One cup of fresh coffee a day significantly increases the chances of giving birth to an underweight baby, research has shown. The new findings from...

At some point during the first six weeks you will wonder whether you love your baby as much as you should. You're not strange and there's nothing wrong with you for feeling like this - everyone does.

For those experiencing feminism's unintended consequences - childless, working women of my generation who, just like Friedan's housewives, are wondering if there's 'something more' - it can feel like the pendulum swung too far the other way.

Poorer women who face a shortage of men will have children younger, while richer women will delay motherhood and focus on their careers, a new study s...

Throughout every employee's working life there will come a time when they need to work in a more flexible way - this could be anything from raising a child to compassionate leave. It isn't just new mothers that need and benefit from working differently.

The problem, as I see it, is that if we stick with the feminine and masculine principles as cultural rather than something housed within each individual, how can men ever meet us in the domestic sphere so that we 'parent' our children together?

Being a parent is hard. In fact, let's just be honest about it, it's really hard sometimes. We often don't admit it, except to our closest friends and family, but it's probably the most challenging part of our lives. A recent survey by the NSPCC reported that in the first eight weeks after birth around three in five mothers felt isolated with no one to turn to, and two in five mothers even admitted to 'getting angry' with their baby. And this is before they've even started walking and talking!

Research by American psychologists, published earlier this month, studied the sleep patterns of 1,200 children from birth to three years. Marsha Weinraub, professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, said that alongside regular bedtimes, it was best for parents to not respond when their children call out or cry, especially after nine or 10 months of age.

Parenting is hard work and the issue that holds many parents back from altering their parenting styles is that it's hard to know where to start.

When it comes to healthy eating, I view my family as a work in progress.

I believe strongly that high quality childcare is something which should be accessible to all, particularly as research shows that children who attend an excellent setting (nursery), followed by receiving a high standard of teaching in a primary school, have a significant boost in their development.

After the excesses of Christmas, entertaining children in January needs to be cheap and easy so here are my top picks of free days out in London for kids, which don't require a huge amount of energy or planning, won't be overly crowded and are fun whatever the weather.

Our new acquaintance had sailed to Paris from Dublin to celebrate the latest exhibition opening of his flame haired aunt, the artist Patricia Poullain. She, a wonderfully talented lady heads a loyal and extraneous family, one of whom is the Glam Rocker, hence my presence.

Perhaps I should brush over this week. It was not a happy one. I was not a happy person. I hated everyone and everything. This was compounded by the official and public confirmation that the Glam Rocker's band would be supporting Lady Gaga on her worldwide tour, which meant I would be mothering it, alone.

We see women who have become pregnant not long after giving birth, not realising how quickly fertility returned, or after misinformation about the protection breastfeeding provides against pregnancy. Sadly we also see women who simply haven't been able to negotiate contraceptive use with a reluctant partner, as well as women for whom a much wanted pregnancy is no longer possible after a dramatic change in personal circumstances. A recently conducted audit of all women contacting bpas for advice in 2011 found nearly two thirds were using contraception, including condoms, pills, patches and coils, when they became pregnant.

The truth is that only us fathers can change the world of parenting and break down the ovarian Bastille I referred to. I'll go a step further and say that sometimes us men should do more to become active parents and make this happen.

I remember loving this stage. Boy Wonder and I were fluent in monosyllabic squeak. 'Ah bah' translated, (depending on intonation and mood), as 'over there' or 'what's that?' or 'let's go' but mainly, 'I love you Mum, you are the best Mum in the world.'

I was out having lunch with an aunt when the phone rang. "You are not going to believe this." It was the Glam Rocker sounding jubilant. "Believe what?" "The band have been offered a world tour supporting a huge international female artist. Guess," he said, "Guess who?" I ran through the usual suspects Madonna, Rihanna, Beyoncé?