Five months after announcing their divorce, and way, way before many of the couple's fans have gotten over their split, sources say former power couple Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan are both dating again. 

More: The Real (& Only) Reason Channing Tatum & Jenna Dewan Tatum Are Splitting

According to People, who talked to a source close to Dewan, “[Jenna] has been on a few dates but doesn’t talk about a boyfriend." They added, “Jenna is busy working and going back and forth between L.A. and Atlanta. She’s in a really great place.” 

On the other side of the fence, a source close to Tatum says the Hollywood dreamboat is also out and about looking for a new romantic connection, although he's not engaged in anything serious.

Tatum and Dewan met on the set of the movie Step Up in 2006 and were married in 2009. Their daughter, Everly, was born in 2013.

Ever since announcing their split, the couple has been the picture of drama-free maturity and sense. From the moment they released their joint separation announcement (which explained that they had “lovingly chosen to separate as a couple” simply because they were both “on different paths for now"), they have been poster children for how celebrity couples should end relationships and move on. 

“Everything has been really good between them,” a Tatum source also told People.

More: Channing Tatum & Jenna Dewan Tatum’s Split Seems a Lot Like Conscious Uncoupling

The couple, who's marriage lasted nine years, has also reportedly been hitting it out of the park when it comes to co-parenting their 5-year-old daughter. They even continue to follow each other on Instagram.

“Nothing has really changed from when they were together,” a Dewan source speaking with People remarked. “It hasn’t been a big adjustment for their daughter either, because not much has changed. Channing is a great dad when he is around. They co-parent and have the same goals for their daughter, which is they want her to know that she is very loved.”

Reese Witherspoon gets just as starstruck as the rest of us, at least when it comes to members of the royal family. She confessed in her new book, Whiskey in a Teacup, that she totally freaked out when she met Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, aka Kate Middleton, back in 2011. Honestly, we totally get it, Reese, because we'd freak too.

More: All of Reese Witherspoon's Roles, Ranked

It all started when Witherspoon was invited to Kate and Prince William's charity fundraiser for Tusk Trust, which focuses on conservation initiatives in Africa. The posh Los Angeles event was part of the couple's first tour after their royal wedding. 

Witherspoon's freak-out began before Kate was even in view. She writes in her memoir: "The scream that issued from my lips upon receiving [the invitation] — you would have thought I was going to die. I wake up early, mind you, but on that day I was up at 4 am doing my hair. That's early, even for me. 'I've never seen you this excited,' my husband said. He wasn't kidding.”

The celebrity crush continued on the way to the event. "Jim took pictures of me in the car," she said of her husband, talent agent Jim Toth. "You can see rays of happiness shooting out of my face. I love Kate Middleton that much. And she did not disappoint!"

More: Kate Middleton May Be Royal, but She Gets Her Own Groceries

Her reaction was unexpected, as Witherspoon admits in her book that in the past, she had felt “relatively immune from the obsession with the royals.” But that apparently ended in the face of an in-person meeting with duchess doing good. 

But what happened when the two finally came face-to-face in real, actual life? Witherspoon says she was everything she wished for and more. 

“She was just lovely and warm, elegant and composed,” Witherspoon revealed. “She also told a joke, and I immediately fell under her spell. She's just as magnificent as she seems to be. She's a very compassionate, socially conscious, deeply caring person.”

More:  How Kate Middleton Is Helping Meghan Markle Amid Family Drama 

The thing that impressed her the most? That the duchess was so committed to her life of social justice and community work. "It takes a very special person to decide to commit to that kind of life, to choose to be under public scrutiny every moment," Witherspoon writes. "Now that she's in that position, her entire life is in service, forever. I am so in awe of that kind of dedication."

Witherspoon's memoir, which focuses heavily on her Southern upbringing, was released on Sept. 18 to positive reviews. She's currently on a book tour.

I’d spent more time mulling over this decision than I had about pretty much anything thus far in my life. I was really scared. It had been almost 30 years since I had eaten meat. But finally, the day had arrived. I bought a bone to make some broth. It was grass-fed, pasture-raised, hormone-free, local… expensive. It ticked all the right boxes.

But I didn’t want to buy my first soup bone in three decades from just anyone. I had done my research and narrowed it down to the first New York City green market to become Animal Welfare Approved. I spent so much time talking to this one farmer, he began to feel a bit like my therapist. The guy who raised that bone (I was not yet ready to identify it fully as a living being) had packed in his work in hotel management after reading Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma so he could become a grass farmer. I was in good hands.  

More:  Why You May Want to Go Alcohol-Free Once a Week

I brought my bone home and looked at it. I knew it needed a few companions, so out I went to buy the most interesting and tasty vegetables I could think of. This broth was going to be epic, and it was going to make me feel so much better. 

I heated the oven and went over the kind farmer’s instructions a few more times in my head. And then I stopped and had a moment. "Thank you cow," I thought to myself. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. And I’m sorry." I had a little cry, and then I turned it inward. "Thank you body, and I’m sorry I haven’t always nourished you the way you fully deserved, but I am going to make it up to you." Here's how that happened.

Why meatless?

About six months into living as a grown-up in the real world (i.e., no longer eating healthy home cooking) I started dating a vegetarian. Having grown up with farming grandparents, the only experience I’d had with farming up to that point revolved around the humane and ethical treatment of animals. (Imagine rolling hills, picking potatoes, walks in the woods and a dog named Shep.)

But my world was crushed when this boyfriend presented me with images of factory farming. From that day on, I vowed never to eat meat again. I just stopped like that. Overnight. 

Someone at work gave me a 1980s vegetarian cookbook, which I can honestly say I’ve not made a single recipe from, but it does have a certain vintage flair to it now. Instead, I doodled the inside covers with teenage graffiti, including: “Meat is murder,” “Ban the bomb,” “Flower power” and the ever-popular “Peace and love!”

Nothing changed that much in my diet. I still ate mostly bread and potatoes and “cheese pasties” for variety. A couple of years later, I moved to New York City to be an au pair, and it was here that I started to explore what a “healthy vegetarian diet” could look like.

And it suited me for a really long time. I learned what greens were, and they soon became my favorite food group. I studied nutrition. I discovered plant-based recipes that would have the most carnivorous of carnivores licking their plates. I was entirely content and really wasn’t questioning at all whether I should “go to the other side.”  

