues

(n=1), Nursing Inquiry (n=1), Global Public Health (n=1),

Maternal & Child Nutrition (n=1), International Journal of

Childbirth Education (n=1), Midwifery (n=2),

Breastfeeding Review (n=1), BMC Pregnancy and

CINAHL COMPLETE: 20

MEDLINE COMPLETE: 36

Scopus: 7

(n=63)

Items removed before selection:

Duplicates (n=6)

Articles analyzed by title

(n=57)

Articles excluded by titles

(n=38)

Articles analyzed by abstracts

(n=19)

Articles excluded by abstracts

(n=9)

Full-text articles analyzed for eligibility

(n=10)

Articles excluded in full-text

(n=0)

Articles included in the scoping review

(n=11)

Articles identified by bibliographic references

(n=1)

Articles identified in the databases

Identification

Selection

Inclusion

Pensar Enfermagem / v.27 n.01 / November 2023 | 135

DOI: 10.56732/pensarenf.v27i1.277

Review Article

Childbirth (n=1), Human Nature (n=2). All articles are

written in English. Two articles are from China, another

two from the United States of America (USA), followed by

Austria, Ghana, Colombia, New Zealand, Australia, France

and Namibia, with one article each. Four literature reviews

and seven primary studies with a qualitative or mixed

approach were then included.

The population of articles is diverse, including couples who

have been parents, grandparents, health professionals, as

well as community leaders.

Seven studies used in-depth semi-structured interviews as a

methodology and most studies aim to evaluate and explore

the experiences of parents and grandparents in the

transition to parenthood.

Review Results

In order to organize the results that emerged from the

research, we grouped them into four categories:

grandparents as a source of support; grandparents and the

influence on family nutrition and exclusive breastfeeding;

the ambivalence of feelings; and the role of health

professionals.

Grandparents as a source of support

Many grandparents play a vital role in the lives of pregnant

women or women/mothers and their grandchildren and

represent a source of support, whether instrumental,

emotional, informative or financial.

6.11,12

Geographical

distance, culture, maternal and paternal relationship with

parents and in-laws, as well as the age of grandparents can

change the role that grandparents play and subsequently

change the influence they have on the parenting of

children. The interconnected nature of the different

generations can affect parenting styles, baby safety, as well

as parenting role performance.

Grandmothers were identified as the main support of

pregnant women, providing them with information,

guidance and emotional support.

11,12

Grandmothers are the

ones who have the role of preserving cultural traditions

related to this period, they are repositories of knowledge

about local medicine and decision-makers in health-seeking

behaviors, that is, they decide where childbirth takes place

and the need to resort to health services.

In a study

conducted in an African country, Namibia,

three domains

were identified in which grandmothers contribute, namely:

a) learning to be mothers, through representations of care

and examples, as well as information; b) support in

breastfeeding; and c) health and well-being in the postnatal

period. It is concluded that the informational, emotional

and instrumental support provided to mothers and their

newborns during the perinatal period can help establish the

mother-child bond, promote maternal energy balance and

improve the nutritional outcomes of babies.

The instrumental and emotional support provided by

grandparents, although dependent on the type of

relationship between parents and children, when not

intrusive, is a protective factor for the development of

maternal mental health problems in the first postpartum

year.

Beneficial effects for the child are also reported, as

mothers without mental health problems are more

emotionally available and actively respond to the child's

needs.

Another article

also mentions that the role of

grandparents is as a support network, taking care of both

mother and baby, preparing meals, and doing other

household chores. The role of grandparents also involves

the intergenerational transmission of roles, in which

mothers learn either by observation, advice or imitation of

care.

Grandparents and the influence on family nutrition

and exclusive breastfeeding

The culture of breastfeeding in a family plays a significant

role in supporting new mothers to breastfeed exclusively

and the practice of exclusive breastfeeding for six months

is not limited to the intentions or actions of the mother-

child dyad; it is a relational behavior influenced not only by

family networks around the mother, but also by cultural,

historical and social contexts.

Grandmothers have the ability to influence exclusive

breastfeeding. A grandmother's positive opinion about

breastfeeding has the potential to influence a mother up to

12% to initiate breastfeeding.

