Effective communication is key to preventing and dealing with the inevitable disagreements that surface during a marriage. Learning how to communicate in a productive matter is important to getting along with your spouse.  When expressing frustration, avoid statements that place an external judgment on a situation. Statements should start with "I" instead of "you." For example, say you want your spouse to give you more alone time once in awhile. Instead of saying, "You expect me to do everything with you and I never have time to myself," rephrase it in a way that emphasizes your personal feelings on the situation and not objective fact. Try something like, "I feel like I don't get enough time to myself and that makes me feel stressed."  Listen to your partner's side of the argument. Oftentimes, fights over a small issue are driven by underlying circumstances. When the two of you disagree, try to listen actively and repeat back anything you don't understand for clarification.  Do not expect your partner to read your mind. If something he or she does bothers you, you cannot expect your spouse to simply figure this out. The sooner you say something, the sooner the issue can be addressed and dealt with effectively. No two people have the the same opinions and values 100% of the time. You need to accept your partner's values even when you do not agree.  Couples are generally able to get along fine with different political or religious values. However, it's when someone feels their values are not respected that problems arise. Even if you radically disagree with your partner on a given subject, try to understand where he or she is coming from and respect his or her opinion.  If you really radically disagree with your spouse about an issue, it's okay to agree not to discuss it. Sometimes, it's hard to give up your desire to change a person's mind, especially if it's a subject you care about deeply. People tend to communicate in different ways. You should pay attention to how your partner conveys his or her feelings. This will allow you read your spouse better and smooth over arguments more effectively.  Some people are more visual communicators. They do not necessarily talk out their feelings but visual clues, such as how they carry themselves and eye movements, convey feelings. If this is the case with your partner, make sure you two communicate face-to-face.  If your partner tends to get very emotional during communication, try to speak softly and provide reassurance by holding hands, touching, and other warm gestures.  When talking, always paraphrase what you two have said. This way, you'll be sure you understand each other. People have different "languages of love." That is, people use different means to show that they care. If you or your partner feels under-appreciated, the two of you might just use different "languages of love."  Words of Affirmation means your partner expresses how he or she feels directly. You might hear "I love you" a lot and get a lot of compliments on small matters. This is perhaps the most direct and easy-to-read language of love.  Acts of Service means someone feels actions are louder than words and shows affection via completing small tasks for their significant other. Your partner may, for example, take the garbage out for you or do the dishes if you've had a long day. These people are sometimes less verbal with their affection and their acts of love are easy to overlook if you don't realize they're meant to convey affection.  Receiving Gifts means people feel loved via sharing and giving. Your partner might bring your flowers or a small treat from the store to show he or she cares. Like Acts of Service, your partner may be less verbally affectionate if this is how he or she expresses love.  Quality Time means love is expressed by giving the other person undivided attention. Your partner may want to spend time with you alone and treasure small moments you might not think much of. Nightly dinners, for example, may be very important to your partner if this is how he or she expresses love.  Physical Touch means your partner shows affection via touching. He or she might want to hold hands, cuddle, and kiss. Your partner might be less verbally affectionate, but will strive to make up for it through contact. If an argument is getting nowhere, it's okay to pause. If neither side is listening anymore, and you're repeating the same information, simply stop the argument, give each other some space, and revisit the issue later.

Summary: Communicate effectively. Accept your partner's values. Learn your spouse's communication style. Understand how your partner expresses love. Pause during arguments.


Put the turkey into the sink or tub. This method is often necessary if you don't have a container large enough to contain and submerge the turkey. In this case, you will start by putting the turkey breast up, so the water will run into the breast. Make sure that your water is cold! Again, it will need to be under 40 degrees, in order to avoid bacterial growth. Make sure that the water is running over and cascading onto your turkey. You don't want to waste water! Your turkey may develop a small pool of water around it. That is fine. Just make sure that the water can drain as new water runs over the turkey. Every five or so minutes, try to turn or rotate the turkey. Lay it on its breast, turn it sideways, or rotate it. Make sure that it stays under the water. You'll want to ensure that the turkey is under a slow, steady stream of water. You'll need to keep doing this until your turkey thaws. There isn't a specific formula as there are for some other methods, so you'll need to use your judgment. The smaller the turkey and the better the water flow, the faster it will thaw. You can poke the thick, meaty parts of the turkey like the breast and thighs to see if they feel thawed. If your turkey felt soft enough, you will still want to test it further. The easiest way to do this is by examining the chest cavity and removing the giblet bag. If the chest cavity still has ice crystals, or if the giblet bag is still frozen in, you need extra time.

Summary: Place your turkey. Turn on the water. Position the turkey under the water. Move the turkey around. Repeat as necessary. Test the turkey.


If you purchase a breastfeeding pillow before your baby arrives you can use it to provide relief from pains and discomforts during pregnancy.  Tucking the breastfeeding pillow between bent knees during sleep offers lower back support. You can also tuck the pillow behind your back to help you stay on your side while sleeping.  If you have pregnancy related heartburn, you can use an extra pillow to raise your head while sleeping. Tummy time is a routine in which a baby is placed on his tummy for a little bit each day. The purpose of tummy time is to strengthen a baby's neck muscles and teach him how to push, roll over, crawl, and stand. Breastfeeding pillows can be used to enhance tummy time.  Most baby's sleep on their backs, in accordance to standards laid out by the American Academy of Pediatricians in 1992. This is to prevent sudden infant death syndrome. As babies spend so much time on their backs rather than their stomachs, tummy time can be stressful. Babies might resist being forced on their stomach.  A breastfeeding pillow can help ease your baby into tummy time. Propping a baby up on a pillow can give him a new perspective and allow him to see more of a room. This can distract him from the discomfort of being on his belly, and prevent crying and distress during tummy time.  Make sure you don't prop your baby up using a breastfeeding pillow before 3 or 4 months, as his neck muscles might not be strong enough for this to be safe until then. Breastfeeding pillows can be a great tool, but they do not work for every mother.  Sometimes, a breastfeeding pillow can result in your baby having difficulty latching. Some babies do not take to breastfeeding and prefer to be held, resulting in them becoming fussy or difficult to nurse when using the pillow.  Nursing pillows are bulky and can be difficult to take from place to place. Some others also report having to lean over the pillows and experiencing back aches because of this.  Remember, a nursing pillow is designed to provide you added comfort. Some women find the pillow to be helpful to them and their babies, but if a breastfeeding pillow causes you discomfort it's not a necessity. Old fashioned breastfeeding is fine if you don't feel comfortable with a breastfeeding pillow.
Summary: Use a breastfeeding pillow during pregnancy. Add a breastfeeding pillow to tummy time. Understand the pillow is not for everyone.