Dear Bridget

Your own mother, for instance, will astound you with her uselessness (aren’t grannies supposed to knit matinee jackets? Babysit once a decade or so?). So please, don’t expect any assistance from her. She will jingle a rattle in front of your baby for 2.4 seconds, get bored, and announce how tired you look.

Other aspects will give you sleepless nights: like all new mothers, you will believe that you are Not Doing A Good Job. You'll fret about your baby being bored and under-stimulated; about buying too many jars and not spending enough time pureeing root vegetables. But chill out, please. Your child will astound you by liking you very much - and may even boost your popularity.

You might scoff at lumpy women pushing prams in the park, but once you befriend them, they’ll make you seem frightfully glamorous. You might even make a new best friend. Her eyes will widen as you regale her with tales from your young, free and single days. ‘You’re making it up,’ she’ll retort. ‘I mean, you seem such a natural mother.’ And you’ll turn to her and say, ‘You really think so? One day, I’ll let you read my diary.’

Talk about the film, the book and
Bridget Jones or talk to other mums about having a baby.