• NASA says that one of the astronauts to walk on the Moon will be non-American
• The first mission to land on the moon is expected no earlier than 2027  

A British astronaut might be one of the first people to walk on the Moon in over 50 years. 

NASA has announced that one international astronaut will join an American mission to the moon by the end of the decade.

This decision would make the chosen crew member the first non-American to ever set foot on the Moon.  

However, there are no further clues on the identity or nationality of the astronaut. 

In a statement, NASA said that it will ‘make specific crew assignments closer to each mission as the mission parameters and crew criteria are defined.’ 

All 12 people to walk on the Moon have been American men, but this decision could open the door for the first British person to join this exclusive club

READ MORE: Tim Peake could end his retirement after just 9 MONTHS to lead the UK’s first team into space 

The agreement came as part of a meeting of the National Space Council convened by Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday. 

Speaking at the council, Ms Harris said: ‘Today in recognition of the essential role that our allies and partners play in the Artemis program, I’m proud to announce that, alongside American astronauts, we intend to land an international astronaut on the surface of the moon by the end of the decade.’ 

However, in November, NASA reportedly told the British Government that it was ‘incredibly possible’ that a British astronaut could be selected. 

If a British astronaut were selected, the most likely contenders would be Tim Peake or one of the three Brits recently selected for the European Space Agency’s 2023 astronaut programme. 

If a British astronaut were selected, the most likely contenders would be Tim Peake (pictured) or one of the three Brits recently selected for the European Space Agency’s 2023 astronaut programme.

Tim Peake, dubbed Britain’s first spaceman, has recently been focusing an ambassadorial work but has said he would like to walk on the Moon in his lifetime. 

The other three potential moonwalkers are John McFall, 42, a surgical trainee and Paralympic medallist; Meganne Christian, 35, a materials scientist originally from Kent; and Rosemary Coogan, 32, an astrophysicist from Northern Ireland. 

John McFall, who lost his leg below the knee in a motorbike accident, was recently filmed undergoing weightlessness training and has been called the first ‘parastronaut’.

Rosemary Coogan, 32, is from Belfast but went to school in Brighton and has two masters degrees in physics from the University of Durham. 

From a young age, she spent several weeks a year away from home onboard military training vessels and land bases as a Cadet Petty Officer with the Sea Cadets from 2002 to 2009. 

Rosemary Coogan (left) and Meganne Christian (middle) and John McFall (right) have been selected for the European Space Agency’s 2023 astronaut program and are strong contenders for the first British moonwalker

Meanwhile, Meganne Christian, 35, was born in Kent but moved to Australia at a young age and studied at the University of New South Wales. 

The materials scientist has worked at the National Research Council of Italy in Bologna and as a researcher at Concordia Station in Antarctica, one of the most remote places on Earth. 

This is not the first time that NASA has included international astronauts on trips to space. 

The space agency has partnered with the European, Japanese, and Russian space agencies for decades to send crews to the international space station. 

Vice President Kamala Harris announced that an international astronaut would join an American in landing on the Moon before the end of the decade

The Artemis II mission will see four lucky crew members take a 10-day journey around the moon in NASA’s deep space Orion capsule, gathering vital knowledge on the lunar surface 

READ MORE: Humans will be living on the MOON by 2030, NASA official claims

Recently, NASA announced that Artemis II, the second leg of the agency’s new Moon mission, would include a Canadian astronaut.

Canadian Jeremy Hansen will join American astronauts flying around the moon when the mission launches around November 2024.   

Hansen, who introduced Ms Harris at the council, said that including international partners ‘is not only sincerely appreciated, but it is urgently needed in the world today,’ Hansen told the council. 

However, Mr Hansen and the crew of Artemis II will not touchdown on the lunar surface. 

The crew will instead make a full orbit of the Moon in an Orion capsule, gathering data on the Moon’s surface and testing the spacecraft’s life support systems.

This will lay the groundwork for the first people to walk on the Moon since NASA closed the Apollo Program in 1972. 

An Orion capsule will take a crew of four astronauts into lunar orbit.

However, only two astronauts will actually get to walk on the moon while the others remain onboard the capsule or on a small space station called Gateway. 

