Problem: Article: Your body image is the way you look at and judge your appearance. When you have a positive body image, you generally have an accurate and comfortable image of yourself that leaves you feeling good about the person you are. This does not mean that you're always positive about your physical self, or that there aren't things, like your weight or complexion, that can't be improved through healthy choices. A positive self-image, instead, empowers you through your own goodness and worth as a human being. You are important, and you do have a significant affect on the lives of your friends and family. Negative body image can be identified by:1) An unrealistic view of your body shape. There's nothing wrong with being curvy or petite, but there is something wrong with thinking your natural shape isn't good enough.2) Feelings of failure that come from your perceived shape or size. Even if you can improve your diet or exercise more regularly, your body's characteristics are not a reflection of your worth. Worth comes from within.3) Feelings of shame, embarrassment, or strong anxiety about your body. Being a little shy is normal. Having an anxiety attack or some other physical anxiety response is likely a sign of negative body image.4) Feelings of discomfort in your own skin. Being too self-conscious can lead you to over-thinking even simple motions, making these seem unnatural to you. There may be something obvious that has made it difficult for you to love your body, like a birthmark or a scar, or there may be several smaller features that you just can't appreciate in yourself, like your nose or the shape of your ears. In some cases the problem isn't physical, but can be the result of emotional abuse, like someone telling you you're overweight even if you're healthy. It can be difficult confronting these demons, but only through acceptance can you move forward, learn to love yourself, and accept the love of others. Try to find a feature you dislike in yourself in someone you admire in your personal life. A good place to look for this is your family life. By recognizing a feature you dislike in yourself in a favorite family member, like your aunt, your mother, and so on, you can begin opposing your negative thoughts by telling yourself, "I think mom looks beautiful, and people compare me to her all the time. I'm a lot more beautiful than I realize." Coach yourself to accept whatever physical shortcomings you believe you have as part of being human. Replace your criticisms with kind and reassuring words of encouragement. You aren't responsible for that mole on your cheek, but you are for your feelings and how you treat yourself. You're not a loser, a freak, or hideous. You're unique. That makes you special. The people you see everyday in ads and on TV aren't an accurate representation of real people. More importantly, how someone else looks should have no influence on how you feel about yourself. Looks fade, and "perfection," in many cases, can appear waxen and fake. Idealizing an unrealistic standard could be the source of an image problem. Combat these feelings by reminding yourself regularly that many of the women in media represent a very small percentage of the population -- it's unrealistic to try and be like them! Whenever you find yourself comparing your features to those in the media, oppose those thoughts! Tell yourself, "I am beautiful, and these women don't represent a healthy standard that everyone can achieve." This will reinforce a healthier way of thinking, which can help you with depression and anxiety, both of which can hurt your attractiveness. You could spend thousands of dollars, if not more, on image-related products and treatments. But even with the most radical makeovers, if you're unhappy with who you are on the inside, no change to your appearance will change how you feel. Confidence has long been identified as a key component in dating and attractiveness, and well managed stress will make you appear more attractive. To build your confidence and sustain healthy relationship, you should try to: Dress yourself lovingly in your favorite styles. Some styles suit some individuals more than others; take some time to explore different styles to find what works best for you! Put your best face forward in your daily life by looking your best. By accentuating your best features and nourishing your body with healthy alternatives, like a balanced diet, you'll start looking, and feeling, better. Work to support, and allow yourself to be supported by your friends. Imbalanced relationships can lead to resentment, and this can create what is referred to as a "toxic relationship." These kinds of relationship can lower your self esteem and emotionally exhaust you, which can make you feel, and look, less attractive. Although your self-worth shouldn't come from a change in your appearance, by taking steps to improve your health you'll feel a greater sense of connection to your body, a sense of personal accomplishment, a boost to your mood, better skin quality, and a more positive outlook. Though you might want to transform overnight, trying to completely change your diet or the amount of physical activity you do overnight rarely has an effect that lasts. Instead: Identify unhealthy areas and wean yourself from those areas little by little. High sugar foods and beverages that have little nutritional content, like soft drinks and candy, can be removed from your diet and have a drastic positive impact on your physical health. Consult your doctor or a nutritionist for more ideas about how you can improve your diet. Hydrate and replenish your skin. Dry or poorly cared for skin can give you an appearance that is tired, making you look less than your best. But there are many techniques you can use to make your skin bright and healthy Get plenty of sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to many negative health effects, like poor performance/alertness, poor quality of life, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, and others. Improve your overall health and appearance by improving your beauty sleep. Ease into a workout routine. No one ever hopped off a couch to run a marathon without at least a little training first! If one of your specific goals is to be able to run a mile without stopping - walk before you run. For two weeks you might walk a half mile every other day. The following two weeks you might walk/run that distance, stopping whenever necessary. In this way, slowly work your way into an exercise routine.
Summary: Identify poor body image so you are able to address it. Pinpoint and combat areas that contribute to your poor image. Oppose unrealistic media standards. Build confidence and healthy relationships to boost attractiveness. Make healthy changes to improve your self-image.

Problem: Article: While normal labor contractions will be regular and frequent, false labor contractions will happen at odd intervals and periodically. You may have several really long contractions that cause you to be concerned, but they do not mean you are in active labor. For example, you may have regular pains for half an hour, but then have a break from the contractions. Alternatively, you may notice that your contractions are lasting for random amounts of time, such as a minute-long contraction followed by a 20 second long contraction. While true labor contractions will last from 30 to 70 seconds, Braxton-Hicks contractions will vary in length, usually lasting from 15 to 30 seconds. Some false contractions can even last as long as two minutes, which is an immediate sign that they are not true contractions. True labor contractions will slowly progress toward sharper, well-timed contractions, while Braxton-Hicks contractions will continue to be sporadic. Braxton-Hicks contractions will often stop if you rest, change position, or start to slowly walk around. However, true contractions will continue no matter what. If you've tried resting or changing positions and the contractions continue, contact your doctor immediately. Braxton-Hicks contractions are usually described as more uncomfortable than painful. You may feel your abdomen contracting and tightening without sharp pains. True labor will be felt more in the lower back and will be painful. During Braxton-Hicks contractions, you will still be able to feel your baby moving around, unlike with regular labor. While it can add to your discomfort, your baby's movements are a sign that you aren't having real contractions because you won't feel your baby during real labor.
Summary:
Notice if your contractions happen randomly or infrequently. Time your contractions to see if they last from 15 to 30 seconds. See if they stop when you rest or change position. Notice if you're feeling discomfort and tightening in your abdomen. Notice if you can feel your baby moving.