More: Hot Flash Remedies: We Road-Test 3 Chill Products That Promise to Help

The body speaks

But after almost 30 years of being meat-free, I started listening to my body and the suggestions of some health professionals I worked with. My energy was dropping, and my skin was extremely dry. I knew in my core I had to tweak my diet. And that might mean including foods that had been taboo to me for so long.

This sounds like a coming-out story, and I tiptoed into it with a little trepidation because I didn’t have a mad craving for red meat. It didn’t happen to me like it did for so many of my vegetarian friends who found they were dreaming of burgers or who craved steak while they were pregnant and then never looked back.

For me, it was much more subtle, and I am still wary of saying, “I sometimes eat meat” out loud. But after having health issues that caused my body not to absorb nutrients properly for a number of years, I found out at age 48 that I have thin bones.  

As a holistic wellness counselor who very much believes in bio-individuality and the fact that we need different foods during different life chapters, I had to walk my talk and honor that this was what my body was asking for. I had already removed all things gluten from my diet and was doing much better without grains, but still, my body was crying out for something.

In the beginning, there was bone broth

So it began with bone broth, heavily disguised with beets, garlic, ginger and about as many flavorful veggies as I could think of. It was slow-simmered for about 24 hours. I found it delicious entirely because I didn’t taste any of the meat flavor. 

A few months later I dabbled again, and then again. I started to notice a boost in my energy and deeper sleep every time I tried incorporating animal protein into my diet. After sharing this with some close friends who are equally interested in food and health as my husband and I are, they came over to dinner and made a chicken. In my oven.  “I’ll just have a tiny piece,” I declared, “just to see how it sits in my belly.” A few moments later, I was all Oliver Twist about it, holding up my plate for seconds.

From there, I began researching non-GMO, pasture-raised, grass-fed collagen powder to add to my morning hot drink or smoothie. I intuitively knew that this was going to be nourishment for my skin and bones. After a while, I noticed my skin was considerably smoother on the backs of my arms, and my sensitive belly was feeling pretty good. I think I even started to feel less anxious and calmer.

We began eating wild salmon about once a week, and as time was passing, I noticed that my body was responding well to animal protein. But what about my political point of view? How could I reconcile my new eating habits with the knowledge that the amount of meat we eat contributes massively to climate change? Or what about the fact that I love animals, and I abhor factory farming and the ill treatment of all living beings? I had some more thinking to do.

More: Hungry? Who Isn’t? 7 Healthy (Yet Totally Yum) Snack Ideas

Eating meat again

To be clear, most of my arguments for vegetarianism still hold true. And I will never point to my incisors and tell you they are meant for meat eating. (I will continue to argue that they are obviously designed that way to chew carrots.)

But sometime around this transformation, we bought a house in the country and started gardening. When you garden, you realize the symbiotic relationship between animals and the Earth. Cow and horse manure, eggshells and worm castings all play a part. To grow a healthy vegetable, you need the participation of some healthy farm animals. This understanding coupled with the knowledge that I was never going to become a hardcore, three-meat-meals-a-day consumer really helped soothe my troubled mind.

In most social circles, I will still be the vegetarian. I will probably never consume meat unless I know how it was raised. I want to eat only good-quality, grass-fed, pasture-raised, ethically treated meat — as a condiment more than the star attraction and only sometimes. I suppose if I must put a label on myself, I would refer to myself now as a "deeply grateful, conscientious omnivore." It took a long time to get here, and this is all still a work in progress, but being open to change, I think, is a wonderful gift to self.

Have you started back on the meat after being vegan or vegetarian? Let us know why in the comments.

Originally published on NextTribe.

Chrissy Teigen may be a model, author, television host and social media personality, but that doesn't mean she is too busy for her family. In fact, the devoted mom recently revealed she wants even more kids.

More: Chrissy Teigen Proves Baby Miles Is John Legend's Clone, Trolls Her Own Dad

“John wants however many kids I want. That’s the good thing with John — he is down for it,” Teigen told People of her and her husband's parenting journey. “Are we ready right now? No! I really love having two, but I think when I’m 70, I’ll look back and say, ‘Oh, I wish I had more.’ I can’t see myself regretting having a ton of kids.”

That said, extending their family will take some work. Teigen, who has been vocal about her fertility struggles, will likely need to undergo additional rounds of IVF, as she did with both Luna and Miles. However, People reported that Teigen still has numerous embryos "on ice," meaning that she can try to conceive again if and when she and John are ready.

Teigen also hasn't ruled out the possibility of conceiving naturally. “It’d be awesome,” Teigen told People. “I can’t even fathom it because it’s never happened to me." But she also admitted that she'd be happy either way. "I’m totally fine with it not happening because I’ve been in a position where we’ve been able to control it — the timing and scheduling. It would be chaos otherwise — but I love chaos too.”

As for her ability to parent more kids, friends and family seem to believe this was the role Teigen was made for. “I always knew she was going to be an amazing mom,” Teigen's friend, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Ouai Haircare Jen Atkin told People. “I hope she has nine or 10 kids because she’s just so good at it.”

More: Chrissy Teigen Reveals Why They Created Extra IVF Embryos This Time

And while we're not sure Teigen actually wants nine children (or 10!), we do hope she and Legend are able to create the family of their dreams. Because aren't they already parenting goals?

Science says: If you want to raise a successful daughter, raise your expectations. According to recent research from the University of Essex, apparently the more you nag your daughter, the more successful she's likely to be. Yeah, we were skeptical too. 

The study, led by Ph.D. candidate Ericka G. Rascon-Ramirez, studied the effects of parental expectations on teenage daughters. The study looked at the lives of over 15,000 teenage girls age 13 to 14 over a 10-year period.

More: This Viral Video of Moms Trolling Their Fortnite-Obsessed Kids Is Everything

“The measure of expectations in this study reflects a combination of aspirations and beliefs about the likelihood of attending higher education,” the study said.

So, for example, reminding your daughters that you expect them to go to college will increase their chances of actually going to college. Reminding them that you expect them to reach a certain age before becoming pregnant lessens their chances of experiencing a teenage pregnancy. And reminding them that you expect them to clean their room... well, we don't know how much that will help, but it's worth a try.

The study also found that the mother — or rather the “main parent,” who often tends to be the mother — is the parent with the most influence on the daughter’s life (and has the greatest influence when nagging). So if the non-primary parent nags, they're less likely to get what they want.

