When I met my friend Aishwarya's daughter, Aanya, on a Sunday afternoon, she was building an entire world in her backyard using only sticks, leaves, and her imagination. In her eyes, a stick became a magic wand, leaves turned into currency for her "shop," and an old cardboard box was her fortress. Aishwarya admitted that this was Aanya’s “free play” time—a period without gadgets, instructions, or adult guidance, which made me curious.

To put this to rest, we had a word with Dr Kushal Agrawal, Neonatologist and Head of the Department of Neonatology and Paediatrics at KVR Hospital Kashipur, "Unstructured play is much more than just frivolous fun. It is an integral part of child development. Today, children do not have much scope for free play. With the academic system, straddled by extracurricular activities and digital entertainment, the scope for unstructured play is getting smaller and smaller.". On the contrary, research reveals that unstructured plays hold a lot of benefits for children that structured activities may not have in store.

What are the Physical Benefits of Unstructured Play?

According to Dr Agrawal, "free time plays" are a great way for kids to get involved in physical activities meant for their growth. "When children are left to play freely, their movements become more varied and spontaneous," he says. Science behind this practice does support this because free play increases the levels of physical activity, which is moderately vigorous in children; this is essential in preventing childhood obesity and promoting health in general.

Other than these, the outdoor environments provide opportunities and challenges for natural development outside. While children run, jump, climb, and look around the outdoors, they can become able to develop strength, coordination, and endurance for a healthy and active lifestyle by exercising. Otherwise, structured activities often restrict children to specific movements or instructions.

How Play helps in Social and Emotional Growth of Kids?

Except for physical fitness, disorganized play lays the foundation for basic social and emotional capabilities. During unorganized play, children invent their games, negotiate roles, settle disputes, and collaborate to attain some common objectives. According to Dr. Agrawal, "such interactions build empathy, cooperation, and communication skills as children learn to express themselves, listen to others and adapt to group dynamics.".

Research indicates that children learn emotional resilience through unstructured play, navigating minor setbacks in a low-stakes environment. If the game goes sour, kids learn to solve the problem on the spot; this builds up their self-confidence as well as independence. This is a kind of play that gives children the freedom to learn by themselves and try new things without having the fear of being prohibited by others or the fear of failure.

How Parents can Encourage Creativity and Problem-Solving in Children

Freedom in play helps unlock a child's creativity and the problem-solving aspects. Most structured activities have predetermined tasks or instructions that do not develop creative thought. According to Dr Agrawal, "When children are allowed to be free, they can explore and create their own scenarios, which are meant for developing unique solutions based on critical thinking.".

Unstructured play provides children with a number of materials for play—blocks, sand, or leaves, for example—without script, so that they invent games, build imaginary worlds, and, in a very real sense, answer their natural curiosity. It has been proven that this type of play helps children to make decisions, adaptability, and innovations, qualities useful throughout life.

Is Play Holistic Approach to Child Development?

Dr Agrawal believes that unstructured play is a very important factor of all-rounded child development. "Nowadays, children's lives are very scheduled, so it's very important for the parents to remember how necessary play is", he further adds. Being freely playful would be a great support to their healthy physical development as well as social, emotional, and cognitive development.

As parents, we can encourage free play by creating an environment that encourages exploration and curiosity. What can be very impactful is giving the child a safe outdoor space and setting aside gadgets to allow for uninterrupted time to play. As these spaces tend to be counterintuitive to everything that can be seen as a hallmark of productivity and measurable progress, unstructured play allows the children to build resilience, independence, and joy.

Giving Children the Freedom to Play

More than just being childhood, unstructured play confers a wide range of benefits since children learn to manage social dynamics, solve problems independently, and bring their creativity into life which puts them better prepared for the challenges of adulthood. In this natural form of play, people lay down a foundation for lifelong skills to achieve balanced wellbeing and success.

The next time you catch your child playing carefree—maybe using a stick as a wand or a rock as a pet—take the time to be thankful for the developmental steps.

Shoko Kawata, Japan’s first mayor to take maternity leave, has been named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential rising stars.

The 35-year-old mayor of Yawata City in Kyoto Prefecture sparked a national debate, earlier this year, after announcing she would take maternity leave following the birth of her first child. Her decision came as Japan struggles with declining birth rates and efforts to support women in work and public life.