17,18

On the other hand, it can

also have a negative influence, having the ability to decrease

the likelihood of breastfeeding up to 70%.

Wagner et al,

suggest that mothers who were breastfed as infants were

more likely to initiate and continue breastfeeding than non-

breastfed mothers. The mother's mother and the mother's

previous breastfeeding experience have a strong influence

on breastfeeding practices.

Concha and Jovchelocitch,

suggest that grandmothers

play a central role in the nutrition of many families during

the prepartum, postpartum, breastfeeding or

complementary feeding periods, namely in the preparation

of meals.

The ambivalence of feelings

Ambivalent feelings arise when the involvement of

grandparents in one or more domains, whether affective,

cognitive or behavioral, does not correspond to the wishes

and expectations of parents.

This ambivalence also exists

when there are divergent views of parents and grandparents

in relation to concepts and convictions about pregnancy,

education, childcare, nutrition, or other fundamental

aspects in raising children. In the same study, these

ambivalent feelings also occurred when grandparents

questioned the roles and attitudes of parents and there were

critical judgments of grandparents about their parenting

abilities. Another aspect related to ambivalent feelings in

the involvement of grandparents is at the behavioral level,

when the grandparents do not respect the limits imposed

by the parents and, at the affective level, when it involves

disappointment with emotional aspects of the

136 | Sousa, I.

Review Article

relationships, namely feelings of competition between

parents and grandparents.

A study conducted in China

identifies that grandparents

are expected to support parents during the transition to

parenthood, even without parents asking for it. The study

mentions that, regarding postpartum and newborn care,

parents identify a significant gap between their beliefs and

those of their grandparents, noting that the approaches of

the older generation are outdated and unscientific. On the

other hand, the older generation believes they have the

experience of having children and the wisdom already

passed on for years. This discord creates family strife. The

study also identifies that parents appreciate the support

received by grandparents, for allowing time off from the

demands of care; however, they criticize them for

potentially causing harm to the baby, for their traditional

approaches. The same study also argues that clear and

direct communication leads to a better family relationship

and mutual understanding, rather than criticism. On the

other hand, there were conflicts whenever family members

expressed ineffective or non-existent communication and

insisted on doing it their way, which led to precarious family

relationships. If family members did not speak up and hide

their conflicts or communicate in a vague way, they were

more likely to trigger feelings of anger and silent aggression.

Families with well-established boundaries tend to have

more harmony in this transition period.

Most of the

interviewed grandparents recognized their role and

boundaries and refrained from expressing their views on

parental decisions. In some families there was competition

among their members for control and, when this

competition was strong, conflicts arose. This study

also

refers to generational limits, that is, the expectations of

perceived limits and rules of interaction of all family

members, involving the regulation of the behavior of

parents and grandparents. Clear boundaries require

grandparents to respect parental authority and avoid

offering too much advice regarding their parenting

decisions. Unwanted advice from grandparents is the most

ineffective form of communication and can be perceived as

a critique of parental care, affecting trust in one's own

parental skills.

Thus, the involvement of grandparents in

the parental role can threaten the autonomy of parents and

may not be well received by them.

The role of healthcare professionals

Parents and grandparents attribute a relevant role to health

professionals as mediators of family conflicts.

The former

claim that the latter are in a better position to mediate

family conflicts related to the clarification of roles, division

of tasks, communication and establishment of limits in the

puerperium and in the care of the newborn. The need for

knowledge and development of parental skills, the need for

information and education in the postpartum period and

psychological support for mothers are also identified.

There is a potential gap between health education

campaigns that target mothers as autonomous decision-

makers and the reality of a more collectivist community

structure in which mothers rarely make these decisions

without the support of other community members.

Burgess

argues that it is important for health professionals

preparing for childbirth and promoting adaptation to

parenting to recognize the role of grandparents and work

to assess their knowledge of current care practices and child

safety, including their role in caring for the baby. A

thorough evaluation will allow health professionals to

provide appropriate educational and support interventions

and resources for both parents and grandparents. The birth

of a new baby is not only an isolated experience for the

future mother, but also a transition for the grandparents.

