Calls for action over UK’s ‘intolerable’ child mental health crisis

Teachers and campaigners say young people under pressure but support is underfunded

Energy drinks: why it is high time their wings should be clipped

The caffeinated, sugary drinks point to health issues such as obesity and type 2 diabetes

I’m a paranoid parent – and proud of it

Many of us are having fewer kids, later in life, so overwhelming parental anxiety is not just normal – it makes sense, says Guardian columnist Catherine Shoard

The spying accusations are a new low for the Student Loan Company

If you’re a student who is estranged from your parents, the last thing you need is the SLC making a fragile situation even worse, says Guardian columnist Dawn Foster

Cot death charity criticises call for baby boxes across UK

Midwives urge roll-out of boxes given to new parents but Lullaby Trust warns on safety

What does childbirth feel like? You asked Google – here’s the answer

Every day millions of people ask Google life’s most difficult questions. Our writers answer some of the commonest queries

Don’t want children? Or not sure? Share your experiences

We want to hear from you if you have either definitely decided or are considering not having children

Maternity services set for more change as the NHS hits 70

Hospital births were once seen as the ideal in maternity services – now, women’s choice is driving policy

The pressure to have a second child

There are far easier ways to screw up your kid than by making them an only child, says Eva Wiseman

Does running a mile a day really improve children’s lives?

The Scottish school that asked primary pupils to do 15 minutes of exercise every day started a global trend – and research suggests it really is transforming lives

Introduce mental health checks for new mothers, ministers told

Six-week checkup would help the 50% of UK mothers with mental health problems

I am 13 and hate what I see in the mirror

Being what you may think of as thin or pretty doesn’t change how you feel inside, says Annalisa Barbieri

You can smell a new mother’s loneliness. Unless you’re the state

As a new mum, I know loneliness cuts deep – and the lack of services for parent and child plays a large part in this, says the freelance writer Nell Frizzell

​’Before, I couldn’t walk 200m’​ – why surgery can be life-changing for super-obese children

As many as 90,000 children in England could be considered eligible for bariatric surgery, yet only 18 operations were performed last year. Shouldn’t there be many more?

Meet the tech evangelist who now fears for our mental health

Belinda Parmar was a passionate advocate of the digital revolution – but has started keeping her family’s smartphones and laptops locked away to protect her loved ones. Is she right to be so worried?