Pour 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat to make a simple syrup. Stir the mixture as it boils, and keep cooking until the sugar dissolves into the water. It should take about three minutes. Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to cool completely.  If you don't want to make your own syrup, it's available for purchase wherever liquor is sold; just look for the section where mixers are stocked. Or you can just mix a cup of sugar and a cup of water; the drink won't be as smooth, but it will taste still taste good. Pour the syrup into a large bowl and mix it with fresh lime and lemon juice. Jamaican punch typically contains strawberry syrup, lending this cocktail a bright fruity flavor and classic red hue. In place of strawberry syrup, you can use cherry syrup or another flavor that's red in appearance. Mix in the Jamaican white rum (or spiced rum, if you'd prefer). Add more or less rum according to your preference. Start by adding five cups of water, then give the mixture a taste. You can drink it as is or add the last cup of water to dilute it a bit. Either way is acceptable. This type of punch is not normally served in a large punch bowl, but instead in individual cocktail glasses. Garnish the punch with a pineapple ring or a cherry.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil. Mix the syrup and juices. Add the strawberry syrup. Add the rum. Mix in the water. Serve the punch plain or over ice.


It's hard to get to know someone well in a group. If you want to deepen your bond, spend time alone together. Go somewhere you can have a quiet talk, like a coffee shop or a restaurant in the middle of the day.  If you go to school together, just finding a quiet place to sit, away from other students, can be a great way to have a private conversation. It doesn't have to be a "date," and calling it one can put a lot more pressure on things. Just find an excuse to hang out together and talk. Eventually, your conversation needs to deepen beyond talk of school and bands and movies, if you want to get to know someone better. Ask about her opinions on serious issues. Find about what she thinks about. Talk the real talk.  Stay informed about world events and politics. Ask about her opinions regarding recent elections, or talking points. Find out what she cares about. Ask about her anxieties and fears. What kind of a person is she? What keeps her up at night? What does she want to do with her life? Where does she want to be in ten years? What makes her happy? These are important questions that will be good to talk about down the road, if you want to get to know someone.  If you're in school together, talk about your future in school. Is she hoping to go to college? What will she study? What does she want to be beyond school? If you're beyond school, talk about where you'd like to progress in life? Where do you want to live? Are you satisfied in your job? Do you want a family? Kids? Your job isn't to impress a girl, or "wow" her with your accomplishments. Your job is to be real if you want to get to know someone. Be yourself. Conversation is a give and take. Share deeper feelings and anxieties that you have, if you want to her learn about hers. Open up and put yourself out there.  It's possible to go too far with all the questions and come off as kind of a creep. If you never bring anything to the table, but want to know whether or not she wants kids, it won't seem like a conversation. It'll seem like an interrogation. You've got to talk about things, too. Let her ask questions as well, but don't wait for her too. You should both be sharing about an equal amount. But if she wants to talk more, let her. Seeing how someone interacts with their family can be a very telling experience. If you want to really see what someone is like, see how they interact with their parents. See how they treat their brothers and sisters. See how their family gets along.  This might take a while, but if you've been hanging out with someone a lot, coming over for dinner, or a quick hang-out is pretty common. Let her ask you first, don't invite yourself over. Introduce yourself to her family, and see how they react to you as well. Learning about someone's parents can be just as revealing as learning about someone.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Spend some time together one-on-one. Ask more complicated questions. Talk about the future. Open yourself up, as well. Get to know her family.


The first step in preventing GDM is determining your risk factors for developing it.  If it turns out that you are at high risk, then you and your doctor take steps towards lowering your risk and keeping you and the baby healthy.  Before talking with your immediate relatives about their diabetic history, it might help to know the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, is an autoimmune disorder, whereas type 2 diabetes is closely tied to lifestyle and eating habits. Your risk of developing gestational diabetes increases if a close family member, such as a parent or sibling, has type 2 diabetes. Talk to your family to see if this applies to you. Besides heredity, there are a number of other risk factors in that you should think about and bring to your doctor’s attention. These include:  Being Hispanic, African-American, Native American, Asian American, or Pacific Islander.  Being overweight before your pregnancy. Being 25 years of age or older. If you developed GDM in a previous pregnancy. If you previously had large baby (9 pounds or more) or a stillbirth. If you had abnormal blood sugar tests before, including glycosuria (sugar in your urine).  A history of polycystic ovarian syndrome. There are steps you can take even before you become pregnant to manage your risk for developing GDM. Consult with your doctor before you get pregnant and ask them to help you put together a pregnancy plan to help prepare your physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Have your blood sugar tested as early as 3 months before you plan to become pregnant in order to establish your baseline levels and to if you fall in a normal range.  Plan to lose any excess weight before pregnancy. Weight loss is not advised during pregnancy, so if you are overweight and concerned about this increasing your risk for GDM, try to lose the extra weight before you become pregnant.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary --
Get a family history. Determine your other risk factors. Make a pregnancy plan.