More: 7 Signs Your Child Has a Toxic Teacher

When the main parent expresses high expectations, the daughter benefits in various ways. The daughter is less likely to give into peer pressure, less likely to become pregnant as a teenager, less likely to enter a low-paying, dead-end job and less likely to be unemployed at some point in her life. She is also more likely to attend college due to these high expectations.

Researcher Rascon-Ramirez said, “In many cases, we succeeded in doing what we believed was more convenient for us, even when this was against our parents’ will. But no matter how hard we tried to avoid our parents’ recommendations, it is likely that they ended up influencing, in a more subtle manner, choices that we had considered extremely personal.”

The study also discovered there is a noticeable effect of stacking expectations. For example, if you tell your daughter she should wait to have a child until she is financially stable and you tell her you expect her to attend college, she is more likely to follow both of those guidelines than if you only set one of them. 

More: 35 Mother-Daughter Quotes That Are Almost as Sweet as Your Relationship

Even though the word “nag” usually has a negative connotation attached to it, it may be getting a shiny new rep thanks to this study. While your daughter may roll her eyes in annoyance right now, she may also thank you later on in life for setting goals she may not have without your influence (and your nagging).

A version of this post previously appeared on Fairygodboss, the largest career community that helps women get the inside scoop on pay, corporate culture, benefits and work flexibility. Founded in 2015, Fairygodboss offers company ratings, job listings, discussion boards and career advice.

Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen may be known for her looks, but she recently admitted she hasn't always been happy about her appearance.

More: Chrissy Teigen Feels "Super Insecure" About Her Post-Baby Body

In fact, in an interview with People, Bündchen said her self-esteem plummeted after breastfeeding her two children because her breasts ended up much smaller — and more uneven — than before she began nursing.

“I was always praised for my body," Bündchen told People, and after giving birth to two children, "I felt like people had expectations from me that I couldn’t deliver. I felt very vulnerable, because I can work out, I can eat healthy, but I can’t change the fact that both of my kids enjoyed the left boob more than the right. All I wanted was for them to be even and for people to stop commenting on it.”

So Bündchen did something many moms (and women) have contemplated doing: She had breast augmentation surgery in 2015. However, the model says that immediately after waking, she regretted her decision.

“When I woke up, I was like, ‘What have I done?’ I felt like I was living in a body I didn’t recognize,” Bündchen told People. “For the first year I wore [baggy] clothes because I felt uncomfortable.”

Eventually, Bündchen came to terms with her appearance, but it took time — and she didn't do it alone. Bündchen credits husband Tom Brady for giving her back her confidence.

“He just said, ‘I love you no matter what’ and that I looked beautiful,” Bündchen told People. “This was definitely another lesson: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. But I wish I would have learned that a different way.”

More: Kate Hudson Shamed for Daring to Wear a Bikini While Pregnant

For more about Bündchen's childhood, career, personal life and health struggles, check out her new book, Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life, on sale now.

This morning, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford will take the stand to testify that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh physically and sexually assaulted her when they were in high school in the 1980s. When news of her accusation broke, the president tweeted that if the assault was that serious, Ford would have “immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities.”  

These sentiments were incredibly triggering for me and the nearly 1 million survivors who came forward with their #WhyIDidntReport stories because reporting a sexual assault can be extremely difficult. In fact, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest Network, only 31 percent of survivors report perpetrators to police.  

But why is that? For starters, RAINN reports that less than 1 percent of rapists are incarcerated. Many who have reported their attackers were told their scenarios weren’t so bad or that the attack was their fault. Many were simply told they were lying and not to ruin the lives of good men. Those men already ruined the lives of those they attacked — including mine.

Like Ford, I was attacked by a sexual predator when I was in high school. I was 15 when he stole my virginity during a vicious violation in a hotel bathroom. Like Ford, I didn’t immediately report the assault.

More: How Accusing Someone of Sexual Assault Affects Your Mental Health

Although my rapist ruined my life, I never wanted to ruin his. I never wanted revenge, so I didn’t pursue justice. Instead, I wanted to be able to pretend it never happened — but I can’t. I never alerted the authorities or pressed charges. Kansas eliminated the five-year statute of limitations for rape cases in 2013, so I do now have the option to pursue justice, even 13 years later. I still haven’t decided whether or not to do so.

I don’t forgive my rapist for what he did to me. He doesn’t know the long-lasting traumatic effect that his few minutes of power has had on my life. He doesn’t know that every time I had to drive by the hotel where he assaulted me I’d lose the ability to breathe or see clearly. He turned my hometown toxic. Less than two years after he raped me, I left Kansas for good.

My silence allowed my rapist to have a normal life. He has the one thing I’m doubtful that I’ll ever be able to maintain — a committed relationship with someone who wants to start a family with me. He robbed me of the ability to have healthy relationships with men. 

More: The Growing List of Celebrities Who Have Shared Their #WhyIDidntReport Stories

I asked Jill Whitney, a licensed marriage and family therapist, about the mental health impact of this less-frequently-discussed aspect of sexual assault. She explains that seeing an attacker happy and successful repeatedly shows survivors the profound injustice of their situation. “It underscores that what had a major impact on their life may have had no effect on their attacker,” she adds. In fact, there are plenty of examples in the media today of men accused of sexual assault who have gone on to not only live normal lives, but to also end up in positions of power — like president or a federal judge. 

The effects of sexual trauma are long-lasting. Try as I might, I just can’t bring myself to trust men, usually for good reason, but often as an implication of being a repeat victim of sexual violence.

Whitney explains to me that seeing attackers thrive can help survivors access anger. “Anger gives strength. You were powerless once to stop what happened. But now, you're physically safe. You have social supports and adult perspective that you didn't have then. You can use your legitimate anger to decide what, if anything, you want to do now, either to further your own healing, confront your abuser or advocate for change.”

I’m angry and ready for change.

Ford, Debbie Ramirez and now Julie Swetnick are each taking back their power by holding Kavanaugh accountable for his sexual abuse. I stand with them and all other survivors, because #MeToo. 

If you’re a survivor of sexual assault and need to speak to a trained counselor, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or chat online. Both are available 24-7.

In the lead-up to the Grey's Anatomy season 15 premiere, casting changes have dominated headlines about the new season. With new faces and returning favorites arriving all the time at Grey Sloan Memorial, it seems like anything is possible when it comes to past characters visiting the Seattle hospital. Sara Ramirez, who left the show in 2016, says even she wants to make a return appearance, which would be amazing.

