From mum to gran

Your mother will be delighted when you tell her you're pregnant, but it will come as a shock to her at the same time: it will make her realise she's getting old. How she takes the good news will depend on her age, circumstances and lifestyle. A lot could depend on whether or not you live close to her or not and whether you have a good relationship with her. If you and your mum have a good relationship, you'll transfer it to your own child; if you have a difficult relationship, you'll try and 'put right' what was missing in your relationship through your child.

Her new role in life
In times gone by, a grandmother's role was well defined: she was expected to look after her grandkids from time to time, spoil them and tell them stories by the fireside. Today's generation of grans are as youthful physically as they are mentally. Even retired grans were once working women who fought for equal rights and have changed attitudes and relationships.  

What sort of grandmother will she be?
Even if over 8 out of 10 grans looks after their grandkids at least occasionally, some just aren't cut out for regular babysitting, so you should know when to keep a distance. Grandmothers can vary widely in their approach: you've got the "ideal" gran who always comes running whenever you need her, the "matriarch" who'll always give good advice, the "second mum," the "time-to-time" gran... we could go on. Her role will depend on many factors, and you (and she) will define it together.