Q: If you've already decided that they are going to hate you, chances are good that you will feel awkward, anti-social, and down during the date. Whether you know it or not, your date will pick up on this. Similarly, if you already decide you don't like someone, you'll spend the whole date looking for faults and issues with them. Dating is supposed to be fun and casual, so go into each date with your expectations cleared and your head held high. Bring them to somewhere they like or feel comfortable. Mildly crowded restaurants, outdoor events, or small get-togethers are often the best places to go because neither party feels awkward pressure to be romantic or perfect. You will have plenty of time to be romantic. For now, focus on being yourself and having fun. Both parties on a date are trying to find out if they would be compatible together. Finding out if you're a good match with someone is hard enough, but it is near impossible if you spend all your time trying to make someone like you. What's more, putting on a show gives a false impression of you to your date, which will come back to bite you when your act falls apart later in the relationship. While it seems obvious, be yourself. You want someone to like you because of who you are, not who you pretend to be. Good face-to-face conversation is still the best way to get to know someone. Luckily, conversation is something almost anyone can excel at. You don't need a list of topics to have a good conversation, just a willingness to go with the flow and ask questions. Feel free to share things about yourself, but when in doubt about what to say you should ask questions about them. People love to talk about themselves and feel like someone is interested in them. Ask about work, their family, etc, but whatever you do, be genuine. What do you want to know about them? What made you interested in them? The best questions are specific. Instead of "What do you do at work?" try "What do you enjoy about your job?" Don't make your date all about you. If you spend the entire date talking about how great you are, chances are good this will be the last date you go on with them. Avoid controversial topics like religion and politics on your first date. These topics are often incendiary if you don't know the person well enough to be respectful. While this seems tough to determine, the signals are actually pretty obvious. If your date leans in frequently, makes a lot of physical contact (shoulder touching, linking arms, etc.), holds long, strong eye contact, and smiles in your direction, they likely are into you. Start slow, perhaps by giving a compliment or moving in close to their face, and see how they react. If they don't pull away it might be time to go in for a kiss. If you are not interested in continuing to see someone, then politely say goodnight and go home. Do not feel like you need to kiss them or reciprocate feelings you don't share. Casually mention that you'd like to see them again sometime. While you don't have to make plans on the spot, as it can seem a little clingy, say that you'll be in touch and would like to go for drinks. If they smile and agree, then you should try and organize another date in the next 1-3 days. Ignore things like "the 3-day rule" and just be yourself. If you feel a connection, pursue it whenever feels comfortable.
A: Be open-minded. Make your first date low-key. Know that dates are a way to get to know someone, not a test to impress them. Focus on making conversation during dates. Make a move near the end of the date if you feel a mutual connection. Set up another date if things went well.

Q: Once you've given your body enough time to digest your dinner, you may still have to sleep with your upper body elevated to prevent the reflux of stomach acid into your esophagus. Sleep propped up in your bed with several pillows or a specially made foam wedge. Plastic or wooden wedges are made to fit between your mattress and box spring to elevate your upper body. These are available online or at medical supply stores. If you suffer from back pain during your pregnancy, don't forget to support your low back curve with a firm pillow. To help keep food and digestive acids in your stomach, it's best not to bend over an hour or two after meals/snacks. Bending over at the waist puts pressure on your stomach and can squeeze some acid out into your esophagus. Instead, use your knees to bend down to pick up things or ask for assistance. You may also have to temporarily stop exercises that involve lots of bending over, such as yoga, aerobics or martial arts. Keeping flexible during pregnancy is important, but avoid trying to touch your toes if you're experiencing heartburn flare ups. Finding the right clothes during pregnancy is difficult due to an expanding belly, but it's important not to wear shirts and pants too tight because they can push your growing baby into your stomach and trigger indigestion or heartburn. Instead, wear loose-fitting and comfortable clothing, especially during the last half of your pregnancy. Consider wearing partially synthetic fabrics which have lots of stretch to them so your abdomen experiences less pressure. Avoid belts and opt for elastic waistbands on pants and shorts. Another strategy for coping with chronic indigestion and heartburn during pregnancy is chewing gum after meals. Chewing gum stimulates the production of more saliva from glands, which can help to neutralize acid reflux in your esophagus when you swallow it. Compounds in saliva are much more alkaline than stomach acid, so it helps to neutralize it and stop the burning sensations. Avoid peppermint or wintergreen-flavored gum because mint and menthol can trigger or aggravate heartburn symptoms. Avoid gum sweetened with aspartame because it can bloat you and promote indigestion/heartburn. The sweetener xylitol is a better, safer choice. Most women know that cigarette smoking can harm developing babies, but most probably don't know that it also boosts stomach acid production. Smoking also decreases the esophageal sphincter's ability to open and close properly. Needless to say, stop smoking immediately if you're pregnant. The lower esophageal sphincter is the valve between the tube that carries food (esophagus) and the stomach, where most of the digestion takes place. Babies born to mothers who smoke are smaller in weight and tend to have many more health problems.
A: Sleep with your head or upper body slightly elevated. Avoid bending over at the waist. Wear loose clothing and avoid anything tight around your stomach. Chew gum after meals. Don't smoke.

Q: After you have inserted the elastic all the way through the fabric, you will need to sew the fabric and the ends of the elastic together to close the pieces. This will allow the elastic to gather the shoulder and dress pieces at the top of your dress. Sew the fabric and the ends of the elastic piece together leaving a " seam allowance. Make sure to sew the fabric on the wrong side so that when you turn the pieces inside out, the seam allowance will be hidden. After you have closed up the back of the shoulder and dress pieces, you will need to hem the bottom of the pieces. Fold and pin along the bottom edges of the shoulder and dress pieces to create a " seam. Next, line up the back seams of your shoulder piece and dress piece and pin the pieces together at the elastic in the front and back. When you are happy with the positioning of the pieces, stitch a line down the front and back of the elastic at the very center of the front and back to secure the pieces together. You can simply stitch up and down the width of the elastic pieces two or three times to ensure that they are secured. Use a thread color that will blend in well with your fabric. This will help to ensure that the stitching is not as noticeable. Make sure that there is an even amount of shoulder piece fabric on either side of the dress piece. Otherwise, your dress may end up looking lopsided. Make sure to sew through both layers of the elastic and fabric. After you have sewn the shoulder piece and the dress piece together, your dress is ready to wear! Try on your new dress and see how it looks.
A:
Sew the elastic and fabric together. Hem the bottom edges. Secure the shoulder piece to the dress piece. Try on your dress.