he pillow very thin, and the
covering not excessive. A baby should not be allowed to sleep always
in the same position, but should be changed from side to side. Hair
pillows are useful in summer and for children who perspire very much.

_How much sleep is natural for a newly born baby?_

A baby with a good digestion and proper food will usually sleep at
this period about nine tenths of the time.

_How much should a baby sleep at six months?_

About two thirds of the time.

_Up to what age should an older child take a nap during the day?_

Always until four years old, and if possible longer.

_At what age may an infant go all night without feeding?_

At five months a child should not be fed or nursed between 10 P.M. and
6 A.M. At two years a child can easily go from 6 P.M. to 6 A.M.
without feeding.

_How should a baby be put to sleep?_

The room should be darkened and quiet, the child's hunger satisfied,
and the child made generally comfortable and laid in its crib while
awake.

_Is rocking necessary?_

By no means. It is a habit easily acquired, but hard to break, and a
very useless and sometimes injurious one. The same may be said of
sucking a rubber nipple, or "pacifier," and all other devices for
putting children to sleep.

_What are the principal causes of disturbed sleep?_

As quiet peaceful sleep is a sign of perfect health, disorders of
sleep may be produced by almost anything which is wrong with the
child.

1. Habitual disturbance of sleep in infants is most frequently
associated with the food or feeding. It may be from the discomfort of
chronic indigestion due to improper food. In bottle-fed infants it is
often the result of overfeeding; in those who are nursed it is often
due to hunger. A common cause is frequent night feeding; an infant who
is fed three or four times during the night is almost invariably a bad
sleeper.

2. Disturbed sleep or sleeplessness may be due to causes purely
nervous. Such are bad habits acquired by faulty training; as when the
nursery is lighted and the child taken from its crib whenever it wakes
or cries; or when some of the contrivances for inducing sleep have
been used. Any excitement or romping play just before bedtime, and
fears aroused by pictures or stories, are frequent causes. Children
who inherit from their parents a nervous constitution are especially
likely to suffer thus.

3. There may be physical discomfort from cold feet, insufficient or
too muc