:-) SHE IS PREGNANT :-)

If a baby is not healthy, its sleeping period reduces. It is difficult to predict the exact numbers. For example, a baby will keep waking due to hunger if it is not getting proper food. This will naturally reduce its sleeping period.

Some readers may feel that the figures indicated in the table are in extremes. Having such a feeling is wrong. In fact more the baby sleeps faster will be its growth and development. For better development the older children should also be allowed to sleep for a longer period. It is a misconception on part of the parents that allowing their children to sleep for a longer period will make them lazy. But it has been scientifically proved that less sleep has negative effects on the physical and mental growth of a child.

Differences are seen in the sleeping periods of 6 to 12 months old babies. Reasons such as physical health, environment, parents understanding about their baby's sleep, etc cause such differences. Babies in the age group of 8-9 years should at least sleep for 10-12 hours during night. But just getting 10 hours of sleep is not enough. What is more important is that your baby gets a sound and continuous sleep. For this reason, ensure that the surrounding is quiet, peaceful and safe. During sleep, mind and brain are at rest, breathing is slow and cleaning of the internal body is in process. Therefore sleep is must for a baby.

If baby awakes with a smile then you can believe it had enough sleep. But if the baby cries and wakes up, think there is something wrong. The baby may have not received enough or sound sleep. Do not disturb your baby when it is sleeping. Do not wake your baby just because a friend or relative has visited your place. Also do not wake your baby much before breast feeding.

Baby Needs: Play
New born babies do not play in the first two months. Exercising is also not required in this period, because of movements the baby makes. A baby gets enough exercise during breast feeding. A 3 months old baby shake legs, hands, raises hands/legs while bathing. Also the baby makes some unclear noises signifying happiness. A 4-5 old baby can keep his head and neck straight. He now likes colourful toys. After six months, the baby learns to sit and starts playing with the fingers. Puts different toys, things, fingers in its mouth and throw things around. She feels happy doing such play.

As the baby grows, one can see variety in her playing habits. Some like playing with mothers clothes, while some like toys such as animals, birds, cars. Some like tearing paper, while some like scribbling on walls and paper. Some break toys or break things kept in the house. Such a play, though may seem destructive to parents is considered very constructive and helpful for mental and physical growth of a child.

Baby Needs: Exercise
We can see first signs of a baby exercising when it is drinking milk from mother's breast. A child who is crying is also said to be exercising. Crying gives lungs the amount of exercise required. Crying is also helpful for the physical development of a child. It is nothing wrong in believing that at times a child cries to do such exercises. So do not stop a baby from crying unless it is crying out of pain.

Every step a baby takes has some natural reason behind. So do not try to stop it. You can either increase or decrease the restrictions on various things that a baby does. Also keep in mind that different babies do different things. So do not try to formulate things for your baby. Let it happen naturally. Just to give you an example. If your baby is well and healthy, it will not cry. But thinking that crying helps in lung exercises, you force your baby to cry, it will certainly not help.

Play and exercise are inseparable needs in baby's life. One cannot separate them. In any play the child has to move his hands and feet, which means he is also exercising. Exercising and playing increases energy in a healthy child. After all a great psychologist has said, "Play is the catharsis of the surplus energies of a child"