After a troubling report on NHS care, the number of pregnant women seeking more control over their birth plans is growingA growing number of patients are paying up to £8,000 to hire private midwives amid frustration at the poor service many face in the NHS. The UK’s only private maternity hospital, the Portland, has reported treating more women. It...

Rishi Sunak is so convinced he can’t win he’s promising any old mad thing, while the Lib Dems are deliberately falling off paddleboards – Marina Hyde on the election. The couple on a mission to make it easier for everyone to have multiple children – Elon Musk (father of 11) is a supporter. Few of us have the money to take a long pause from work – but,...

Taking a step into the unknown can be scary, but there are ways to feel part of something outside the world of workEvery week Annalisa Barbieri addresses a problem sent in by a readerI have worked in higher education for more than 25 years. My plan was to retire at 60, but shortly before that I was offered a prestigious teaching position abroad. I now...

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The anti-sickness medicine domperidone is increasingly being prescribed or bought illegally to aid lactation. Yet, as I discovered too late, side-effects can include anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughtsIt is 11 days since I gave birth to my first baby. My breast milk still hasn’t “come in” properly and no one can tell me why. Midwives come and...

When we have sex I get aroused at first, but my mood can change abruptly. I worry about how my lack of desire will affect our relationshipSign up for Well Actually, a free weekly newsletter about health and wellnessI am a 41-year-old woman who has been married for two years. I love my husband and still find him physically attractive, but I do not feel...