“I was so surprised because the reaction was so big,” Kawata told the BBC.

Kawata gave birth to a baby girl on September 15. Her decision drew both support and criticism, with some praising her for making it easier for women to enter politics, while critics questioned whether elected officials should step away from public duties after childbirth.

Kawata Took Maternity Leave To Shape Policies

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Kawata defended her decision, saying women should not have to choose between public office and starting a family.

“If we were to criticise politicians taking maternity leave, it means we are effectively excluding all women in their 20s through 40s - women who are capable of becoming pregnant - from public office,” she told the BBC.

Japan provides maternity leave for municipal employees, but there is no specific legal framework for local elected officials. Kawata therefore worked with her office to arrange a 16-week transfer of authority to Deputy Mayor Shigeto Nose, while planning to work remotely when possible.

After giving birth, Kawata said her experience as a new mother would also shape the policies she pursues.

“I want to confront the many challenges facing parents and children today from that same perspective, as someone living through them myself,” she wrote on X.

Why Postpartum Recovery Matters For Working Women

Kawata’s experience also highlights the physical and emotional demands women face after childbirth.

While attention often shifts to the newborn, mothers also need adequate rest, nutrition, medical care and emotional support. For working women, pressure to return to work can add to the challenges of postpartum recovery.

The World Health Organization says the first six weeks after childbirth are a critical period for both mothers and babies, with a large proportion of maternal and infant deaths occurring during the postnatal period.

What Happens To The Body After Childbirth?

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After delivery, the uterus gradually contracts back towards its pre-pregnancy size, which can cause cramping. Women can also experience postpartum bleeding and discharge, known as lochia, for several weeks.

Hormonal changes, particularly the rapid drop in estrogen and progesterone, can affect mood. Breast engorgement, nipple sensitivity and pelvic-floor changes can also occur, sometimes causing urinary leakage or discomfort.

Postpartum Mental Health Also Matters

New mothers are also adjusting to sleep disruption, feeding and the demands of caring for a baby.

Many women experience the “baby blues,” a temporary period of mood changes after childbirth. This is different from postpartum depression, which is more severe and can last longer.

Adequate rest, practical support, medical follow-up and mental-health care can all play an important role in postpartum recovery.

Unsafe sleep factors, including soft bedding, sharing a sleep surface with another person or animal, and sleeping on a surface other than a crib or bassinet, were identified in 73% of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) cases in the US, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

SUID includes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, and deaths from unknown causes. In 2024, SUID claimed the lives of about 3,400 babies in the US.

Even after decades of public health efforts to promote safer sleep practices, sleep-related deaths remain a major cause of infant mortality.

What Did The CDC Report Find?

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The report analyzed 4,861 SUID cases recorded between 2020 and 2024 across 31 US jurisdictions.

The CDC found that 73% of the deaths involved at least one unsafe sleep factor. These included:

• 78% involved soft bedding.
• 75% occurred on a sleep surface other than a crib or bassinet.
• 59% involved sharing a sleep surface with another person or animal.
• 46% of infants were found sleeping on their stomach or side rather than on their back.
• 28% had documented full airway obstruction involving the nose and mouth, neck, or chest.

These categories could overlap, meaning an infant could have had more than one unsafe sleep factor.

Most SUIDs Occurred In Young Infants

The CDC found that most deaths occurred among infants who were:

• 0–3 months old: 66%
• Male: 57%
• Black or African American: 38%
• White: 37%
• Born at 37 weeks or later: 74%
• Insured by Medicaid: 69%

What Is A Safe Sleep Environment?

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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a safe sleep environment to reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths.

The AAP recommends placing babies on their backs to sleep, using a firm, non-inclined sleep surface, room-sharing without bed-sharing, and avoiding soft bedding and overheating.

It also recommends human milk feeding, avoiding exposure to nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, opioids, and illicit drugs, routine immunization, and pacifier use as measures associated with lower SIDS risk.

“Babies should always be placed on their backs to sleep. Tummy time is important for developing strength and motor skills, but it should take place only when the baby is awake and being actively supervised,” Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University, was quoted as saying by CNN.

Once babies can roll from their backs to their stomachs and back again on their own, parents do not need to keep repositioning them during sleep. However, they should still place babies on their backs at the start of every sleep.

What Should Be In A Baby’s Crib?

