During the early child-rearing period, new mothers and their mothers-in-law may well have more frequent contact than before. “When pregnant, breastfeeding and caring for a young baby, mothers are faced with a challenging time and need extra support,” explains Perry. Although a new mother’s partner and father-in-law can help, it’s often her own mother and mother-in-law who provide the most robust support. Plus, child-rearing is an emotive topic that comes with a plethora of generational differences. With a mother-in-law expecting to have her grandchild raised one way, and an exhausted mother adamant about doing some things differently, the conditions are ripe for disagreements.
