Women are running themselves ragged, acting as the glue that holds everything together, and burning out,

Headlines about the hardships of motherhood are rife – and one group of women have been paying close attention. Here, a thirtysomething writer takes a break from her to-do list to hear from those who are burning themselves out to prepare for parenthood

LET COUNSELLOR KEREN LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD

‘After the divorce and the kids moving out, I feel like I’ve disappeared. I’ve spent so long being someone’s wife, someone’s mother, someone’s employee – I don’t know what I want any more. Even small

‘If I gave up work, what would I do?’

One in five older people in the UK admits to feelings of loneliness – and this only intensifies at Christmas. What is causing this crisis and how can we combat the sense of isolation?