More: Grey's Anatomy's Meredith & DeLuca are 'Building Some Romance' in Season 15

In a tweet on Wednesday, Ramirez said, "For the record @CBS has been nothing but gracious and generous to me. They are open to Callie coming back! The ball is in @ABCNetwork‘s court."

Ramirez is currently a series regular on the CBS drama Madame Secretary, which is allegedly the reason she hasn't made a return appearance on Grey's Anatomy since she left the show in season 12. Her Grey's character, Callie Torres, moved to New York to be with her then-girlfriend, which certainly left the door open for a potential return.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes said in an August Instagram Q&A that the series tried to get Ramirez to return for the season 14 finale, which marked the departure of her on-screen love interest, Jessica Capshaw (who plays Arizona Robbins). 

"We tried," Rhimes said at the time. "CBS has a hold of her. Because she is on another show, and we can't get her. But we love her. Always. This is her home. Come home Callie."

Ramirez's tweet suggests this isn't the case at all. The Hollywood Reporter also notes that the general rule of thumb for series regulars is that they can appear in up to three episodes of another show, which would mean that Ramirez can definitely play Callie again, just not for a long stretch of time.

It's unclear what prompted Ramirez's tweet, especially given that Rhimes' Q&A took place over a month ago, but what is clear is that Ramirez apparently wants to play Callie Torres again. According to her replies on Twitter, fans would be thrilled to have her back.

In response to Ramirez's tweet, one fan wrote, "This is genuinely the best news I've seen on this platform in months. Yaaaay!!!!!"

Several others said Grey's needs to bring back both Ramirez and Capshaw so Callie and Arizona can finally have their happy ending.

The upcoming 15th season of Grey's will be the first without Capshaw. In the season 14 finale, Arizona left Seattle to move to New York with her daughter, Sofia, so Sofia could live in the same city as Arizona and her other mother, Callie. Arizona also revealed that Callie is now single as well, which seemed to indicate that the formerly married couple might be able to try again.

More: Grey's Anatomy Could Be Done After Season 16 — Here's Why

Grey's Anatomy season 15 is shaping up to be the most epic season yet, even without the potential return of one of the series' most beloved characters. The series returns on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 8/7c on ABC, and we can't wait to see what's in store.

At this point in your life, you probably have a core group of friends that have seen you through the good times and the bad. But sometimes, you just want to branch out a little. 

Maybe you’re looking for a new buddy or two to do some activities that your other friends aren’t into. Maybe you moved to a new town and want to find some new friends in your area, or maybe you just want to expand your social circle a little. Whatever it is, making new friends as an adult can be… kind of hard. 

More: 7 Ways to Set Boundaries With Your Work Friends

Of course, some people seem to make friends effortlessly, which is great for them. For the rest of us, it takes a little more work. With that in mind, we consulted several experts on the habits of people who make friends easily and collected a list of habits you should steal for yourself.

They reach out instead of waiting for others to come to them

Whether you’re at a party, waiting in a dressing room line or taking your kid to the playground, talking to the people around you guarantees you’ll at least have a conversation — which could lead to a friendship. “Reaching out to others is a necessary first step to making new friends,” Dr. William Chopik, a social-personality psychologist and assistant professor at Michigan State University, tells SheKnows. “Some of the most superficial relationships — which later grow into more meaningful ones — start with people sharing basic interests, hobbies, opinions or aspirations. You won't know any of these things without first talking to people.” 

So, walk up to someone who looks interesting and start talking. You may be surprised where it leads. 

They stay off their phones in public

Clearly, sometimes you’ve got to take a call or answer a text. But if you’re constantly using your phone as a social crutch, it sends a message to other people that you’re occupied, relationship psychologist Dr. Karin Anderson Abrell tells SheKnows “It tells everyone else in the room, ‘I don’t need to be here, and I have no interest in connecting with you people,’” she says. 

It’s also a good idea to keep your phone away when you’re having a conversation, Chopik says. “There have been a few studies on how annoyed and upset people get if you are on your phone while trying to engage in a conversation with them,” he says. 

They’re positive

You’ve probably experienced this yourself: Talking to someone who is repeatedly negative is kind of a turn-off and makes you automatically feel like you have to cheer them up. “Being positive is just huge,” Anderson Abrell says. That doesn’t mean you have to be fake, but striving for a warm, friendly attitude — when talking to people and about yourself — can go a long way, she says. 

More: How to Tell if a Relationship Issue Is a Deal Breaker

They’re good listeners

“Everyone wants to be heard, to share their intimate information and to feel understood by another,” Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychiatrist and host of The Power of Different podcast, tells SheKnows. So ask questions and actually listen to the answers. 

“Just listen and then reflect back on what you heard and maybe even the emotion that you heard,” Anderson Abrell adds. “People end up feeling validated and heard.”

They have an easy familiarity with people

Sure, you want to be polite and respectful, but being friendly and warm right off the bat “creates an easy sense of familiarity,” Saltz tells SheKnows. 

Anderson Abrell concurs. Oftentimes, it can help put the other person at ease and help them feel more comfortable around you too, she notes. It can be as simple as wearing an easy smile, walking up to someone and saying, “Hey – how’s it going?” 

They try new things on their own

This does a few things, Saltz says: It shows you’re confident (which people are drawn to), it shows you want to engage with people (since you’re not holed up in a corner with a friend), and it shows that you’re curious about things, which is appealing. You’re also just more likely to meet like-minded people you’ll click with when you hit up a workout class you’re interested in or art group, Anderson Abrell says. 

They smile a lot

This is bigger than you think. Smiling and being genuine about it “has a contagion [effect] and makes the other person feel a little happier,” Saltz says. “That feels good to them and therefore makes them attracted to you.” 

A smile “can disarm a lot of people,” Anderson Abrell adds. “It’s a powerful tool.”

With just over a month to go until Halloween, it looks like holiday enthusiasts are jumping on costume preparations early. Heidi Klum even shared a sneak peek of this year's costume on her Instagram on Wednesday, providing some limited details about what is sure to be another extravagant ensemble from the supermodel.

More: Heidi Klum Confirms She Is Leaving Project Runway With a Fond Farewell Post

In her Instagram video, Klum pans the camera over a tabletop in what looks like a special effects workshop, revealing a bust with white prosthetics covering the mouth and fanning out around the jaw like wings. She captioned the video, "Getting ready for #heidiklumhalloween2018" and tagged Mike Marino of Prosthetic Renaissance. Klum also included some spooky emoji for effect.

