From Start to Finish

Confused about what to write down in your notebook during class?  Get stressed when preparing for tests and looking over your notes?  Here are some suggestions to take you from the beginning of the studying process in the classroom, to the end, or the test itself.

Read assignments before heading to class.  This will build your background for the information that will be presented in class.  It helps you be familiar with the vocabulary and concepts.  This is especially helpful if you are unfamiliar with the subject matter.  As you read, underline and highlight important information.  If you don’t have time to read the entire assignment, at least look over introduction paragraphs, bolded words, and summaries.  This will give you a good overview of the information.

Although it seems obvious, you need to go to class and take notes.  Most professors or teachers lecture during class periods, emphasizing points of importance.  Head to class ready to be attentive and write during the entire class.  Don’t stop taking notes until the lecturer is finishing.  Pay particular attention to the end of the lecture, as professors will cram information into this part to finish up for the day.  Use abbreviations; get details and main ideas to get complete notes.

While the notes are still ‘fresh’ in your mind, look over them and make any additions or corrections as soon as possible after class.  Be sure to make note of any parts you didn’t understand or missed.  Ask either the professor or a friend via email or before the next class period to get the missing information.  

Try to pass your first test in each class to boost self-confidence.  Make up a list of study questions and definitions and practice reciting this information aloud, either to yourself or someone else.  Don’t wait until the last minute study.  Rather, study for short periods over several days.  Of course, you will want to review the night before a test.

Finally, test day arrives.  Use these strategies during your exam to make all your hard work worthwhile.  Read directions carefully before you begin.  Take a few minutes to look over the test, then answer all the questions you know first.  This will help you get sure points and builds confidence. Don’t leave any blanks; it is better to guess if you don’t know.  Watch your time, and manage it accordingly.  Don’t rush, but don’t go too slow.  Take a few minutes at the end of class to look over your test to be sure you have answered all questions and that your answers make sense.  

Swing Smoothly

When I get a golf club in my hand, I get that feeling of wanting to knock the cover off the ball.  It feels good to put all of my strength into hitting the ball.  Just hitting the ball as hard as I can does not mean that I play good golf though.  

If you just need to relieve a little stress, then swinging with all your strength may accomplish your goals.  However, if you want to play golf well, then you are going to have to hold back on the power a little.  

One of the most frequent mistakes is to swing the golf club too hard.  A hard swing shows that you have power, but accuracy is the name of the game in golf.  

You need to relax when you are swinging.  This will help you swing easily and will help to reduce your power.  If you put your feet closer together, then you can further reduce the strength of your swing.  Tensing up will also cause you to use too much effort.  

Your center of gravity is also very important.  Keep your center of gravity the same and your head will stay still.  If you keep both of your feet in the same position throughout your swing, then your center of gravity will be stable.    

If you jerk your body then your head will move and you will not be able to focus on the ball.  This can also change your center of gravity.  It is imperative that you keep your feet planted so that all your weight will be concentrated in your feet when you make contact with the ball.  

Expending very little effort should be your goal.  If you hit the ball correctly, then it will feel smooth and easy.    

Don’t tense up when you are about to make contact with the ball.  If you tense up, your balance will be thrown off.  You want the club head to travel in a straight line to make contact with the ball.  

To help correct slicing, see how centered you can hit the ball with your club and how low you can send the ball.  If you send the ball too high, it gets into the wind and can go left or right on rough ground.  

You want to only use the amount of power that you are able to control.  The goal of the game is not power, but accuracy.  You want to be able to control every facet of your swing so that you hit the ball cleanly and it goes where you want it to go.  

The distance will come from your clean and correct swing, not how much power that you put into it.  

You want to try to gradually increase your speed during your swing until you connect with the ball solidly.  If you do not have a smooth swing, then you are pulling your hands somewhere during the swing.  Keep your head as still as you would if you had a glass of water balanced on top of it.  This will help to improve your swing and help you to swing more smoothly and fluidly.  

Swing at a decent enough speed to keep yourself from becoming tense and stiff.  Don’t swing too slowly or so hard that you feel the effort of the swing.  Stay relaxed.  

Try to keep the idea of power out of your head.  Keeping your power under control so that you can be more accurate is what counts!  

Breastfeeding Your Baby

Breastfeeding problems, such as milk production difficulties, are not as common when using the PDF feeding method, but they do occur.  Even if you are well rested, eating healthy, have a pretty routine life, and your baby is growing and getting enough food, you still may experience a milk production issue.  Many things can cause production problems.  Here are just a few.

Some things that can affect your milk supply are:
> What mom eats
> How much mom rests and sleeps
> Her state of mind
> The age of the mom
> How many children you have
> Your desire to breastfeed
> Your nursing capabilities
> Your nursing techniques
> Baby’s latch on abilities

If you choose to breastfeed, it is very important that you take your baby for their check-ups as needed.  If you don’t, how will you know if he is getting enough milk and growing at the correct rate?  There is no way for you to tell that your child is getting enough nutrition for sure without your child being weighed.

During the first week of your baby’s life, your breasts will produce colostrum for them to drink.  Colostrum is rich in antibodies and aids the baby’s immune system.  It also helps him pass his first bowel movement, which is called meconium.  Meconium is black and tarry looking and is in the first few diapers after birth.  Then he begins to transition to a brown substance and after your milk comes in, it becomes a yellow, mustardy stool that is loose and watery.  Bottle-fed baby’s pass firmer, tannish stools than breastfed baby’s.

After 24-48 hours after birth, your baby will start having wet diapers that will increase to two or three a day.

While your baby drinks colostrum and then milk, you should listen for a pattern of “suck, suck, suck, swallow.”  This pattern will be rhythmic and there should be no “clicking” noises.  The “clicking” sound can indicate that your baby is not properly latched on and may not be getting enough milk from you.  If you start to hear this, you need to unlatch him and then reattach him.  If you continue to hear this sound after reattaching him several times, then you may want to consult a lactation consultant or your pediatrician.

After the first week of life, you should see 6-8 wet diapers each day and at least 3 bowel movements a day.  His urine should be clear and he should become more alert with each passing day.  Your baby should also be gaining weight and growing, as this is the surest way to tell that they are getting enough nutrition.  If you have two days in a row that deviates from the above indicators, then you should call your pediatrician immediately.