One American and one international astronaut will join the elite club of ‘moon-walkers’, which currently consists of 12 American men. 

The mission is not anticipated until 2027 at the earliest. 

The Artemis II crew consists of Christina Koch (far left), Victor Glover (top middle), Jeremy Hansen (far right), and Reid Wiseman (bottom middle)

NASA has long stressed the need for global cooperation in space, establishing the Artemis Accords along with the U.S. State Department in 2020 to promote responsible behaviour not just on the moon but everywhere in space. 

Representatives from all 33 countries that have signed the accords so far were expected at the Space Council’s meeting in Washington.

‘We know from experience that collaboration on space delivers,’ said Secretary of State Antony Blinken, citing the Webb Space Telescope, a US, European and Canadian effort.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Harris also announced new policies to ensure the safe use of space as more and more private companies and countries aim skyward.

The issues that the US is looking to resolve include the climate crisis and the growing amount of space junk around Earth. 

A 2021 anti-satellite missile test by Russia added more than 1,500 pieces of potentially dangerous orbiting debris, and Blinken joined others at the meeting in calling for all nations to end such destructive testing.

Meet the astronauts tipped to fly into space with Tim Peake 

Three Britons – including the world’s first ever ‘parastronaut’ – are among the European Space Agency’s first new cohort of astronauts in almost 15 years.

In November 2022, John McFall, Rosemary Coogan and Meganne Christian were named in a class of 17 men and women chosen from a whopping 22,523 applicants. 

They will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of current British astronaut Tim Peake, who spent six months on the International Space Station (ISS) almost a decade ago.

Here’s a closer look at the three adventurers, who may be joined by Major Peake himself on a trip to the ISS. 

John McFall

Britain’s John McFall was named as the world’s first ‘parastronaut’ last November 

John McFall, 42, is a British father-of-three, surgical trainee and Paralympic medallist.

Originally from Frimley in Surrey, Mr McFall had his right leg amputated following a motorcycle accident in Thailand in 2000. 

He was fitted with a prosthesis and is now working with the European Space Agency (ESA) to investigate how such a disability could affect a stint in space.

He won a bronze medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing among other honours, before retiring to take up his medical studies at Cardiff University.

He has put his medical career on hold to work with ESA and follow his ‘passion for science and life’. 

Rosemary Theresa Coogan is an astrophysicist from Northern Ireland

Rosemary Coogan 

Rosemary Coogan, 32, is an astrophysicist originally from Belfast in Northern Ireland. 

She attended school in Brighton and gained two master’s degrees from the University of Durham. 

One of these focused on physics, mathematics, computer programming and astronomy, and the other on gamma-ray emission from black holes. 

Coogan moved to the University of Sussex as a doctoral researcher, studying galaxy evolution and the activity of active galactic nuclei.

From a young age, she spent several weeks a year away from home onboard military training vessels and land bases as a Cadet Petty Officer with the Sea Cadets from 2002 to 2009. 

Meganne studied at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia

Meganne Christian 

Meganne Christian, 35, is a materials scientist graduate from the University of New South Wales in Sydney.

She was born in Pembury in Kent but moved to Australia at a young age and attended Illawarra Grammar School in Wollongong. 

She said she was inspired to become an astronaut when one visited her school. 

The materials scientist has worked at the National Research Council of Italy in Bologna and as a researcher at Concordia Station in Antarctica, one of the most remote places on Earth. 

According to ESA, Meganne received several national awards for outstanding research in the field of engineering and industrial chemistry.

In addition to British and Italian citizenship, she also holds Australian and New Zealand citizenship.

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•  Lauren, who goes by Lauren’s Little Library, said UK homes have no cupboards
• READ MORE:  The Works is dubbed ‘must-visit’ destination by Canadian TikTokers who can’t believe ‘you can buy a novel for £3’

A Canadian woman living in London has been slammed for saying British houses don’t ‘have central heating, dryers or garages’.

Lauren, who goes by Lauren’s Little Library, on TikTok usually shares book reviews to her 258,000 followers.

But her latest video has irked many Brits for her ‘completely inaccurate’ version of life in the UK.

