KATE: I WAS

and actually I realised that this was something I could take control of, I suppose, during labour. It was hugely powerful and because it had been so bad during pregnancy, I actually really quite liked labour because I knew there was going to be an ending.”

ON SELF-DOUBT

Kate admits that, like most parents, she struggled with what to do in those early months with a newborn.

“I think lots of mothers do feel that during pregnancy and during labour, they do get a huge amount of support from those around them. There’s lots of information,” she says. “I think the challenge is when you’re then sent home with your newborn baby, particularly as a first-time mother, and you’re like, ‘Oh my goodness, am I OK to do this?’

“I’ve heard stories from mums that took their child out of the car seat and put it on the sofa and didn’t want to touch it because they were worried that they were going to do the wrong thing..”

Over the past eight years Kate has been quietly studying the importance of the early years development in children and how their backgrounds and circumstances from birth can affect their whole lives.

She has made it one of her main missions in life to improve the lives of Britain’s children. She commissioned the 5 Big Questions survey – the largest of its kind in the UK – which has had more than 200,000 responses from parents of all backgrounds.

ON FINDING A BALANCE

Asked if she ever has “mum guilt”, Kate says: “Yes absolutely – and anyone who doesn’t as a mother is actually lying.”

She adds: “Even this morning, coming to the nursery visit here – George and Charlotte were like, ‘Mummy, how could you possibly not be dropping us off at school this morning?’ It’s a constant challenge – you hear it time and time again from mums, even mums who aren’t pulled in the directions of having to juggle work life and family life.

“I feel huge responsibility because what I’ve learnt over the last few years is so fascinating and I definitely would