Talk to your doctor or midwife about how to prevent pregnancy after you deliver your baby. Ideally, develop a plan before you leave the hospital post-delivery. Whether or not you decide to breastfeed will affect your options, and you’ll have to consider the changes your body just went through. Your doctor can help you with these questions. Whether or not you want your family to grow larger, and when you might want to have another child, will influence your choice of birth control. If you feel like you want to get pregnant again soon, then barrier methods or some hormonal methods will be good options, whereas you’ll want to avoid methods that affect your fertility for longer such as Depo-Provera, birth control implants or IUDs. If your family has finished growing, you may opt for surgical sterilization. Nothing has to be set in stone, but having an idea about your future family plans can help you choose the best birth control method now. The birth control method you used before giving birth may or may not be the best method for you now. With the changes your body and hormones are going through, you may opt for using a different method. Sticking with your previous method is perfectly fine if your doctor says it’s safe for you and your baby, but be open to trying a new method that may suit your new needs.  Condoms may feel less comfortable now It may be harder to remember to take a pill every day now that you have a new baby You shouldn’t use an estrogen-based method if you’re breastfeeding. Ovulation happens two weeks before you menstruate, which means you can get pregnant two weeks before you get your first postpartum period. Don’t wait to start using birth control – use some method of protection as soon as you start being sexually active again.  How long it takes to get your period again varies a lot between women, so predicting it can be hard. It’s better to protect yourself. If you feel comfortable having sex before you get your period, use a barrier method. Some methods take time to work, or shouldn’t be used until your first postpartum checkup.

Summary: Discuss options with your healthcare provider. Think about whether you want to have another child, and when. Consider trying a method you didn’t use before. Don’t wait for your period to use birth control.


Trim a thin sheet of galvanized sheet metal down to size using tin snips. The metal should be the same size as your plywood would be if creating an ordinary chalkboard. Coat the metal with several layers of chalkboard spray paint.  Wear gloves when handling the metal to avoid getting cut. Use the backing of the frame or another piece of board to secure the sheet metal in place. If you plan to hang your framed chalkboard on a magnetic surface, like your fridge, fix moderately strong magnets to the four corners of the frame. Use super glue or another strong adhesive to secure the magnets in place. Any flat, smooth surface can be turned into a blackboard simply by adding a few layers of chalkboard paint. Lightly sand the surface, if necessary, and apply painter's tape to cover any area you do not want to get paint on. Consider using enamel bakeware, old cabinet doors, an old mirror, a glass window pane, or a dustpan. Use foam board instead of plywood or medium-density fiberboard. Cut it out as usual and paint it with two coats of chalkboard paint. Note that this will not be a very durable chalkboard. It is best to use this method only if you plan on using the chalkboard infrequently.

Summary: Create a magnetic chalkboard with metal sheeting instead of plywood. Glue magnets on the back if you want to hang your board on the fridge. Apply chalkboard paint on other flat surfaces. Make a lightweight chalkboard with foam board.


Wipe the surface with a dry, bleached cloth and then wait until it is fully dry. This is done before sanding to eliminate the possibility of impressing any foreign particles into the metal and contaminating your work. Using a bleached cloth maintains as close to a sterile environment as possible, which will lead to a better-finished product. You can also use bleach wipes for the same results! This must be done before any paint is applied, as hammering later on would damage the coat of paint. If you are working with any metal that has an exterior and interior side, you will always hammer the interior side. So remove any parts that may be blocking access to the interior side. Place a hard material against the exterior surface and hammer out the dent, pressing against the hard material. Move slowly and work around the dent's perimeter towards the center. Once the dent is hammered out, place your hard material on the interior side. Then lightly hammer the area surrounding your dent to remove any peaks in the metal. A blasting gun uses pressurized air to send tiny particles (usually plastic beads, ground-up walnut shells, glass beads, and aluminum oxide) to strip paint from base material, as well as smoothing out very durable metals.  In order to contain the mess of media blasters, it is recommended to use a blasting cabinet. This will decrease the size of your work space, but also maintains cleanliness. In addition to the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) already in use, it is safest to use some form of ear protection with media blasters as they create a loud noise and could cause hearing damage/problems. Start with a grit less than 160 to remove a majority of the particles. Afterwards, use 320 grit sandpaper to remove any marks left by the first round, and give a smoother finish.  Sandpaper is easier to acquire than a blasting gun, but depending on the size and makeup of the chrome surface, it can be the most difficult procedure. Note that with sanding it is important to be careful and use an equal amount of time and pressure over the entire surface to ensure an even result. This will create an ideal surface where the paint will stick more easily, and course texture won't show through the paint. Spray down the parts with wax and grease remover. It is easiest to use an atomizer bottle to coat all surfaces. Use clean, bleached rags to wipe everything off.

Summary: Wash the chrome with soap and water until it is thoroughly cleaned. Hammer out any unwanted bends or dents using a body hammer. Use a media blaster to clean your parts. Sand the chrome exterior using sandpaper. Wipe down the chrome pieces to remove any dust and excess particles from the surface.


You probably don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, so you might adjust your behavior sometimes. However, a toxic friend may make you always feel like you have to be careful around them so you don’t upset them. Recognize if you feel stressed and nervous around your friend because you never know how they’ll react.For instance, you might keep your feelings to yourself so your friend doesn’t get mad. Similarly, you may go along with what your friend wants so they don’t cry or accuse you of being mean.
Summary: Notice if you feel like you’re always walking on eggshells.