In this sense, the provision of support by health

professionals can improve self-efficacy, as well as the

growth of grandparents as individuals. As educators, they

should be mindful of what this transition can mean and

help families embrace the interconnectedness that the birth

of this new baby brings to all

.13

Discussion

In the last eight years, 11 articles were found that identify

the various roles of grandparents in the transition to

parenthood of their children, thus providing an answer to

the research question initially formulated. This scoping

review therefore allows us to understand that grandparents

can play a vital role in the lives of children and their

grandchildren and represent a source of support, whether

instrumental, emotional, informative or financial,

6,11,12

providing information and guidance.

This informational,

emotional and instrumental support during the perinatal

period can help establish the parent-child bond, promote

maternal energy balance, improve child's nutritional

outcomes

and improve maternal mental health.

It is also identified the influence that grandmothers

represent in the nutrition of the whole family in the

perinatal period, namely in the preparation of meals,

well as their influence on exclusive breastfeeding. We know

that breast milk is the best food for the baby until food

introduction and that it is exclusively recommended until 6

months of age;

however, several factors contribute to

influence its practice. Thus, the practice of exclusive

breastfeeding during the first 6 months of the baby's life is

a relational behavior influenced by the mother's intentions,

family networks and cultural, historical and social

contexts.

There is scientific evidence that corroborates

the ability of grandmothers to influence exclusive

breastfeeding.

17,18

Although there are differences in the

type of breastfeeding outcome and how the influence of

grandmothers was measured, the overall effect on

breastfeeding was positive when the attitudes or

experiences of older female generations in relation to

breastfeeding were favorable. A grandmother's positive

opinion of breastfeeding had the potential to influence a

mother up to 12% to initiate breastfeeding. On the other

hand, a negative opinion has the ability to reduce the

probability of breastfeeding up to 70%.

In this sense, it is

pertinent to allow and encourage the presence and

participation of grandmothers in the health care provided

Pensar Enfermagem / v.27 n.01 / November 2023 | 137

DOI: 10.56732/pensarenf.v27i1.277

Review Article

to pregnant women and parents, if desired, especially in the

perinatal period.

The ambivalence of parents' feelings towards their

grandparents was another aspect highlighted in this scoping

review. If, on the one hand, parents appreciate and

recognize the importance of grandparents' support in the

transition to parenthood, on the other hand, when there are

divergent views regarding concepts and convictions related

to children, through questioning parental attitudes and

roles and through critical judgment about their abilities,

there is an ambivalence of feelings, which can lead to

intergenerational conflicts.

12,21

Clear and direct

communication leads to a better family relationship and

mutual understanding, to the detriment of criticism.

the other hand, the most ineffective form of

communication translates into the unwanted advice of

grandparents, which can be perceived as a criticism of

parental care, affecting confidence in their own parental

skills.

In this sense, health professionals can assume a role

as mediators of conflicts, through the clarification of points

of view, based on the latest scientific evidence. According

to a qualitative exploratory study,

all participants

expressed the wish that health professionals could help

them, believing that they are in a better position to mediate

family conflicts.

Several articles also mention a gap in health care regarding

the inclusion of significant people in the care of women,

namely grandparents, who represent a crucial source of

support in the transition to parenthood.

6,11,21

It is important

that health professionals, namely those who prepare for

childbirth and who promote adaptation to parenthood,

recognize the role of grandparents, making a complete

assessment, which will allow them to provide appropriate

care for both parents and grandparents, adopting a more

inclusive approach.

Conclusion

The various articles analyzed identified many roles that

grandparents can have in the transition to parenthood of

their children in the most different places in the world,

meeting the objective of this scoping review, as well as

answering the research question formulated. In addition to

identifying the roles of grandparents in the transition to

parenthood of their children, we also identified the possible

feelings and conflicts that may arise between them and their

children in this period, suggesting that it is through clear

and assertive communication that they can be resolved. It

also identified gaps in relation to health care and the

integration of grandparents into it, suggesting that health

professionals include grandparents in their approach to

care.

As nurses are one of the main providers of health care to

women and couples in the transition to parenthood, it is

important to incorporate the results of this scoping review,

in order to envisage a continuous improvement in the care

provided by them, in different contexts. Thus, the nurse

should involve significant people in the care process, also

integrating them as care clients and establishing

partnerships with them.