In the clip, Lauren describes a ‘list of things in her UK home that would put north Americans into a coma’ and reels off a dozens of things she claims not to have but are common in UK homes.

‘The whole concept of a laundry room, you don’t get one here,’ she said.

Lauren, who goes by Lauren’s Little Library on TikTok said UK home have no dryers or cupboards

‘There’s no dryer, that’s right, in this wet a**country you line dry everything.

‘Everything smells like mould,’ she added.

She then walked into her conservatory and moaned that there are ‘extra letters in the world you don’t pronounce.

She then said that the room is ‘freezing in winter and boiling in summer’.

Lauren went on that ‘white goods like fridges are all tiny and useless,’ saying her fridge is smaller than her at 5 foot 4.

She added that there is ‘no central heating, just radiators’ in UK homes, baffling many commentators who said they are the same thing.

She added that there isn’t any air conditioning, and that windows have ‘no netting’ so cats and critters can just ‘wonder in’.

Confusingly she went on to explain that there are ‘no garages’ and that they ‘only exist for the richest of the rich’. 

Lauren wrongly added that UK homes don’t have central heating, only radiators

‘Front lawns become paved so they can fit one car, if they’re lucky,’ Lauren incorrectly explains. ‘Most people park on the street’.

‘What about a basement? Not in this country,’ she says.

‘Each of our outlets have an on/off switch, so if you plug something in but don’t turn it on, guess what, your s*** is not charging,’ she adds.

‘There are no outlets in bathroom, and no closets, show me one, they don’t exist,’ she added.

‘Front doors auto lock when we shut them,’ she finished.

Hundreds of baffled Brits then commented on the video confused by Lauren’s claims.

‘Literally not one of these things is accurate,’ one person wrote.

‘I don’t no where you are in the UK but I have 90 per cent  of these things and so does everyone I know,’ added another.

Hundreds of baffled Brits took to the comments to question Lauren, saying it was ‘very inaccurate’

‘I have two tumble dryers… my fridge freezer is so tall I need a ladder to reach it and I have central heating. Also garages are normal, what the hell?’ wrote one user.

‘This is a really inaccurate representation of the UK. I’ve had all of these things at one point or another, it’s personal choice most of the time!’ said one.

‘Laundry rooms are a thing, often called a utility room. We do also have tumble dryers! And not all front doors lock like yours!’ added a fifth.

‘Radiators are part of the central heating in your home. Auto lock doors are rare (and old ) we do have utility rooms (depends on your house size),’ commented one.

‘I’m confused what you meant by central heating vs radiator. Radiators are part of the central heating system which we do have in the UK…’ questioned one.

‘People don’t have dryers?I’m in UK. and never met anyone who hasn’t got a dryer?’ said another.

‘British person here living with a utility (laundry room) that has a tumble dryer, central heating, a garage, double fridge freezer & built in wardrobe,’ said one.

‘We absolutely do have tumble dyers. That’s your choice not to have one! Get one,’ said another.

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Itching caused by eczema could soon be a thing of the past after scientists identified the bacteria responsible.

A pill called vorapaxar could be turned into an ointment they claim might cease the irritating sensation reaching the brain.

Liwen Deng, of Harvard University, US, said: “When we started the study, it was unclear whether the itch was a result of inflammation or not. You don’t necessarily have to have inflammation for the microbe to cause itch but the itch exacerbates inflammation on the skin.”

Published in the scientific journal Cell, the study found when the bacterium is allowed to flourish it triggers a chain reaction leading to the urge to scratch.

About one in five children and one in 10 adults suffers from eczema.

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Darts star Ross Smith was stung by a wasp on the Ally Pally stage just seconds after apologising to vegans for his Christmas dinner.

'Smudger', 34, progressed to the third round of the Paddy Power World Championship in the main event of Wednesday's (December 20) afternoon session, beating Dutchman Niels Zonneveld 3-1.

He was chuffed to get the job done before the festive break, telling Sky Sports: “First round, I’ve got the win. I can enjoy my turkey, my pigs in blankets… sorry vegans.”