According to E! News, Marino did the prosthetics for Emma Stone and Sally Field in their new limited series Maniac. Marino and Klum have worked together on her costumes in the past, which have all been works of art in their own right. The outlet also revealed that Klum usually begins planning her extravagant Halloween costumes in June each year, giving her plenty of time to prep.

Klum will likely premiere this year's costume at her annual Halloween bash, which according to Insider, she's hosted every year since 2000. Costumes are required for entry at the massive party, with Klum leading the way for innovative looks.

In 2017, Klum went as the werewolf in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and even performed the iconic dance routine from the music video. In 2016, she "cloned" herself and brought four "dates" to the event, and in 2015, she dressed as Jessica Rabbit. She even went as a 95-year-old version of herself in 2013. Her creativity knows no bounds.

More: Heidi Klum's Best Halloween Costumes Through the Years

Although her Instagram sneak peek doesn't give much away about this year's costume, we can be certain it will blow our minds. 

Reese Witherspoon might be one of the busiest women working in front of and behind the camera these days. Her entertainment career is bigger than just a film or television role. She's developing projects, producing movies and finding ways women can share their voices.

More: All of Reese Witherspoon's Best Roles, Ranked

She's become her own media empire with several different platforms to share her ideas and beliefs, possibly influenced by her good friend, powerful industry leader Oprah Winfrey. There seem to certain blueprints Witherspoon is following based upon her recent announcements and moves — and we like it.

If you're having a hard time keeping up with all of her news, you aren't alone. We've compiled a list of the must-follow projects Witherspoon is working on these days. She's definitely taking names and ready to be heard beyond acting on-screen.

1. Big Little Lies season 2

Everyone is waiting on the season two trailer of Big Little Lies. The next season will pick up where the novel left off, and David E. Kelley wrote all seven episodes. Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman are back as producers, and the second season is already in the can. Witherspoon only teased us with a few on-set photos to keep all of her storyline a secret — what's with that ice cream cone? The show will return in 2019.

2. Promoting her book, Whiskey in a Teacup

Witherspoon has a book out! Whiskey in a Teacup was released on Sept. 18.  It's a true Southern lifestyle book with everything you need to entertain Witherspoon style. 

She even explained why she chose the title in a recent Instagram post: "My grandmother always said: Southern women were like 'Whiskey In A Teacup'. They may look graceful and delicate on the outside...but are strong and fiery inside! I’ve always loved that...and think it applies to so many women."

Don't miss her official book tour, either!

3. Working on a new Apple TV series

If you want more of Jennifer Aniston and Witherspoon together on your TV screens beyond Friends, then you are in luck. These dynamic actors will be taping their currently untitled Apple TV show beginning in October in both New York and Los Angeles. 

The series will be based on the book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV by Brian Stetler. Both actors are also executive producing, and they will co-own the show. It currently has a two-season, 20-episode order from Apple TV, and both Witherspoon and Aniston are rumored to be earning $1.25 million per episode.

In addition to her series with Aniston, Witherspoon has two other projects with Apple TV that her company Hello Sunshine is producing: a crime thriller called Are You Sleeping? starring Octavia Spencer and a half-hour comedy series that was supposed to star Kristen Wiig. However, Wiig's schedule for Wonder Woman changed, so a new actor will be cast.

More: Reese Witherspoon Is Here for Pink's Clapback at a Twitter Troll — & We Are Too

4. Running the show at Hello Sunshine

Earlier this year, Witherspoon teamed up with AT&T for a subscription-based video-on-demand channel, Hello Sunshine. That channel is delivering original content starring Witherspoon and other TV personalities. The docuseries Master the Mess premiered Sept. 4 on the network, featuring The Home Edit experts Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin delivering a little humor to our messy, disorganized lives.

5. Appearing on Shine On With Reese Witherspoon

This is Witherspoon's Oprah moment. Her first unscripted series, Shine On With Reese Witherspoon, is being billed as show focusing in on "female trailblazers." The Hello Sunshine series kicked off in July with Dolly Parton as the first guest. Other episodes include visits with America Ferrara, Pink and Simone Askew, the first black woman to lead the West Point cadets.

6. Participating in Hello Sunshine x Together Live

You might be exhausted just from reading this much, but Witherspoon has yet another big project this fall called Hello Sunshine x Together Live. It's a live event coming to 10 cities and involves female leaders who are making an impact in different sectors of business, the arts, literature and more. If you are looking for inspiration, you will probably find it in some of the confirmed speakers, including Witherspoon, Yara Shahidi, Abby Wambach, Glennon Doyle and Priya Parker. General tickets go on sale Friday.

More: Fans Will Love Matthew Davis’ Idea for Warner in Legally Blonde 3

7. Showing off the goods for Draper James for Crate & Barrel

If entertainment isn't your thing, Witherspoon has you covered with her fashion and home decor line, Draper James. On Sept. 11, she launched her fall collection of dishware with the home design store Crate & Barrel. This is her second collection with the store. 

8. Acting her heart out

In addition to Big Little Lies and her Apple TV show, Witherspoon has a full slate of acting gigs coming up. Most of the projects have just been announced or are in pre-production, so it could be two to four years before we see them come to fruition. The most important one on the list, of course, is Legally Blonde 3. Everyone is ready for Elle Woods, but we will have to wait until 2020.

She has also announced Tinker Bell, a live-action reimagining of the classic character, as well as Wish List, a comedy about a 30-something woman looking for a major change in her life. Little Fires Everywhere, based on the book by Celeste Ng, is a TV miniseries that will feature Kerry Washington.

9. She's producing so many good series, too

Witherspoon is just as busy behind the camera. Coming up, she's producing a Peggy Lee biopic and movie adaptations of books like Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty (producing with Kidman again!) and Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll. Zendaya will also be starring in A White Lie, based on the novel The Gilded Years by Karin Tanabe. She will play a light-skinned black woman who passes as a white woman to attend Vassar College.

Witherspoon has enough work happening to last a lifetime, but we know she's not done inspiring and creating more opportunities for women in the entertainment industry. Which project are you most excited about?

Alexander Skarsgård's Big Little Lies character, the menacing Perry Wright, may have died in the season one finale of the hit HBO show, but that doesn't mean he's gone for good. In fact, he recently appeared in some season two photos taken on set, and when he was asked about it during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, he took time to address it — sort of. 

