by Jess Banham

A new course is set to teach grannies... how to be grannies!

The ground-breaking classes offer 'granny graduates' the chance to refresh their parenting skills.

Kicking off in Burham, the five weeks of tuition will show grandmothers just how much being a parent has altered since they changed nappies and winded their babies.

They are being run by registered Midwife Sally Underdown and the team behind Grannynet, a website set up to support the nation's seven million grandmothers.

Grannynet Founder Verity Gill said: "Their instincts and their experience speaks volumes but what we did find is that sometimes mums would reject their advice because they would come out with something outdated and that would affect their confidence. They wouldn't want to be as involved with the baby in case they did something wrong."

The course covers topics such as resuscitation, weaning and community support, as well as the minefield that is modern-day equipment.

Ms Gill added: "It's things like lying a baby on their front or back, that's obviously changed a lot, breastfeeding versus bottle, everything's vaguely similar but there's been a lot of important discoveries and research that's gone on in the last 30 years."

The free course will be held at the Burham Children's Centre, from 1.30pm until 3.30pm for five weeks from Friday October 7.

To sign up call Jacqui Norwood on 07872 466933 or 01634 686472.