Friendship across the parenting divide

Helen Pidd and Alexandra Topping have been close friends for almost 20 years. But struggles with fertility and new motherhood tested their bond to the limit. • Listen to our Embracing a childfree life episode, from April 2023, on Helen’s experience of IVF treatment and meeting other childfree people, and read Helen and Lexy’s account of their friendship here.. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus