In a stark contradiction to traditional mother-in-law jibes, today's grannies-to-be are proving thoughtful, generous...and tech-savvy.
Imminent grandmotherhood is drawing them into online shops, social networking sites such as Facebook and even online video-conferencing in an attempt to keep in touch.
Specialist maternity gift retailer, Milk & Honey Organics, has seen a big increase in the numbers of prospective grandmothers buying online. "Grandmothers are normally looking for a very special gift for their daughter-in-law. They telephone us for advice on products so they can choose the most appropriate gift for her stage of pregnancy. Their gift purchases are incredibly thoughtful", says Milk & Honey Organics owner, Rose Tighe. "Online security and managing the multiple passwords now required for online purchases is still a concern. Some prefer to pay over the phone rather than the internet."
Even the most technophobe mother-in-law is embracing online sites that enable them to get more involved once granchildren are in the picture. Facebook's ability to unite family members through messaging and photo-sharing has driven dramatic growth amongst the 50-64 year old age group. 8.3m over-50s created accounts in 2008 compared to only 1.7m under 18 year olds.
Not everyone welcomes the army of Silver Surfers with glee. "My mother started adding all my friends to her friend list", says one 34 year old mother-of-one. "That wasn't too bad, but then she invited my ex-fiancee who I hadn't been in touch with for years!".
While some lessons in online social etiquette have yet to filter through, for most families the arrival online of the original baby boomers brings welcome support and marks an end to an outdated mother-in-law myth.
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