READ MORE: Darts fans fume as MC doesn't use star's brilliantly rude nickname on Ally Pally debut

READ MORE: Michael van Gerwen 'gets the badge in' again as he begins World Darts Championship campaign

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With this year's PDC World Darts Championship set to be another thriller, Daily Star Sport have prepared your ultimate 40-page preview magazine to get you ready for all things arrows.

From interviews with Grand Slam of Darts champion Luke Humphries and former world champions Gary Anderson and Rob Cross to in depth features on the PDC's angriest moments and why they start on 501 – we've got you covered.

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But his cheery mood soon changed when the infamous Ally Pally wasp struck mid-interview. "There's the wasp – he's just done me, he's just stung me like a goodun. Little bugger," Smith said.

He later explained: “It didn't just sting me, it stung me three times at the base of my thumb – ping, ping, ping. I hope I don't go into shock or I'll look like the Elephant Man.

Have you ever come across the Ally Pally wasp? Let us know in the comments section.

"Luckily it was on my left hand, not my throwing hand. I don't know what it is about this place, but it's only at Ally Pally that wasps seem to have a grudge against darts players.”

The 16th seed had taken a 2-0 lead and looked to be cruising through as he reeled in the big fish at the start of the third set. But Zonneveld broke to halve the lead.

That blip was soon overcome though, securing victory with his third match dart. He'll next face the winner of William O'Connor and Chris Dobey.

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"It wasn't a great game. I know Niels struggled in his first game and did again then," Smith reflected. "I didn't play nowhere near I could and to be honest I'm just so happy with the win to get through the first round.

"I kept trying to give myself some oompf and have some fire in my belly which I did have. I don't know. It was just really difficult today.

"Leading up to this I've been a bit nervy ad stuff. I think we all have. I'm happy now, I will relax and hopefully we see a better Ross."

• Darts

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• Ezequiel Lavezzi played for Paris Saint-Germain between 2012 and 2016
• The forward is said to have been taken to hospital after suffering a stab wound 
• West Ham can WIN the League Cup… don’t get hung up on rotation. Sod it! Go all out at Anfield – It’s All Kicking Off 

Former Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi has been taken to hospital in Uruguay after suffering an abdominal wound, according to reports in South America.

Several publications have claimed Lavezzi, who retired from football in 2020, was taken to the Cantegrill Sanatorium hospital in Maldonado on December 20.

It is unclear how Lavezzi, 38, sustained the injury with conflicting reports emerging.

Lavezzi family sources have insisted he was wounded after slipping off a ladder while trying to change a light bulb, according to a report from TYC Sports.

However, El Observador, citing police sources, have alleged Lavezzi was stabbed by a family member during a party, with emergency services called out at 5am.

Former PSG star Ezequiel Lavezzi was taken to hospital after suffering an alleged stab wound

Lavezzi was capped over 50 times by Argentina and announced his retirement in 2020

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The same report claims the alleged stabbing took place over a ‘money’ matter. 

Clarin, meanwhile, say local police have not confirmed a stabbing incident.

‘There is still no official report from the clinic and the severity of the 38-year-old former football player’s condition is unknown,’ the publication has stated. 

Each of the reports say Lavezzi suffered a broken collarbone, with one outlet alleging this came from the former Napoli man hitting a piece of furniture during a fall.

According to FM Gente, a radio station based in Maldonado, Lavezzi was accompanied by his girlfriend after being admitted to the local hospital.

A police report said: ‘On December 20 at 05:00 police arrived at Arenas de Jose Ignacio, Secc Jurisdiction where they requested support from emergency services. 

Conflicting reports allege Lavezzi sustained a wound and fractured collarbone at a party

Lavezzi joined Serie A club Napoli in 2007 and went on to move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2012

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, with a show every Monday and Thursday this season.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify

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‘When they arrived, the victim Ezequiel Ivan Lavezzi, was injured and being treated by Dr. Agustini, who diagnosed a fractured shoulder blade and transferred him to Sanatorio Cantegril. It is unknown at the moment how the injury occurred.

‘He was at a party.’ 

Lavezzi began his career at Estuadinantes before moving on to San Lorenzo and then Napoli in 2007. He went on to score 48 goals and joined PSG in 2012.

