Maternity bras are a whole new world of wonder for women to enter into as soon as their Michael Bublés start taking over their upper body. It can be a strange experience, entering that world where an F Cup means you're on the small side, and ribcages expand seemingly over-night.

As always, Dr Miriam Stoppard is on hand to help out, with this affordable twin-pack of cotton and lace maternity bras for £20.

In the name of science, I agreed to put the bras through their paces, to see just how they stack up at maintaining a maternal rack.

It's one of the most hotly debated topics: should you leave a baby to cry itself to sleep or not?

Now child expert Dr Miriam Stoppard says "controlled crying" is unnatural and even harmful.

"Controlled crying" has become very fashionable in recent years. The idea is that you leave the baby to cry in its cot until it falls asleep. This is supposed to help him or her learn to fall asleep without help.

Writing in the Belfast Telegraph, Dr Stoppard says that before the baby is developmentally ready to go to sleep itself, you can't train him or her. Once the baby is ready, he or she doesn't need training.

This will come as a great comfort to those mothers who can't stand leaving their baby to cry for more than five seconds.