More: Reese Witherspoon & Nicole Kidman May Have Dropped Some BLL Season 2 Clues

During his appearance Thursday on The Tonight Show, Skarsgård was very coy about what he was doing on set as well as his funny history with Big Little Lies season two star Meryl Streep.

"I was on set, yes. I can’t disclose what I did on set,” Skarsgård told Fallon. "Maybe I was acting. I might have been just moral support. I might have just made coffee for the ladies. I might have helped Meryl Streep with her acting… Not help, but just give her little pointers, fine tune it a bit.”

Since Streep is playing Skarsgård's character's mother, Mary Louise Wright, it's possible he will return to Big Little Lies season two in flashback scenes. Or maybe the show will take a supernatural turn and bring him back as a vengeful ghost. Either way, it will apparently be Skarsgård's first opportunity to act opposite Streep, per ET, despite the fact that they costarred in 2014's The Giver.

"I did a movie years ago and one of the incentives was to work with Meryl Streep," he told Fallon. "It was a scene with Meryl Streep and I was very, very excited about it. I didn’t sleep the night before." But when he got to set, Streep wasn't there. "They were like, ‘Oh no, she’s in London. She’s going to be a hologram in this scene because it’s a sci-fi. So you’re just going to stare into empty space here and say your lines and someone will read Meryl’s lines off camera,'" he explained.

More: Meet the Newest Cast Member of Big Little Lies

We know that Streep is confirmed to appear in every episode of season two, per costar and producer Reese Witherspoon, which means her character plays a pivotal role in what's to come. They would be remiss to leave out potential memories of her son, seeing as his life was so abruptly snuffed out, but we're still interested in seeing how Skarsgård factors into things when the new season premieres in 2019.

The last time we checked in with the queen, her diet was extremely British. Gin before lunch? You know it. Jam pennies for tea? Um, obviously. And it would probably surprise no one to learn that she regularly eats venison and pheasant for dinner. Well, all that's changing, because it turns out that lately, Queen Elizabeth has been majorly into Caribbean food.

More: Reese Witherspoon Screamed When She Found Out She Would Meet Kate Middleton

Apparently, it all started with Buckingham Palace's Caribbean Scholars program. Mark Flanagan, royal chef, said in the documentary Queen of the World that young hospitality professionals from the Caribbean have been working at the palace, and they've brought their own beloved recipes to the queen's kitchens.

While the young chefs are also learning to make fancy-pants British palace food, they've been serving up traditional Caribbean dishes too. The biggest hit so far was callaloo soup, which the queen requested be served more often after her first time tasting it.

Callaloo is a dish made from leafy greens (usually taro, amaranth or xanthosoma), which, depending on which island you're on, is either simply stewed with a few aromatics or combined with ingredients like coconut milk, aromatics, seafood and peppers to make it into a heartier meal. It was brought to the Caribbean by enslaved people from West Africa and is similar to other dishes from that region.

More: Serena Williams & Meghan Markle Have Relied on Each Other "A Lot Recently"

Flanagan said that after serving this dish, he received "email after email telling me that it must now feature more regularly."

It's great to see that even at the age of 92 the queen is still open to trying new things. Props to the young chefs from the Caribbean for making the journey to England to open the minds and palates of the royal family.

Throughout its run, Game of Thrones has always divided fans over which of its myriad characters deserve the Iron Throne of Westeros. As we approach the eighth and final season, slated to premiere sometime in the first half of 2019, news about what's to come is few and far between, as HBO is keeping details firmly under wraps. However, a new comment from star Sophie Turner has us feeling especially worried about the series finale and what it might mean for some of our faves as well as their futures.

More: Don't Blink or You'll Miss This New Game of Thrones Footage

While promoting the newly released trailer for her upcoming X-Men franchise film, Dark Phoenix, Turner told IGN that, depending on how fans feel about certain characters, their reactions to the finale may vary dramatically.

“I think, you know, as an actor it was really satisfying — I think for everyone, everyone’s storylines — to be able to act out the way that it all ends," Turner said. "It was really satisfying for us. Who knows if it will be satisfying for the fans? I think a lot of fans will be disappointed and a lot of fans will be over the moon, I think. I think it will be really interesting to see people’s reactions, but for me reading the script it was just like heartbreaking…”

She also said there were "a lot of tears" during filming, which makes sense. The cast of Thrones has been deep in these characters for nearly a decade, and many of Turner's costars — including Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke and Nathalie Emmanuel — have commented on their intense feelings over the show coming to an end. 

However, Turner's comment might just be the most interesting and indicative quote we get from a series star before the show returns next year. We already know the finale is going to be epic, but to learn that Turner thinks fans will be so divided has us on the edges of our seats.

In her interview with IGN, Turner also said her character, Sansa Stark, will go on a serious journey in season eight. "She kind of takes ownership over who she is and what she stands for," Turner said. "Over the course of the series she’s been completely unaware of what she wants, where she wants to be, who she really is, and at the end of this season, I feel she is the most self-assured character in the show."

More: We Can't Handle This Game of Thrones Star's Hints About the Final Season

This news sounds great for Sansa fans and possibly for fans of the Stark family as a whole. But what does that mean for the rest of the series and its characters? Who will live and who will die? How many boxes of tissues do we need to bulk-buy before 2019? From Turner's comments, it sounds like we should be prepared for absolutely anything.

In the final teaser trailer for House of Cards' sixth and final season, new president Claire Underwood (played by Robin Wright) is a force to be reckoned with. Now that her late husband, Frank Underwood (played by Kevin Spacey, who was fired from the series after he was accused of sexual misconduct in late 2017), is dead, Claire is ruling the White House, and she has no time for the whims of men.

More: How Robin Wright Really Feels About Kevin Spacey These Days

From the moment you hit play on this trailer, you'll see that it's jam-packed with information about what we can expect for the final season. Framed around a speech to a group of soldiers, it shows Claire speaking about her first 100 days as president, recalling her husband's false promises and refusing to give into pressure to fulfill those promises now that he's dead.

“Here’s the thing: Whatever Francis told you the last five years, don’t believe a word of it. It’s going to be different for you and me," she tells the soldiers. At another point, speaking privately in an office of the White House, she says, “The reign of the middle-aged white man is over.”

It's also clear from the trailer that Claire's reign is not without its problems. At one point, the back passenger window of a car she's riding in is hit with gunfire while an unidentified man says in a voice over, “We’ve got to get this woman out of there.”