Having won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles at the Parc des Princes, Lavezzi secured a lucrative contract with Hebei China Fortune and retired three years later. 

He was capped 51 times by Argentina. 

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Not only has he appeared on Emmerdale before, but he's also been seen in other major soaps and is married to Coronation Street star Jane Danson.

The introduction of his new character Harry has caused quite a stir in the Dales, especially for Nate. With Nate's recent money troubles pushing him to his limits, it looks like we're in for a thrilling storyline that will keep Emmerdale fans on the edge of their seats.

But did you know that Robert has been on Emmerdale before? Over 20 years ago, he played another big role. He's also popped up in several other popular soaps. Plus, he's married to one of soapland's biggest stars.

Let's delve into Robert's exciting journey on TV and his lovely marriage to Jane…

Robert and Jane's romance started at the first ever British Soap Awards in 1999. This marked the start of their lifelong love story. Over the years, Jane has often taken to social media to share her love and admiration for her husband.

Ahead of his Emmerdale return, Robert couldn't hide his excitement. He said: 'I'm thrilled to be working on Emmerdale again.'

His wife Jane, who stars in rival soap Coronation Street, shared her joy on Instagram: "Happy birthday my love @robertbeck529,' she wrote. 'And congratulations on your @emmerdale return I owe Emmerdale a lot – 24 years of us I love you darling."

Before Emmerdale, Robert had roles in other soaps. In 2013, he played DS Parker and investigated the death of Texas Longford. He also appeared in Brookside as Peter Harrison.

In 2008, he was in Coronation Street as Jimmy Dockerson, who was ordered to kill Liam Connor by Tony Gordon.

Earlier this year, he was in the ITV drama The Bay. He's also been on Doctors, playing different characters in 2003 and 2017.

He has also appeared in popular shows like Casualty, Waterloo Road, and The Bill, proving his versatility as an actor.

In a surprising twist, Robert is returning to Emmerdale as the villainous Harry. But this isn't his first time on the show. Over 20 years ago, he played Gavin Ferris, a character who was quite different from Harry.

Gavin was Bernice Blackstock's partner and appeared in 78 episodes in 1999. He was known for being a ladies' man, which led to a dramatic turn of events.

Fans might remember when Gavin was caught kissing Jason Kirk while he was engaged to Bernice. This shocking event ended their relationship, and Gavin left the village for good.

* This article was crafted with the help of an AI engine, which speeds up OK!'s editorial research and applies it to article templates created by journalists in our newsrooms. An OK! editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]

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• The relationship expert uncovers why some mothers have lost their sex drive
• READ MORE: Tracey Cox reveals 4 reasons why so many women can’t climax

‘Help! The baby arrived and my sex drive went. I haven’t felt like sex since’.

Emails like this plop into my inbox with dogged regularity – and they have since I started writing about sex thirty years ago.

We don’t talk about it directly (or enough) but children put more strain on your relationship and sex life than you ever dreamed possible.

Most potential parents assume there’s exhaustion and sleep deprivation but underestimate the monotony, boredom and frustration that parenting brings. 

The nagging anxiety that never leaves you. That your needs become secondary as your life becomes reorganised around the child.

UK relationship expert Tracey Cox speaks to new mothers who have lost their sex drive (Stock image)

There’s no spontaneity, no privacy, no freedom, no uninterrupted couple time. The stress and strain of pregnancy and birth on her body can be intense and last much longer than you both expected. 

Is it any wonder parents with kids spend an average of just 20 minutes a week being intimate?

Studies show that on a personal level, children are likely to make you happier rather than less happy. The opposite is true about the effect of parenting on your sex life.

I asked three mothers to tell me their experience of sex after children. Here’s what they told me (and it wasn’t great).

Carrie 

‘We’ve had sex six times in two years, and I wish I never had to do it again’.

Carrie, 34, has been married eight years and has a two-year-old daughter.

‘I expected it to be hard straight after giving birth and it was. I felt totally “touched out”. Even an affectionate hug from my husband felt too much for me. My body felt like a work horse, there to serve others.

‘When we were allowed to have sex, I was dreading it. I used to enjoy sex previously, but childbirth changed everything. The actual birth was OK but I had no idea how much breast feeding would impact how I felt about sex. 

