HEALTH WATCH

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 272, 31 January 1989, Page 14

HEALTH WATCH

Your baby spends a lot of time sleeping because he needs rest for the growing he is doing. The time taken in sleep, may vary from day to day according to baby's needs and left by himself he will fall into apattern.

It is safe to put baby on his tummy to sleep when he can move his

head from side to side to stop him from pressing his nose

against the mattress. The danger of putting him on his back is that he could be sick and breath in the fluid. Generally lying on the side is preferable and it

is a good idea to swap from side to side. As your baby grows he will need less sleep and this is a sign of his increasing maturity. Although babies differ, 15-18 hours of sleep a day is typical during the first f e w months of life. At three months the usual amount of sleep in a 24 hour period is about 15-16 hours and he will often sleep through the night. At six months the average amount of sleep is about 12 hours at night and three to four hours during the day. At one year of age he sleeps about 14 hours out of 24. At this age he is fearful of leaving his mother and of being deserted by her. A child of this age should have one or two naps a day. Sleep Ideas Although playing with your child is an important part of his day avoid too much over stimulation just before bed time. Make sure he is dry and comfortable and not hungry. Give him a favourite toy to cuddle and leave a night light on so he doesn't go ^ from bright light to . darkness. ■ Have the room well | ventilated but draft

free, and warnu A flat, comfortable mattress is

best for your child's bone development and

he doesn't need a pillow.