Wen recommends that the crib should be empty or nearly empty. Parents should use a firm mattress covered with a fitted sheet and avoid pillows, blankets, quilts, bumper pads, and other soft objects.

If parents are concerned about the baby getting cold, they can use a wearable blanket or well-fitting sleep clothing instead of a loose blanket.

Room-Sharing Is Recommended, Not Bed-Sharing

The AAP recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing, ideally for at least the first six months.

This means keeping the baby’s crib or bassinet close to the parents’ bed for easier feeding and comforting, while ensuring the baby sleeps on a separate surface.

After an abortion, patients may endure mild pain in the initial days and vaginal bleeding resembling menstruation for 3-7 days. Abortion can bring mixed emotions. Deciding to try for a pregnancy after an abortion can bring a mix of emotions. Some women may feel ready to conceive again soon, while others may need more time physically or emotionally. No single timeline works for everyone. To understand when the body is ready and support emotional well-being, a few factors can help women make informed decisions before trying again.

What to avoid after an abortion

In most cases, fertility can return quite quickly after an abortion. Ovulation may resume within a few weeks, which means pregnancy is possible even before the next menstrual period. For women who had an uncomplicated abortion, there may not always be a medical need to wait for several months before trying to conceive. However, the right time can depend on the individual's health, how far along the pregnancy was, the type of abortion, and whether there were any complications. But it is always advised to abstain from sexual activities for at least a month to prevent unintended pregnancies and avoid damage to the cervix.

If you had a surgical abortion or a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure, your doctor may advise abortion recovery; suggest waiting for 3 months for your uterus to heal and then plan pregnancy. If your miscarriage occurred in the second or third trimester, it may be recommended to wait for 3 to 6 months (depending on your physical and mental capacity) so that your body can rest well and recover from any deficiencies before the next pregnancy. Abortion can disrupt hormonal balance and alter the menstrual cycle, affecting reproductive health and leading to infection and inflammation.

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Give your body time to recover

Although fertility may return quickly, the body still needs time to recover. Remember, the signs of pregnancy are the same whether you had or had not an abortion. Therefore, always look for certain signs, such as bleeding and cramping can occur after an abortion, and the menstrual cycle may take some time to return to its usual pattern.

But if they experience very heavy bleeding, persistent severe abdominal pain, fever, foul-smelling discharge, or other symptoms that could indicate an infection or complication, they should immediately consult a gynaecologist.

Mental health matters too

Physical recovery is only one part of the process; what mostly gets affected is mental health. Abortion or miscarriage comes from different emotions, including relief, sadness, guilt, anxiety, or a combination of these feelings.

There is no "right" way to feel. For some women, becoming pregnant again can bring happiness and reassurance, while for some it may trigger memories or fears related to the previous pregnancy. Emotional readiness weighs more than physical readiness. Therefore, during this phase, it becomes quite important for partners and family members to talk openly and take care of each other.

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Diet plays an important role

Abortion leads to blood loss, and bleeding lasts up to a week. So, protein can be an ideal source for blood regeneration. Supplement with basic vitamins such as vitamin C, B1, B2, and vitamin E. For vitamins, consume fresh fruits and green vegetables such as spinach, tomatoes, bean sprouts, pumpkin, apples, and grapes contain extremely rich vitamin content, in addition to iron and phosphorus to help aid in blood replenishment.

Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps regenerate red blood cells. Intake of calcium can help prevent insomnia, lethargy, and aching limbs. Along with these, mild meditation and exercise can help you stay fit physically and mentally.

Does a previous abortion affect future fertility?

A previous abortion also does not necessarily increase the risk of problems in a future pregnancy. After an abortion, possible complications may include heavy bleeding, infection, incomplete abortion or retained tissue, cervical or uterine injury or perforation, uterine adhesions, and temporary menstrual irregularities. In rare cases, complications may affect future fertility; in such cases, immediate medical attention is needed if there is severe or worsening lower abdominal pain, fever or chills, very heavy or prolonged bleeding, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, dizziness, fainting, or significant weakness.

What if pregnancy doesn't happen immediately?

It is normal for conception to take some time. Not becoming pregnant in the first few months does not automatically mean there is a fertility problem. The key is to look beyond the question from "How soon can I get pregnant?" to "Am I physically and emotionally ready?” Every pregnancy creates its own stories.