The expert (pictured)has also provided advice for couples trying to get their ‘mojo’ back, including tips on how to ease into intimacy

‘I still find my husband very attractive but having a baby hanging off your breasts all day…the last thing I wanted was his mouth doing the same at night. 

HOW HE FEELS 

Women aren’t the only ones who feel thrown by parenting. Here’s what new father Myles, 26, told me.

‘Let me preface this by saying I love my son more than anything in the world and can’t imagine a world without him in it. But, dear God, please can I have my wife back? I don’t feel like I have a rival for my affection, I feel replaced.

‘I understand that things have radically changed. At the start when I felt like sex, it felt wrong to even suggest it. My wife was now the mother of my child. A different person. When I did tentatively suggest that it had been three months from the birth and maybe time to start again, she glared at me. I knew she was thinking, “You insensitive b*****d! Can’t you see how exhausted, stressed and unhinged I am already?”.

‘Thing is, I did understand and what I really wanted was her attention. I feel like I’ve lost my best friend and lover. I’m not even sure she likes me anymore.

‘It’s been 18-months since we last had intercourse. I’ve tried talking about our lack of sex with her but she shuts me down. She says she doesn’t feel attractive anymore, but I can’t see that her body has changed that much. I wonder if she ever really enjoyed having sex and this is just a good excuse to avoid it.

‘I can’t see any other option but to wait and see if this is something she’ll just pass through. I won’t cheat but I miss sex and I miss having her to myself. I feel resentful having to satisfy myself purely through porn.

‘I’ve spoken to other new dads and this is a common scenario. We all feel guilty for feeling like our needs aren’t being considered but that’s how we feel’.

‘I don’t know if he was turned on by how big my breasts were or trying to prove my breasts were “his” but every time we did have sex, he’d spend a ridiculous amount of time focusing on them. It disgusted me.

‘I view my body so differently now. It doesn’t feel like something that can provide or receive adult pleasure. Pleasure requires a healthy amount of selfish hedonism. 

‘I find it impossible to stop being a mum to become a lover: one part of me is always listening, always alert to my child. I feel more like I’m here to be a servant to her. 

‘I don’t mind, to be honest. I knew I would love my daughter, but I didn’t realise just how besotted I would be. My world has shrunk to just her and I – my husband is superfluous. I forgot he was even around for the first six months.

‘I know it’s been hard on him. He said I don’t just put my daughter first, his needs ceased to exist. He feels abandoned, my life used to revolve around him, now he barely gets a look in.

‘My daughter is now two years old. We’ve had sex six times in that entire time. The first time after the birth, my husband said penetration felt like he was “putting his penis into a cutlery drawer, with all the knives turned blade up”. 

‘That didn’t make me feel great, like somehow it was my fault. I made such an effort to do it and that was my reward. Every time since, I’ve been tense and it’s felt uncomfortable. 

‘I grit my teeth until it’s done and, the way I feel right now, I wish I never had to do it ever again. I know I might lose my husband if this continues for much longer but I don’t honestly care’.

Alice 

‘I don’t feel sexy or beautiful anymore. My body is trashed’.

Alice is 29 and has been married for five years.

‘We didn’t just have good sex before the baby, we had fantastic sex. I thought I’d be dying for it the minute the six-week wait period was over. What I didn’t count on was the birth trauma: I tore from end to end.

‘We tried having intercourse about two months in and it really hurt – and I mean really hurt. It felt like my vagina was now made of sandpaper or razor blades. 

‘Every time we’ve attempted sex since then, I feel anxious and tense, almost like I’m about to have a panic attack.

‘I hate feeling like this and I’m so upset by what’s happened. My husband has never pressured me to have sex but I feel like I’m letting the side down. 

GET YOUR MOJO BACK

It can be done with a little effort from both of you.

Have realistic expectations. Parenting is an all-consuming activity, there’s not much room for anything else. Expect that sex is going to be scarce for the first two years at least.

Don’t compete for the ‘I’m worse off’ award. It’s hard for both of you so don’t play martyr or try to score points. Instead, work together as a team.

