INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Your body goes through a lot giving birth. It is normal to take time to recover. Most caregivers recommend that you abstain from intercourse for at least 4 weeks after you give birth.  It is unsafe to have intercourse less than 2 weeks after having a baby. Your body is likely still bleeding and you risk hemorrhaging or contracting an infection. 4 weeks is generally considered safer than 2 weeks. If you have had stitches, your caregiver will likely advise you to wait until you have your 6 week postpartum check up. A perineal tear, a c-section, or an episiotomy are all potential reasons that you might have stitches. These procedures all require extra healing time. It is important to abstain from intercourse until after your doctor clears you for sex. Your healthcare provider might require you to come in for a check-up before giving you the all clear. Remember, this is to help your body recover.  Your follow-up appointment is a great time to ask your doctor questions. You can ask about your recovery in general, but you can also have an honest conversation about post-baby sex. Prepare a list of questions in advance. That way, you will be more likely to remember to ask about everything that has been on your mind. You can ask questions such as, "Are there any precautions that I need to take when having sex for the first time?" and "If there is discomfort, how can I ease that?" Maybe you've been looking forward to receiving the all-clear from your doctor to resume having sex. If he advises you to wait a while longer after your 6 week checkup, that can be disappointing. However, it is important that you follow any medical instructions that you receive after having a baby.  If you had a c-section or perineal tearing, you may need additional time to heal. You can risk a setback and further wounding your body if you don't wait. If your doctor says your body is ready for sex, that's great news. But listen to any other advice offered. For example, if you are told to take it slow and easy, do so. If lubricant is recommended, make sure to get some. You are the only one who knows for sure if you are ready to begin having sex again. Even if your doctor says you are physically ready, you may feel like you need more time. Many women are especially sensitive for several months after giving birth.  Vaginal dryness is a common problem, especially if you are breastfeeding. You may continue to experience this for the duration of breastfeeding. Lubricants can help. However, if you feel discomfort or pain, it is perfectly fine to hold off on having sex. Pay attention to your body's needs. If the thought of having sex makes you anxious, that is probably a sign that you need to wait longer. And that's fine. When you have a new baby, your life revolves around feeding, changing, and caring for that infant. Both parents are likely suffering from a severe lack of sleep. It is no secret that your sex drive is negatively impacted by not getting enough rest.  Before you will feel like having great sex again, you'll need to start getting more sleep. This might seem impossible, but it is important for your sex life. However, the correlation between sex and sleep goes both ways. Having sex can actually help you sleep more restfully. Even if you are exhausted, try having sex if you feel physically capable. The few hours of sleep you grab will feel more restful. Once you start getting more sleep, you'll feel more motivated to have more sex. It is a cycle. Try going to bed a half hour earlier. Make this a time specifically for sex.

SUMMARY: Take time to heal. Talk to your doctor. Follow instructions. Listen to your body. Rest up.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Dahlias will only survive outdoors in winter in zones 7 to 10.  These zones refer to the USDA plant hardiness zone map, which divides the US into zones according to their average annual minimum winter temperature. Each zone is 10° warmer (or colder) than the one adjacent to it. You can find out what zone you live in by going to the National Gardening Associations website and entering your zip code. Be sure to use plenty of mulch if the plant tubers will be spending the winter outdoors. The mulch should be between 5 to 12 inches (12.7 to 30.5 cm) thick and can be comprised of wood chips, mushroom compost, grass clippings, or other organic materials. In the early spring, about March or April, remove the mulch so that the soil warms up properly. Dig up and divide the tubers, then replant them for best results.

SUMMARY: Only overwinter dahlias outdoors in zones 7 to 10. Cover the soil with a layer of mulch. Remove the mulch in early spring and divide the tubers.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: This section on interacting with introverts is for everyone; just because you're introverted doesn't mean you automatically know how to interact with other introverts. Introverted people like to know they are being heard but they are not going to struggle to ensure that you are listening. If they feel that you cannot be bothered to hang in there and truly listen, they will clam up and fail to articulate any further. This might not concern you if you're flitting from person to person while networking (an event most introverts dread) but if you are wanting to make a real connection with the introvert, you have to make the effort to truly connect and to truly listen. Before you think this is all one-sided, you're in for a rude shock. Introverts love to listen to your side of things once you've made it clear you're dedicated to listening to them too; indeed, they can be your rock solid source of a good sounding board for your ideas, notions and worries. Since introverted people are typically good listeners, if you have a problem or need advice, they will listen, wait till you're done talking and then give advice or offer to think over what you've said and return with a solution or idea. As already explained, unlike extroverted people, when around people too long, it saps an introvert's energy. So don't feel bad if your introverted friend doesn't want to hang out 24/7. It is not personal, it is essential to their well-being and thriving.  With introverts, a lot of information is processed after the interaction or event. This is why downtime and being away from other people is so important. This is the time of forming clarity, depth of understanding and processing of all that has been learned. An introvert finds instant processing of information during a social interaction nigh on impossible and hence can end up feeling highly distressed or needing to "shut down" if pressed to make a decision on the spot or give an opinion there and then. Respect the need for the introverted person to take more time than you. Even if you feel ready to go ahead with something, to decide something or to do something, you may need to wait a little longer before your introverted friend, colleague or customer comes around to your way of thinking. Do not perceive their quietness and unwillingness to hop on board immediately as a sign of rejection or exclusion; it is not the case. Instead, by accepting that the introvert needs space and time to process, you will be able to see that it's their need, not an insult to or rejection of you. A lot of negativity surrounds the introvert. Yet the introvert has amazing qualities that are of great benefit; after all, the trait wouldn't have evolved without being highly useful. Some of the strengths of introverts include:  Being cautious, risk averse and reflective. Writing articulately. Thinking analytically. Staying calm during a crisis (unless overwhelmed); reflecting inner calm and peace. Conscientious and good at concentrating on tasks requiring focus. A great listener, a careful adviser. Being independent. Being tenacious and determined, willing to take the longer-term view. Empathic, diplomatic and willing to compromise.

SUMMARY:
Be open to learning. Listen with care and interest. Expect introverts to listen to you, in depth. Give introverted persons space. Work with the introvert's strengths.