Despite the apparent danger to her person (and her presidency), Claire refuses to back down. “I’m not going to be told what to do anymore," she insists. It's a powerful statement, even from a fictional female president, but it's no less than what we would expect from Wright's character, who was a powerhouse long before she took on the only starring role in House of Cards.

More: The Latest House of Cards Teaser Doesn't Mince Words About Frank's Fate

In previous trailers, we learned about Frank's untimely death and got a first glimpse at Wright taking over the White House. We won't know just how fraught things are until the series returns to Netflix on Nov. 2, but we are so ready to see Wright run the show on her own terms, without apology.

It seems Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom are ready to take their relationship to the next level: on Wednesday, the pair stepped out on a red carpet together for the very first time according to E! News.

More: Katy Perry Sent Orlando Bloom a Very Personal (& Public) Request

Hours before their appearance, Perry teased their red carpet debut in a since-deleted Instagram Story, (which we also found on Twitter) of Bloom dancing in his dress clothes to Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back." In the video, she also used the caption "lemme touch ur butt" to really set the playful mood, and honestly? We love it so, so much. 

And just in case you're thinking, "Well, how do we know that's actually Bloom in the video?" we can safely confirm that in photos of the couple taken on the red carpet, Bloom appears to be dressed similarly to the fella in the video. Plus, whose tuxedo-clad butt would Perry be videotaping if it weren't Bloom's? 

Bloom eventually finished getting dressed, and both he and Perry —who wore a pale pink gown with stunning, mirror ball-inspired sleeves — made their way to the red (well, it turns out it was gray) carpet at the Gala for the Global Ocean hosted by Prince Albert II of Monaco. 

Bloom and Perry's relationship is nothing new, but this appearance is a major milestone for the couple. They've dated off and on since 2016. While they've been spotted by paparazzi all across the world and on social media (like when Bloom shared a teaser video for an upcoming project, Killer Joe, on Instagram and Perry commented, "I need a season pass for that ass"), but they've kept their public appearances as a couple to a minimum. 

Perry and Bloom have been fairly tight-lipped about their relationship in interviews too — and for good reason. It would seem the couple wants to keep their love life private, and Perry has gone on record to note that she doesn't want to be defined by whom she is dating.

More: Katy Perry Flew Across the Country for Love (Kind Of)

"Of course, I love my relationship," Perry told Vogue Australia earlier this year, "but that is one part of me, and I don’t want any part of what I do to be diminished.”

That said, we wish Perry and Bloom nothing but the best and hope their relationship continues to blossom.

Having to live with a skin condition can bring about a feeling of isolation, even when you’re one of many with it. A skin condition that is widely shared among people is eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. Eczema is a common skin condition that affects millions of people around the world, including nearly 10 percent of the population of the United States according to the National Eczema Association. 

In case you're not familiar with eczema, it is a chronic condition that causes the skin to become excessively dry and itchy while causing blistering, cracked skin and skin discoloration. Although eczema is quite common, it's rarely talked about in terms of body image, mental health and how it can trigger anxiety and depression — but in reality, that's a huge part of living with the condition. 

More: 9 Foods to Eat for Better Skin Health

I’ve lived with eczema my entire life, and having the constant need to claw at your own skin is one of the worst feelings. You’re mentally trying to fight against self-inflicted skin damage but feel you have no other way to make yourself comfortable. With eczema, the skin becomes so irritated that, at times, I have scratched until my skin had bleeding open wounds, which have frequently left my skin scarred and discolored, causing a feeling of embarrassment. 

Having had eczema in noticeable areas and having to find ways of covering it up also brought about a severe anxiety. For me, it triggers a feeling of not wanting to be around people or in social situations due to the noticeable change in appearance and constantly needing to pick at the irritation.

In my experience, living with eczema can be an attack on one’s self-esteem and often changes our self-perception. Eczema can cause self-doubt based on how you believe others view the condition and can give you a flawed sense of reality. It means wearing long sleeves, turtlenecks and pants in the summertime so the dark, distorted skin on my neck, inner folds of my elbow and behind my knees can't be seen and creates a groundswell of moments I feel I need to lock myself in the house. It means having a dark, irritated ring around my mouth while working in customer service trying to “look the part” when I felt like a beast. 

Mentally, having a condition like eczema can make others see you as dirty or unkempt, although chances are people who have it are constantly washing to keep the skin moist or maybe just hoping it goes down the drain.

Although there are many different remedies, from holistic to over-the-counter and prescription medicines, those of us living with the condition have a never-ending period of trial and error to try to find a treatment that works. I have tried many holistic and prescription treatments that seemed to exacerbate my eczema and further irritate my skin. I have also tried and failed with many over-the-counter topical creams that did absolutely nothing as well. 

More: 5 Things Dr. Pimple Popper Wishes Her Patients Knew About Their Skin

Going through so many different options that seemed to have worked so well for others can also cause someone to grapple with depression. The reality is there is no one cure, and everyone has a different experience with their eczema. One person’s eczema may be due to dietary allergies, while another may be due to weather conditions or irritants in their laundry detergent. It is not a cut-and-dried solution, and it has to be treated based on the individual.

As society begins to move into an era when we acknowledge those who live with skin conditions, it’s important that body image is not seen as a linear ideology. Most people who live with conditions like eczema cannot cover the condition with makeup or certain fabrics due to the irritation that erupts from the skin as a result of contact. 

By affirming the beauty of imperfection, it gives hope to the many who are living in the shadows in fear they are not good enough or attractive enough or that they are in some way cursed because they have anything other than the radiant, glowing skin that’s often advertised as the overall ideal. 

Postpartum depression is far too common. According to the American Psychological Association, 1 out of every 7 women has experienced — or will experience — PPD. And celebrities are certainly not immune. In fact, in recent years, numerous models, singers, actors and musicians have spoken out about their own struggles — including Gwyneth Paltrow.

More: Chrissy Teigen Opens Up About Her Postpartum Depression

In a recent interview with People, Paltrow spoke about the mental health issues she faced after the birth of her second child, Moses, 12 years ago.

“I had postnatal depression, as you know, after my son. A doctor tried to put me on antidepressants and I thought, if I need them, then yes, I’ll come back to it,” Paltrow told People. I mean, “they are lifesavers for certain people for sure.” 

However, before seeking medical intervention, Paltrow decided to try alternative therapies.

“I thought, well, what if I went to therapy and I started exercising again, and I stopped drinking alcohol and I just gave myself a period of regeneration and I slept more," Paltrow said. So she did, and Paltrow credits those changes for saving her.

