it prevents
the heavy liver from sagging over on the little full stomach. If the
child were laid on its left side, the liver would crowd the full stomach
and embarrass the heart, and cause pain and restlessness. Frequently a
change of position fully to the right side, when a child has been
restless or crying, and especially if it has been lying on its back,
will at once relieve it and allow it to go to sleep again. It is the
knowledge of these little things that count in babyhood.

HOW LONG SHOULD A BABY SLEEP?--A perfectly healthy baby should sleep,
while very young, eighteen or twenty hours out of the twenty-four. As it
grows older it will sleep less. It should have, and nothing should
interfere with its having, two sound naps every day,--one in the
forenoon after its bath, and the other in the afternoon. When four or
five months old, it should also sleep from 7 P. M. until 10 P. M., then
it should be fed and allowed to sleep until morning. It has been aptly
said, that, "a child might easily overeat, but he practically never
oversleeps." During the second year a child should sleep twelve hours at
night, and about two hours during the day. The twelve-hour night rest
should be continued until the child is six years of age. The practice of
taking a nap at noon is a very good one, and it should be encouraged as
long as possible. It can usually be kept up until the child begins
school life. The strenuous activity of childhood, makes some such rest
highly desirable, and the result will necessarily be a stronger body, a
better disposition, and firmer nerves than otherwise. The practice of
retiring early should be strictly enforced during childhood. Children of
two years of age, should retire at 6:30 P. M., or at latest at 7 P. M.,
those from three to five years, may remain up an additional hour. At
thirteen or fourteen the regular bedtime should be at 8:30 P. M. There
is no justification for the late hours which growing children are
allowed to keep, especially in large cities.

Regular sleep is largely a matter of habit, and if the infant is started
right, with suitable feedings, given at definite times, followed by the
proper periods of sleep, but little trouble will be experienced with
sleeplessness. When sleep is disturbed and broken, it means bad habits,
unsuitable food, minor forms of indigestion, or positive illness of some
kind. Sleep is absolutely essential in infancy and all through childhood
for purposes of growth