In child-care emergencies, grandmothers are often the first line of defense. But pitching in to help with the baby-sitting may be taking a toll on Grandma's health. According to an ongoing survey of 55,000 registered nurses, grandmothers who provide child-care for nine hours or more a week have a 55% higher risk of having a heart attack. The study did not try to determine why, but stress may be a factor. It may also be that grandmothers with heavy child-care demands have less time to practice good health habits. So Grandma may need and want to help take care of the kids, but she must also take care of herself.![]()