Carrie Murphy

Midwives are growing in popularity but still largely misunderstood. This three-part series aims to help you answer the question: What’s a midwife and is one right for me?
Americans are more familiar with the vital work of nurse midwives than ever before, thanks in part to the PBS show “Call the Midwife.” Yet in the United States, midwifery is often seen as a fringe choice — something strange, or even perceived as “less than” when compared with OB-GYN care.
But in a country dealing with a mate...

Midwives are growing in popularity, but still largely misunderstood. This three-part series aims to help you answer the question: What is a midwife and is one right for me?
When you think of a midwife, chances are you’re thinking of a “baby-catcher” — a person whose working life is focused on mothers, babies, and birthing.
But here’s a little known fact: Midwives don’t just catch babies. They’re underutilized and often misunderstood providers of reproductive healthcare in the United States.
I...

Breastfeeding, as natural as it is, can be an overwhelming process. That’s why it’s good to be informed about what to expect and how you can optimize the process, both before you give birth and after.
To learn about the absolute musts of breastfeeding, we spoke to Nekisha Killings, MPH, CLC, IBCLC, a lactation consultant and equity strategist in Los Angeles. Here are 15 things to know about breastfeeding before and after birth.

I'm hardly a beauty product junkie, but as I've gotten older and more conscious about the ingredients I'm using on my skin, I've shifted from buying drugstore brand products to more higher-end, eco-friendly, and natural brands. And they don't come cheap. So when I've spent almost $100 on a skincare product (I'm looking at you, Drunk Elephant's Glycolic Night Serum), I want to use it until the last drop.
Enter this amazing $6 bathroom staple: the Every Drop Beauty Spatula. This tiny tool's ent...

Feeling like bouncing off the walls? Here’s what’s going on inside your body.
Oh, joy! That happy, buoyant emotion is a great feeling, whether it’s brought on by a big life event (like a wedding or birth) or something as simple as finding the perfect fruit at the farmer’s market.
On an emotional level, we may feel joy in a variety of ways — tearfully, euphoric, with a deep sense of contentment, and more.
On a scientific level, we feel joy in our neurotransmitters, which are tiny chemical “mes...

Being pregnant in America can feel like a minefield. People navigating the social, cultural, and medical aspects of pregnancy find conflicting information, confusing advice, and pressure when making decisions about care. Guides to pregnancy, too, can be heavily biased and judgmental: on the “best” ways to bond, to give birth, to feed, to nurture. I’ve been a doula for the past six years, so I’ve read literally dozens of books related to pregnancy and birth—and finally, I feel I’ve found one t...

Nitrous oxide is a new option for labor pain relief. What is it, how does it work, and is it right for you?
Nitrous oxide, also known as "laughing gas," has been used for decades as a labor pain-relief option all over the world. In the UK, it's estimated that 50-75% of people use "gas and air" during birth—you might have seen women breathing it in and out on the popular show PBS show Call The Midwife. But for American mothers, nitrous oxide in labor is still a bit unusual. Here's everything y...

When you're expecting a baby, there is so much to consider—everything from buying the best baby gear to choosing the right provider for your care is on your to-do list. And of course, there's that little matter of planning for the actual birth.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about two in three women in the U.S. have vaginal births. If you don't have any major health concerns or issues, it's reasonable to assume that you, too, will have a vaginal birth. Here are s...

When you're pregnant, there's so much emphasis on the birth and the baby — with good reason, of course. But planning for what will happen after the baby is born is another important aspect you should be thinking carefully about.
It's so important for new parents to have a restful and supported postpartum recovery period. Not only does it help you bond with your new little love, but it can assist in your own health and happiness after birth, as well. There's a great deal you can do to make sur...

Most people know that you can tell if you’re pregnant by taking a simple urine test at home. But what they might not know is what that cute pink or blue pregnancy test is actually measuring — hCG levels — and what different levels of it can mean for your pregnancy.
Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is the hormone that turns a pregnancy test positive. It’s produced by the cells formed by the placenta after the embryo attaches to the uterine wall. To learn more about hCG levels, we talked t...

Winter is the season of cuddles and curling up inside on the couch, hiding from the cold via baking and binge-watching. You'd think with all that nesting you'd be sleeping like a baby during the winter season. But in actuality, cold weather comes with its own sleep challenges for lots of people — including a disrupted sleep schedule, feelings of lethargy, and plenty of tossing and turning.
1. Take Control of the Light
Dr. Chris Winter, a neurologist, sleep specialist, and author of The Sleep ...

Chances are, you’ve got a bag of Epsom salt hidden in the back of your sink cabinet, ready to pull out when your muscles are sore. But have you ever wondered why this simple salt is so soothing—and if there are any other ways you can reap the benefits?
Epsom salt (also called magnesium sulfate) is essentially a form of the vital nutrient magnesium. Bruce Roberts, MD, an integrative medicine physician, explains: “Epsom salts are a magnesium salt. Magnesium is a co-factor in over 300 different ...

Mindfulness is a popular practice that's great for your health—including your mental health. Here's how to make it work for you during pregnancy.
The benefits of mindfulness are well-documented—study after study shows how much it can help practitioners with everything from anxiety and depression to insomnia and weight loss. But did you know mindfulness is a seriously beneficial practice during pregnancy, too? Simply tuning in and being aware can be a powerful tool to lessen stress, calm anxie...