How dare Kate Middleton look great just after giving birth! | Barbara Ellen«

Don’t pile pressure on women to look ‘authentic’ just after they have had a baby

How disappointing that some people criticised Kate Middleton for looking “unrealistic” when she emerged, with Prince William and new baby, Louis Arthur Charles, for the press photocall.

It seems that some people wouldn’t have been satisfied unless Middleton had come staggering out, like a besmocked crab, with a massive distended “Mr Greedy” stomach, shooting newly arrived milk through her Jenny Packham dress at aghast reporters. This, for some, is postpartum reality. The catch is that only one reality is allowed.

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Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson announces first pregnancy

The 39-year-old says she and her partner, Jen Wilson, are expecting a baby in October after undergoing IVF treatment

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, has announced that she is 13 weeks pregnant with her first child.

The 39-year-old said she and her partner, Jen Wilson, were delighted to be expecting a baby in October after undergoing IVF treatment.

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Don’t save it for the duchess. All new mothers should be treated like royalty | Gaby Hinsliff

Rather than treating royal births as mundane events, why don’t we celebrate all the ordinary women who give birth

A woman has had a baby. I know! Amazing, really. It’s baby-shaped, as far as we can tell under the blanket, and appears more than capable of doing things newborn babies generally do, such as lying there. It may do other baby-like things soon, such as having a name. More as we get it.

And yet let’s not be churlish here. The reason pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge on the hospital steps still resonate for many, achingly fashionable as it is to wish the whole circus would just go away, isn’t just that they evoke fond parental memories. It’s that being pregnant and having a baby even of the non-royal variety is such a weirdly visible thing to do. Everyone feels a sense of ownership when you’re pregnant. Everyone feels the need to ask inappropriately intimate questions or pat the bump or offer advice about going back to work, plus in some cases bare-faced nagging dressed up as attempts to be helpful. The world’s cameras may not literally be trained on every new mother but at times it damn well feels like it.

Related: Royal births – grit, fortitude and impressive fashion sense

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Abortion clinic buffer zones being considered by more councils

At least eight local authorities in England are examining whether to follow Ealing’s lead

Eight councils in England are considering setting up abortion clinic buffer zones after pro-choice groups said the number of “intimidating” protests was on the rise.

Across the country, 42 vigils and protests have taken place between 2017 and 2018, according to figures compiled by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS). They were led by a number of anti-abortion groups including the Good Counsel Network and 40 Days for Life.

Related: Ealing’s abortion clinic safe zone is a win – but the fight for rights isn’t over | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

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You want to be pregnant. You're depressed. A tough choice lies ahead

What is it like to try for a baby when the medication you take for depression doesn’t mix well with pregnancy?

Throughout my teens, I was adamant I didn’t want children. I thought they were annoying, sticky money pits who had no business being near me. I was a sad and corny teen.

Now I’m 30. I’m still sad, but I’m not broke, and I have a husband. My feelings on the child situation have changed. I’m more open to it now. I think it was a combination of seeing other people with kids and, as I’ve gotten older, having more love to give – or something.

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Why Cardi B's pregnancy is such a beautiful thing | Kimberly Foster

The rapper’s Coachella set was a defiant sign that pregnancy doesn’t slow a woman down – and can be sexy as hell

Rapper Cardi B revealed her pregnancy on Saturday Night Live this month after weeks of speculation. The Bronx-native showcased her growing belly while performing Be Careful, the second single from her debut album, Invasion of Privacy. The song interpolates Lauryn Hill’s Ex-Factor, a woeful groove about unhealthy love.

The two women are connected in more ways than one. Last year, Cardi became the first female rapper to have a solo record top the Billboard Hot 100 since Hill did it in 1998. And, soon, both Cardi B and Lauryn Hill will know what it’s like to mother young children while managing hugely successful rap careers.

Though pregnancy and sex are inextricably linked, pregnant women are not given space to acknowledge the connection

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Obese couples could be risking health of future children, studies say

Diet and lifestyle during the ‘pre-conception’ period can profoundly affect the child’s development, researchers find

Couples who are obese, as well as those who smoke and drink alcohol, could be risking the health of their future children, say experts who are calling for far more awareness of the effects of modern lifestyles on babies in the womb.

A series of three scientific papers in a leading medical journal spell out the consequences of poor diet and lifestyles for the next generation. They urge schools, GPs and nurses to talk to young people and those who may be planning a family about how to be fitter and healthier before they embark on pregnancy.

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You, Me and Him review – savvy, salty pregnancy comedy

Nicely acted, especially by gawky Lucy Punch, this British comedy about a lesbian couple having children survives a sudden dip into tragedy

In some unspecified town that’s not London, 39-year-old barrister Olivia (Lucy Punch) and twentysomething aspiring artist Alex (Faye Marsay) are a chalk-and-cheese lesbian couple who, despite an age gap and very different attitudes towards work, are madly in love. But Olivia’s decision to get herself artificially inseminated puts a strain on their delicately balanced domestic harmony. In a drunken moment, Alex shags John (David Tennant), the self-styled “alpha male” next door – and also gets herself knocked up.

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Ealing’s abortion clinic safe zone is a win – but the fight for rights isn’t over | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

Years of harassment have come to an end with this ruling. Ireland’s referendum, meanwhile, is mired in dirty tactics

Last month, Alison (not her real name) says she was accosted on her way into the Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing to discuss a termination. She was approached by a man asking her for help; it was only when he started showing her anti-choice leaflets that she twigged that he was a protester. As she went to leave, he put his hand towards her, saying that he wanted to give her something. In his palm was a tiny model foetus.

Now, in a landmark decision, Ealing council voted to instigate a buffer zone around the clinic, the first of its kind. This radical implementation of a public spaces protection order – now also being considered by other councils – marks an important first step in protecting the rights of women from this kind of harassment. Amber Rudd has launched a national consultation on the introduction of new powers to protect women. It is an example of how a community, led by pro-choice activist group Sister Supporter, set up by 25-year-old Anna Veglio-White when she was horrified by the protesters’ tactics, can rally together to fight antisocial behaviour.

Related: Ireland's government approves abortion referendum bill

Related: US-style abortion battles loom in UK amid claims of intimidation

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Tammy Duckworth becomes first senator to give birth in office

The Democrat gave birth to her second daughter on Monday. She is also one of only 10 lawmakers to give birth while serving in Congress

Tammy Duckworth of Illinois has become the first US senator to give birth in office. The Democrat announced that she had given birth to her second daughter, Maile Pearl Bowlsbey, on Monday. Her office said the senator and her family were doing well.

Related: 'We're in the 19th century': Tammy Duckworth on motherhood and the Senate

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The secret to... rediscovering sex after having a baby

Book a babysitter, dress up, cuddle and talk

Book a babysitter. Ask friends, family, a professional to come and sit for a few hours while you get out of the house and enjoy some “couple” time. It could be a walk, cinema, dinner, drink at the local pub… just get out and about for a few hours without baby to chat and relax – the key to getting intimate again.

Ban all talk of babies or other children. Reconnect with the pre-baby you and choose topics that are of mutual interest such as holiday ideas, future plans, topical news, and how each of you is feeling. A mental break from being “mum” or “dad” helps you to feel more “you” – and more desirable.

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