How long will it take me to recover after giving birth?

In the age of celebrities flaunting flat stomachs weeks after giving birth, many women feel insecure about how long it takes them to heal. But a new study suggests it might take several months to get back to normal

Fastest mum on the road

Jessica Bruce, currently awaiting confirmation from Guinness World Records that she is the fastest buggy-toting marathon runner in the world, talks to Ronnie Haydon

Is perinatal anxiety a bigger problem than postnatal depression?

For many women, the main problem with giving birth is anxiety – and dealing with it quickly is the key to a good recovery. Is enough being done to spot it in time?

Better care could save hundreds of babies from stillbirth, says report

There are more than 1,000 stillbirths each year and out of a sample of 85, researchers found failures in the pregnancy care of half of them

More babies born to women 35 or older than under 25 for first time

There were 138,592 live births to women under 25 and 144,181 to women aged 35 and over last year in England and Wales, ONS figures show

Fertility treatments are getting better – and more realistic

Developments such as ovarian tissue transplants and single embryo transfer are making motherhood a graspable reality, but services must be safe and accessible

‘Chain of failings’ led to death of Charlotte Bevan and her newborn baby, coroner rules

Coroner says mentally ill woman, who left a Bristol hospital and jumped off a cliff holding her baby, needed a care plan and psychiatric help after she gave birth

Should I get my eggs counted?

Getting a snapshot of your potential fertility cannot give a cast-iron guarantee of having a baby later in life, but because the number of eggs declines with age, it is worth doing sooner rather than later

What’s the best bit of the UN? No 7: UN Population Fund

All week we are looking at the United Nations’ vital agencies. Let us know what you think are the biggest successes and failures, using the form below

My first labour was harrowing. Hypnobirthing made my second like a dream

First-time mothers can be terrified because they’re rushed through labour, but I overcame my fears with the help of this meditative practice