Talk about what’s happening. It will stop you both panicking. Most people are happy to put up with no sex for a while, so long as they know it will return at no point. It’s when sex stops and there’s no talk of it ever resuming that threatens relationships.

Set, short achievable goals. Start kissing again. Try non-sexual touching or ‘stroking without intent’. This means caressing each other’s body with the understanding that it won’t lead to sex. You’re doing it simply to connect and because it feels nice.

Your old sex life is gone, create a new one. No couple is ever the same after a baby. But our sex lives are always shifting and changing in response to life events. See it as the chance to wipe the slate clean and start afresh. Court each other like you did at the start.

He needs to stop thinking of sex as intercourse. If it’s painful, stop making it the main event. Have your orgasms through oral sex or using a vibrator. Women happily adapt to this change, men fight it. For men, sex means putting their penis in something. Sex works best post birth if it moves more into the ‘female’ model of sexual satisfaction. More focus on the journey and foreplay, less on penetration and orgasm.

You both need time together without the baby. This means fobbing your child off (to your parents, other friends with kids, a baby sitter), not just for ‘special occasions’ but a few hours each week or fortnight. Don’t spend it talking about your kids. Have dinner out. Share some wine. Watch a movie. Once you reconnect, it will feel more natural to spend that time having sex.

Have some kind of sexual contact, even if you don’t feel like it. Having sex is a habit. Get back into it by having low-effort sex, even if it’s the last thing you feel like. Watch him masturbate. Use a vibrator on yourself. Remember, sex doesn’t mean intercourse and sex doesn’t have to have a beginning, middle and end.

‘Sex was so important to us as a couple, we had such fun doing it. We were playful and affectionate, and I miss that so much. We’re definitely not as close and that terrifies me.

‘I don’t feel myself. I don’t feel sexy or beautiful anymore and he doesn’t understand. I’m not sure I loved my body before I got pregnant but even the parts I did like are now trashed. 

‘I’ve got horrible folds of loose skin on my stomach, stretch marks and if one my person tells me, unprompted, not to worry, that I will lose the baby weight, I think I’ll punch them.

‘Women also don’t talk about how much a child satisfies your need to be touched. There’s still caressing and squeezing and kissing, but now it’s between your child and you. I’m trying so hard to get back to how I was, but I worry that’s never going to happen’.

Zara 

‘He’s the one who doesn’t want it and that’s humiliating’.

Zara is 40 and been with her partner for 12 years.

‘All my friends with children moan about how awful it is that their partners badger them for sex. I secretly think how lucky they are. 

‘It’s utterly humiliating when you’re the mum with kids and your partner is the one turning to face the wall.

‘I had a difficult birth and he was watching. I wonder if that’s what did it. He did say at the time – I thought jokingly – not to ever expect oral sex again.

‘I waited for him to make a move after the birth, and nothing happened after four months. I asked him if he wanted to have sex and he said he thought it was too soon and I shouldn’t feel pressured. I said I wanted to do it and missed us being intimate, but he fobbed me off.

‘Since then, it’s been a string of excuses. He’s stressed, he’s tired, he’s been working too hard. Before the baby, we’d have sex three times a week.

‘I assume it’s because he’s no longer sexually attracted to me. I don’t think I look any different: I weigh the same and look after myself. I asked a friend who is a new Dad and he said it will be to do with him trying to cope with being a father. 

‘That it’s stressful and men feel tremendously responsible for providing for the mother and child. Maybe. He won’t talk to me about it so I don’t know what’s going on. I feel sad and desperate. We’re roommates with a baby. A baby he clearly loves much more than me.

‘It’s like all the attention he used to have for me, now goes to our child. Our son gets all the love and attention, I’m just the mum. 

‘He walks in at the end of the day and barely makes eye contact with me. When it’s just us, all he wants to talk about is the baby. I ask him if he still loves me, and he says “of course” and that’s that. 

‘I’m not suggesting sex anymore. I feel my self-worth slipping away each time he says no.’

Need help with your relationships? Visit traceycox.com for Tracey’s advice on love and sex. You’ll find great gift ideas at lovehoney.co.uk. Search’ Tracey Cox’ to find Tracey Cox supersex and Tracey Cox Edge products.

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