I threw a potato. Mum brandished a knife … would whole-family therapy save our Christmas?
Eight years ago, after yet another disastrous festive get-together, my mother decided we needed professional help. Which is how a new festive tradition began
‘She was like a deer in headlights’: how unskilled radical birthkeepers took hold in Canada
In holistic communities and midwifery deserts, women are turning to the Free Birth Society for information and unlicensed providers
Sport, music, Scouts … it’s time to end the relentless treadmill of kids’ extracurricular activities and re-embrace civilisation
There are no uniforms to remember, no bags to pack, no mad dashes across suburbs at this time of year. Even dinner can be eaten while seated
How to eat, drink and be merry – while pregnant – at Christmas
Some traditional treats may be off the menu, but there are plenty of alternatives for a festive feast
Endings are hard, but facing them helps us to heal
I understand the temptation to run away – I have felt it too. Try to stay in the room, and in the moment. You’ll be glad you did
Friday briefing: How the Free Birth Society’s philosophy contributed to a preventable death
In today’s newsletter: The Guardian’s new podcast, The Birth Keepers, explores how a global network promoting unassisted childbirth has shaped women’s decisions around childbirth. One mother’s story stands as a stark warning
The best UK Christmas gifts for dads (that aren’t whisky or novelty socks)
From fondue sets to hot sauce, board games to stadium prints, our edit has presents for every budget – even for dads who swear they’ve got everything
Death of Irish mother in ‘free birth’ reveals how poor maternity care is pushing women towards extreme influencers
Women in Ireland and the UK linked to Free Birth Society among scores around world to have suffered loss or serious harm after births
I want to become a single mum, but feel envious of peers with partners
It is good that you are getting expert counselling, but seeking support from other solo mums might be helpful too
‘I tried to capture her inner world – but couldn’t’: Tom de Freston on painting his wife pregnant and nude
The artist and his wife, novelist Kiran Millwood Hargrave, lost seven pregnancies before their daughter was born. They explain how his nude paintings of her helped them process their grief – and eventual joy