"I really broke out of it,” the mother of two told People.

Of course, lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on your mental health. The benefits of diet and exercise are well-researched, and cannot be overstated. However, it's important to note that postpartum depression is an illness — a mental illness — and, as such, these alternative therapies are not always enough. In fact, many times, these therapies are seen as "adjunctive treatments," meaning they are a secondary approach used in tandem with a primary treatment method, according to the Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing.

More: We May Finally Have a Drug to Treat Postpartum Depression

What's more, PsyCom author Arnold Lieber notes that "while PPD does, at times, go away on its own, symptoms usually go away more quickly with the help of medication and talk therapy."

As such, it is imperative that new parents use any and every resource available to them.

As for Paltrow, she previously explained that she didn't realize she had postpartum depression. In fact, according to People, Paltrow once told Good Housekeeping that her ex, Chris Martin, was the one who realized something was wrong. 

“About four months into it, Chris came to me and said, ‘Something’s wrong. Something’s wrong.’ I kept saying, ‘No, no, I’m fine.’ But Chris identified it, and that sort of burst the bubble,” Paltrow told Good Housekeeping. “I thought postpartum depression meant you were sobbing every single day and incapable of looking after a child. But there are different shades of it and depths of it, which is why I think it’s so important for women to talk about it. It was a trying time. I felt like a failure."

More: My Postpartum Depression Didn't Look Like What I Expected

If you or someone you know is struggling with postpartum depression, contact Postpartum Support International at 1-800-944-4773 or text "HOME" to 741-741.

Busy Philipps isn't one to keep her cards close to her chest. Philipps — the longtime BFF of actor Michelle Williams — dished to Parents magazine in her cover story for the November issue about motherhood, marriage and body image. 

As usual, the always-candid Philipps didn't hold back. She said she and husband Marc Silverstein are "just trying to hold it together" when it comes to raising their two daughters, Birdie, 10, and Cricket, 5.

More: Busy Philipps' Mom-Guilt Breakdown Was Not in Vain, & Here's Why

“I call myself the all-over-the-place, doesn’t-have-a-plan mom. Is that a parenting philosophy?” she quipped. “Our family has no absolute rules about screen time or sugar or anything. Marc and I were raised that way, and we turned out fine.”

There is one parenting mindset that drives her crazy, though: Moms who say they require alcohol to handle their kids.

“This may be controversial, but I’m just going to say it: I’m so fucking over the culture of mommy wine and glasses that say ‘Mommy juice,’” Philipps said. “You go to a preschool birthday party at 10 a.m., and it’s like, ‘Does anyone want a wine cooler?’ Um, no, girlfriend. I want to make sure my daughter doesn’t fall off this play structure. It’s such a weird thing!”

Philipps admits she's not opposed to drinking — just the attitude of needing booze to get through the day with kids. “If you know me at all, you know I love a good margarita," she said in the interview. "I just don’t think the two things need to be tied together. I’m the best mom when I’m sober.”

More: Busy Philipps Encourages Sibling Rivalry for the Weirdest Reason

And on the topic of her marriage to Marc Silverstein, Philipps was blunt about her disappointment in her husband after their first child arrived.

“He was not understanding how to be a dad and, in fact, didn’t try. I was parenting by myself,” she said. “When I told him I wanted to have a second child, he said, ‘Fine, but it’s all on you.’ That was so heartbreaking.”

Philipps added, “Marriage is always hard, but especially when you have kids… You’re going to go through periods when you’re not into it, but there always has to be one person willing to fight. I went to Marc several times and said, ‘I cannot do this anymore. Something has to change, and it’s you.’“

“We’ve had a lot of serious discussions and counseling, and he’s incredibly participatory now in a way I don’t think he could’ve imagined before. We’re a work in progress but trying our best, and that’s the most you can do.”

And don't even get her started on loving her postpartum body just the way it is. Uh-uh. Busy don't play that.

“I’m able to intellectually appreciate the fact that my body has done a truly incredible thing, but I don’t love the extra skin,” she said. “People say, ‘Wear it like a badge!’ Um, yeah, that doesn’t speak to me. I’d rather have a flat stomach.” Fair enough.

Philipps is aware, though, that she's a body image role model for her girls, and needs to be careful. “I want to lead by example. Weighing myself wasn’t helpful for my mental state, so I stopped doing that a couple of years ago. Now, I just try to make healthy, balanced choices and don’t call any food ‘bad,’” Philipps said. “My girls see me exercise, but they also see me eat nachos. I think both are important.”

Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released their annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance report, and in it was shocking news: In 2017, there was a sharp increase in the number of babies being born with congenital syphilis.

More: STD Rates in the U.S. Now at a Record High

In fact, the rates are at a 20-year high.

Congenital syphilis was once all but eradicated. In 2000 and 2001, the national rates "primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis cases was 2.1 cases per 100,000 population, the lowest rate since reporting began in 1941" according to the CDC.

However, in 2017 there were 918 cases of congenital syphilis alone, or 23.3 cases per 100,000 live births.

David C. Harvey, executive director of National Coalition of STD Directors, said in a statement emailed to SheKnows that this increase is a failure on the part of the health care system: "Newborns are now paying the price for our nation’s growing STD crisis. That we have any cases of syphilis among newborns, let alone an increasing number, is a failure of the health care system. It is also a symptom of the larger STD crisis in the U.S. and a sign of a public health system in urgent need of support.”

What's more, Harvey said, “[W]hen a baby gets syphilis it means the system has failed that mother repeatedly, both before and during her pregnancy. If STD prevention programs had anywhere near the support they need and women were getting quality preventative and prenatal care, no new mom would ever have to cope with this devastating diagnosis.”

The CDC hypothesizes that many of these women did not receive adequate testing or treatment during their pregnancies.

That said, it is important to note that not all pregnant mothers will pass syphilis to their unborn child; however, it is fairly common. In fact, according to Baby Center, "[I]f you don't get treated, there's a very high chance that your baby will be infected, particularly if you're in the early stages of the disease, when it's most infectious. About 50 percent of pregnant women with untreated early syphilis end up [having] a baby who's infected."

More: Gestational Diabetes May Increase Risk of Postpartum Depression

As such, the CDC recommends screening for syphilis at the beginning of pregnancy, at the start of the third trimester and right before delivery. If you test positive, you should begin treatment right away.