Glamourous Gemma Skinner has become Britain’s youngest gran at the age of 33.
Her daughter Maizie, 17, gave birth to a girl — and the nurses thought Gemma was the baby’s aunt.
The mum of three, from Amersham, Bucks, said: “At first I didn’t want to be called ‘nan’ or ‘granny’ — but now I’m loving it.”
Gemma told how she loves going out with her baby grand-daughter — and everyone thinks she’s her mum.
Gemma has three girls of her own, with her youngest, Bella, now the baby’s four-year-old aunt.
Gemma told The Sun: “I did the school run with the baby this week and someone came over to me and asked if she was mine.
“I had to explain that she’s my grand-daughter and they were quite shocked. Everyone has assumed she is Maizie’s younger sister so we have to keep explaining that she’s actually her daughter.
“People mistake me for her mum all the time.
“When Maizie was in hospital, the nurse who came to give her an epidural asked if we were sisters. We can laugh about it because it happens all the time. I’m used to it now.”
Gemma had Maizie in 2004 when she was 16 years old, and also has another daughter Gracie, ten, as well as youngest Bella.
‘My first reaction was worry’
When she found out her oldest daughter was pregnant at 17 she was initially concerned — remembering how hard it was for her to become a mum at such a young age.Gemma said: “My first reaction was worry because it wasn’t easy for me when I found out that I was pregnant so young.
“But I wouldn’t change anything for the world and I love our little family. Maizie has taken to being a mum so naturally and I’m so proud of her.”
Maizie and her boyfriend Jack Weir, 19, have called their baby Larosa Maè.
The teenager went into labour last Saturday and after a traumatic birth the little one was born weighing 8lb 4oz at 1.20am on Sunday.
Gemma said: “Maizie had to be induced and had an epidural which didn’t work down one side.
“Then the head was born for three minutes without the body, so it was a very traumatic birth. I am so glad I was there with her.”
Maizie and Jack are both now in the family home in Amersham, Bucks, so granny Gemma can help out with childcare.
Gemma said: “It’s been really good so far. We are such a close-knit family. It is so lovely for the baby to have so many around her to support her. Gracie and Bella are already loving being aunties and have been so sweet with their new niece.”
However Gemma said her own mother was less keen on being called a great-grandmother.
She said: “My mum, Lorraine, who is only 54, lives just 15 minutes down the road so we are very close-knit.”
But she added: “I don’t think she’s quite ready to be a great-grandma in her 50s.”
Maizie admitted to The Sun that she was terrified to tell her mum she was pregnant while so young — but has received overwhelming support.
She recalled: “She just hugged me and told me it would be OK and supported me from then.
“I know she didn’t want me to miss out on my teenage years but she did tell me the impact as she had been through it, so I listen to what she says. I don’t know where I would be without her. When she found out I was pregnant she put me on an apprenticeship with her and gave me a job so I can get qualifications and I’m so lucky for this.
“My pregnancy was hard and I struggled but my mum really helped me and then my birth was very traumatic and really scared me to have another.
“My mum was by my side the entire time and didn’t leave me.
“She’s teaching me everything I need to know and more and I’m so grateful for her.
“She has taught me how strong I have to be as a parent and I’m proud of what my daughter has in her.”
The family join a handful in the UK who have grandparents in their early 30s.
Like Gemma, Jenni Medlam from Hull also became a grandmother this year at 33, and was said to be Britain’s youngest.
However Jenni is now 34, meaning Gemma may have taken the title unless anyone else stakes a claim.
Jenni, married to Richard, 35, became grandparents in June after their 16-year-old daughter Charmaine gave birth to baby Isla-May. And her experiences have been strikingly similar to Gemma’s.
She said: “When we’re out with Isla everyone just assumed she’s mine and Richard’s daughter.
“When we explain to them that we are actually grandparents they get the absolute shock of their life.
“Most people don’t believe us when we tell them. But I can obviously understand why people would think we are her parents as we are still in our early thirties.”
The average age of becoming a grandparent in the UK is 63, with first-time mums 29.
And Jenni said: “When Charmaine first told us that she was pregnant and that we were going to become grandparents we were really shocked.
“It has been a whirlwind but we love our new roles. I’m Nanna and Richard is G’pa.”
