Exercise is a terrific way for pregnant women to improve their balance and also strengthen their muscles that will be used during labor and delivery. However, there are some forms of exercise that are unhealthy during a pregnancy (such as the lifting of heavy weights), and some difficult pregnancies require bedrest. Speak with your obstetrician about what forms of exercise are appropriate for your body and your pregnancy. Walking is a great exercise for many pregnant women, especially in the earlier stages of pregnancy. It is low-key and generally fairly safe. Walking also helps improve balance and strengthens the same muscle groups that you will use during labor. If you take the time to walk 30 minutes each day, you will also feel more comfortable moving around in your changing body. Women in the final stages of pregnancy might need to avoid lengthy walking, however, due to back pain, foot pain, or poor balance. Women who need to be on bedrest also should not take walks. Doctors recommend that pregnant women have at least a half-hour of aerobic activity per day. This should not be hard, high-impact exercise: you do not want to dehydrate yourself, lose your balance, get fatigued, or limit the flow of oxygen to the fetus. But it is important to move each day in order to keep your joints healthy and to learn how to get by in a growing body. Indeed, many prenatal exercises reduce the severity and frequency of common pregnancy symptoms such as aches, pains, and trouble sleeping. Some excellent prenatal exercises include: Swimming. Just don't hold your breath for long periods of time! Prenatal yoga. Yoga is a great way for many pregnant women to maintain their strength and flexibility during pregnancy. However, not every yoga move is safe during pregnancy. For example, hot yoga and poses that involve standing for long periods of time are not recommended. Join a specialized class designed for pregnant women that is led by an experienced professional. Indoor biking. Biking outdoors might be difficult for pregnant women because their balance has changed. A stationary, indoor bike, however, is a great way for women to get a good amount of cardio exercise in a safe, controlled environment. While pregnant, you might be more susceptible to joint pain, poor balance, dizzy spells, fatigue, and dehydration. Never force yourself to do something you are not comfortable doing. If you find yourself overheating, panting, or getting too thirsty, stop your activity and take a rest. Forcing your body to move when it is already exhausted is unsafe and might lead to falls, injury, or other accidents. Find ways to deal with other issues common during pregnancy like heartburn. Women who are pregnant have a tendency to lose their balance because of weight gain, rapidly changing body proportions, and loosening ligaments (a side effect of pregnancy hormones). Take proper precautions to keep yourself safe and moving gracefully and to prevent unnecessary falls. Some precautions include: Do not stand on ladders, chairs, or step-stools. Keep both feet firmly planted on the floor at all times. Wear stability shoes. Comfortable shoes with great traction and good arch support will help keep you upright and moving gracefully. Lean against walls or heavy furniture for extra support. Don't be afraid to find stable objects around you to help keep you balanced. Lean against a wall or sofa when you have to. Avoid standing for long periods of time. This is particularly hard on your joints and your circulation. Either sit down or walk around a little bit: do not stand motionless for more than a few minutes. To avoid unnecessary falls or aches while you are pregnant, stay away from high heels. Look for shoes that have a low heel (or no heel at all), good traction to prevent slippage, and excellent support. It is much more important for you to be able to move comfortably than for you to be at the height of shoe fashion. Remember that many women experience swollen feet while pregnant. You might want to consider buying shoes that are the next size up, looking for shoes that are extra wide, or finding shoes with flexible sides (such as shoes made of canvas) to accommodate this swelling. All pregnant women should gain weight--ideally 25-35 pounds. Some women lose weight in the very first few weeks of pregnancy due to morning sickness, but this weight should be regained shortly. Ideally, women who are quite thin should put on more weight during pregnancy than women who are on the heavier side. No matter what, pay attention to your weight to make sure that the pregnancy is developing normally. If your body is not putting on enough weight--or if you are gaining too much weight too quickly--there might be complications later.

Summary: Talk to your doctor about appropriate exercise. Walk every day. Exercise lightly 30 minutes per day. Listen to your body. Stay balanced. Wear comfortable shoes. Gain the recommended amount of weight.

Place the plums in a 6-qt to 8-qt (6-L to 8-L) pot, then cover the fruit with 1/2 cup (125 ml) of water. Set the pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Stir the contents of the pot as they heat up to prevent the plums from burning. If you prefer thinner jam, you can use up to 1-1/2 cups (375 ml) of water. Adding too much water could prevent the jam from setting properly, though. Once the water reaches a full boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Allow the plums to simmer for 5 minutes. Note that it will usually take 5 to 10 minutes for the water to reach a steady, rolling boil. Only reduce the heat after this "full boil" stage has been cleared. Sprinkle the sugar into the pot and add the butter. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and allow the contents to reach another full boil. Leave the pot uncovered and stir its contents continuously to prevent the plums from burning. The use of butter or margarine is only optional. Adding it can help reduce the amount of foaming, but if the mixture hasn't developed much foam by this point, the butter probably won't be necessary. Add the pectin to the contents of the pot, stirring it into the mixture as quickly as possible. Boil the entire mixture for an additional minute. Continue stirring the contents of the pot continuously during this final minute. You should also skim off any foam that develops using a large metal spoon. You don't need to use a cooking thermometer to test the jam, but if you do opt to use one, the temperature of the jam will need to reach approximately 220 degrees Fahrenheit (104.4 degrees Celsius). Test the consistency of the jam by removing a spoonful using an ice-cold metal spoon. Let the jam cool on the spoon and note its texture. Remove the jam from the heat source while testing it to avoid accidentally over-cooking it. Keep the metal spoon submerged in ice water before the test so that it is thoroughly cold by the time you use it. Wait until the mixture cools to room temperature on the spoon. If the jam thickens to your desired consistency, it's ready to use and ready to can. If it's still too thin, boil the jam for another minute and test again.

Summary: Place the plums in a stockpot or large saucepan. Simmer the plums for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and butter. Add the pectin. Test the jam.

It's at the top of the window. It's in the "Defragmentation" group. This opens the Disk Defragmenter window. Your computer will analyze that disk drive's files and folders to determine whether defragmentation is necessary. The drive will now be defragmented. This process may take several minutes to several hours. If you see a message that says the drive does not need to be defragmented, there's no need to take any action.
Summary: Click the Start menu and select My Computer. Right-click your hard drive and select Properties. Click the Tools tab. Click Defragment Now. Select the drive you want to defragment and click Analyze. Click Defragment if recommended by the tool. Click Close when you're finished defragmenting the hard drive.