By understanding the different roles that grandparents can

play in the transition to parenthood, we will better

understand the importance of integrating them into the

health care of women/couples and children in this process.

However, this aspect implies an individual and personalized

evaluation, as each person is unique. We live in an

increasingly multicultural society with specific health care

needs. We emphasize as a strong point of this scoping

review, the multiculturalism of the various studies included,

allowing to broaden the vision of care and alerting to the

different perspectives and specificities of each individual as

a social, cultural and spiritual being. On the other hand, we

emphasize as limitations this same multiculturality of the

studies, which does not allow a generalization of the results;

as well as most of the selected studies focus only on

women/pregnant women and grandmothers in the

transition to parenthood. Although a vital role is

increasingly being attributed also to male figures in relation

to parenting, still today, in many cultures this is experienced

especially by the female gender. It is therefore important to

consider that sometimes couples may prefer to include

fathers, namely mothers, in their health process during the

transition to parenthood.

More research on this topic is considered necessary,

particularly in Portugal, in order to raise awareness among

health professionals, namely nurses, about the importance

of family integration in health care. Thus, future primary

studies are suggested in order to discover the Portuguese

reality of the role of grandparents in contemporary society.

Authors’ contributions

IS: Conception and design of the study; Collection of data;

Analysis and interpretation of data and Writing of the

manuscript.

HB: Data collection; Data analysis and interpretation;

Critical revision of the manuscript.

Conflicts of interest and Funding

No conflicts of interest were declared by the authors.

Sources of support / Financing

The study was not funded.

References

1. Lau Y, Fang L, Kwong HK. Cross-lagged models of

marital relationships and intergenerational conflicts during

transition to parenthood: effect of patrilineal coresidence.

Fam Process [Internet]. 2020 Dec [citado a 2022 Jun

20];59(4):1569-1587. Disponível em:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/famp.1

2524 DOI: 10.1111/famp.12524.

2. Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses. Ser mãe, ser pai. Os

desafios da parentalidade (durante e após a pandemia)

138 | Sousa, I.

Review Article

[Internet]. 2021 Jun 8 [citado a 2022 Jun 22]; [noticia 3491].

Disponível em:

https://www.ordemdospsicologos.pt/ficheiros/document

os/ser_mae_pai_desafios_parentalidade.pdf

3. Domenech CS, Cabero SG. Las competencias parentales

en la familia contemporânea: descripción, promoción y

evaluación. Educación social: Revista de intervención

socioeducativa [Internet]. 2011 Jan [citado a 2022 Jun

15];49:25-47. Disponível em:

https://raco.cat/index.php/EducacioSocial/article/view/

250177/369142.

4. Meleis AI. Transitions Theory. Middle-range and

situation-specific theories in nursing research and practice.

New York: Springer Publishing Company. 2010.

5. Martins CA, Abreu WJCP, Figueiredo MCAB. Tornar-

se pai ou mãe: o desenvolvimento do processo parental.

Fronteiras: Journal of Social, Technological and

Environmental Science [Internet]. 2017 Dec [citado a 2022

Jun 15];6(4):146-61. Disponível em:

http://periodicos.unievangelica.edu.br/index.php/frontei

ras/article/view/2672 DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.21664/2238-8869.2017v6i4.p146-

161.

6. Burgess A. Interconnectedness: the grandparent’s role in

childbearing and parenting. Int J Childbirth Educ. 2015

Jan;30(1):68-73.

7. Dessen MA. Os avós como rede social de apoio das

famílias de seus filhos. International Journal of

Developmental and Educational Psychology [Internet].

2013 Mar [citado a 2022 Jun 15];1(1):67-74. Disponível em:

http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=349852058004.

8. Carvalho PS, Loureiro M, Simões MR. Adaptações

psicológicas à gravidez e maternidade. Psicologia e

Educação. 2006 Dec; 5(2): 39-50.

9. Oliveira MR, Dessen MA. Alterações na rede social

durante a gestação e o nascimento dos filhos. Estudos de

Psicologia Campinas [Internet]. 2012 Jan [citado a 2022 Jun

15];29(1):81-88. Disponível em:

https://www.scielo.br/j/estpsi/a/Mc8jHRgNP8x9y5Zq7

jq7hHb/?lang=pt

10. Peters MDJ, Godfrey C, Mclnerney P, Munn Z, Tricco

AC, Khalil H. Chapter 11: scoping reviews (2020 version).

In: Aromataris E, Munn Z, (Editors) JBI Manual for

Evidence Synthesis [Internet]. 2020. [citado a 2022 Jun 15]

Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.46658/JBIMES-20-12

11. Gupta ML, Aborigo RA, Adongo PB, Rominski S,

Hodgson A, Engmann CM, et al. Grandmothers as

gatekeepers? The role of grandmothers in influencing

health-seeking for mothers and newborns in rural northern

Ghana. Glob Public Health [Internet]. 2015 Jan [citado a

2022 Jun 20];10(9):1078-1091. Disponível em:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2014.1002413.

12. Zartler U, Schmidt E, Schalder C, Rieder I, Ricther R.

“A Blessing and a Curse” couples dealing with ambivalence

concerning grandparental involvement during the

transition do parenthood – a longitudinal study. J

Fam Issues [Internet]. 2021 [citado a 2022 Jun 20]; 42(5)

958–983. Disponível em:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0192513

X20950786 DOI: 10.1177/0192513X20950786.

13. Scelza BA, Hinde K. A biocultural study of

grandmothering during the perinatal period. Hum Nat

[Internet]. 2019 Dec [citado a 2022 Jun 20];30: 371-397.

Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-019-

09356-2.

14. Riem MME, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Cima M, Van

IJzendoorn MH. Grandparental support and maternal

postpartum mental health: a review and meta-analysis.

Hum Nat [Internet]. 2023 Feb [citado a 2023 Jul

11];34(1): 25-45. Disponível em:

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-023-09440-8

15. Xiao X, Loke AY. Intergenerational co-parenting in the

postpartum period: a concept analysis. Midwifery

[Internet]. 2022 Apr [citado a 2022 Jun 20];107:1-23.

Disponível em:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2022.103275

16. Alianmoghaddam N, Phibbs S, Benn C. The impact of

family culture on six months exclusive breastfeeding: a

qualitative study in New Zealand. Breastfeed Rev. 2018

Mar;26(1):23-36.

17. Negin J, Coffman J, Vizintin P, Raynes-Greenow C.

The influence of grandmothers on breastfeeding rates: a

systematic review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth [Internet].

2016 [citado a 2022 Jun 20];16(91):1-10. Disponível em:

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-016-0880-5 DOI

10.1186/s12884-016-0880-5.

18. Wagner S, Kersuzan C, Gojard S, Tichit C, Nicklaus S,

Thierry X, et al. Breastfeeding initiation and duration in

France: the importance of intergenerational and previous

maternal breastfeeding experiences-results from the

nationwide ELFE study. Midwifery [Internet]. 2019 Feb

[citado a 2022 Jun 20];69:67-75. Disponível em:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2018.10.020.

19. Concha N, Jovchelocitch S. Grandmothers: central

scaffolding sources impacting maternal and infant feeding

practices in Colombia. Matern Child Nutr [Internet]. 2021

[Citado a 2022 Jun 20];17(S1):1-11. Disponível em:

https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13162 DOI:

10.1111/mcn.13162.

20. World Health Organization, United Nations Children´s

Fund, editors. Implementation guidance. Protecting,

promoting and supporting breastfeeding in facilities

providing maternity and newborn services: the revised

baby-friendly hospital initiative. Geneva (CH): World

Health Organization, United Nations Children´s Fund;

2018. 52p.

21. Xiao X, Loke AY. Experiences of intergenerational co-

parenting during the postpartum period in modern China:

a qualitative exploratory study. Nurs Inq [Internet]. 2021

Pensar Enfermagem / v.27 n.01 / November 2023 | 139

DOI: 10.56732/pensarenf.v27i1.277

Review Article

[citado a 2022 Jun 20];28(3):1-15. Disponível em:

https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12403 DOI:

10.1111/nin.12403.