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.

With careers, education, and overseas opportunities keeping many couples apart. Many have been in long-distance relationships for years.

So, according to the expert, long-distance marriages can create unique challenges when it comes to planning a pregnancy and managing fertility. Hence, couples know about the hidden fertility challenges and seek timely help.

Long-distance marriages are becoming increasingly common in India. There are a large number of couples who tend to live in different cities, states, or even countries because of work commitments, higher education, business responsibilities, or career opportunities abroad.

While technology helps partners stay emotionally connected, physical distance can sometimes make family planning more complicated. The couple must seek help from a fertility consultant and plan pregnancy accordingly.

The Hidden Fertility Challenges

For pregnancy to occur naturally, timing plays a critical role. When couples meet only occasionally, they may miss the woman's fertile window, which is the period during the menstrual cycle when conception is most likely.

This can reduce the chances of pregnancy even when both partners are otherwise healthy.

Delayed Fertility Evaluation

Moreover, another challenge can be delayed fertility evaluation. Many couples assume that because they are young and healthy, conception will happen whenever they decide to start a family and miss the fertility consultations. However, fertility naturally changes with age, particularly for women. In some cases, months or even years may pass before a couple realizes that distance and timing have reduced their opportunities to conceive.

Managing demanding jobs, travel schedules, time-zone differences, and long periods of separation can lead to stress, affect emotional well-being, sleep patterns, and overall health. These factors may indirectly influence reproductive health in both men and women.

Also read: Shamita Shetty’s Endometriosis Diagnosis Sparks Concerns About Risks Of Delayed Detection

Tips for Couples Planning a Pregnancy

So, couples in long-distance marriages should discuss family planning early rather than waiting until they are ready for pregnancy. Understanding the menstrual cycle and identifying fertile days can help maximize the chances of natural conception during visits.

Couples should go for routine fertility checks if they are trying to conceive without success. Basic tests for both partners can provide valuable information and help identify any concerns at an early stage.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, balanced nutrition, stress management, and adequate sleep, can be beneficial for fertility health.

By understanding their reproductive health, communicating openly, and seeking medical guidance when needed, couples living miles apart can make informed decisions and improve their chances of achieving their parenthood goals.

By Dr. Neha Tripathi, Fertility Specialist, Nova IVF Fertility, Indirapuram

A baby’s arrival is described as one of the happiest moments in a woman’s life. Families celebrate, relatives visit, pictures are shared, and everyone asks one question — “How's the Baby?” But very few pause to ask the mother, “How are you?”

Behind the smiles, celebrations, and sleepless nights, many women silently struggle with something far deeper than exhaustion: Postpartum Depression (PPD). Unfortunately, in many homes, it goes unnoticed, misunderstood, or dismissed as “normal after delivery.”

Postpartum Depression is a medically recognized mental health condition that can affect women after childbirth. It is not “drama,” “weakness,” “overthinking,” or simply a phase of tiredness. While many mothers experience temporary mood swings, crying spells, irritability, or anxiety after delivery due to hormonal changes and exhaustion — commonly known as the “baby blues” — these feelings usually settle within a few days.

However, when sadness, fear, hopelessness, anxiety, anger, emotional numbness, or exhaustion continue for weeks and begin affecting daily life, sleep, appetite, bonding with the baby, or relationships, it may indicate postpartum depression.

More Common Than We Think

Experts estimate that nearly 1 in 7 women may experience postpartum depression after childbirth. Yet many cases remain unrecognized because symptoms are often normalized within families. In many Indian households, women are expected to “adjust” immediately after delivery — manage breastfeeding, care for the baby, attend to guests, recover physically, smile constantly, and return to routine life within days. This pressure often prevents mothers from openly expressing emotional distress.

Many women feel guilty admitting that they are struggling because society expects mothers to feel joyful all the time.

Why Families Often Fail to Recognize It

One of the biggest challenges with postpartum depression is that it does not always “look obvious.” A mother may still feed her baby, smile in front of guests, continue household responsibilities, or post happy pictures online while silently struggling emotionally.

Sometimes, even mothers, sisters, or older women in the family unintentionally dismiss the condition because they compare it to their own experiences. Statements like “we also had babies, and we managed” are common. However, every pregnancy, delivery, body, emotional response, and support system is different.

Reading about postpartum depression online may create awareness, but self-diagnosis alone is not enough. Many women may not have the emotional agency, clarity, or support to seek treatment themselves — especially when their feelings are repeatedly dismissed as routine stress or hormonal changes.

How Can You Recognize Postpartum Depression?

Some common signs include:

· Persistent sadness or crying

· Extreme exhaustion beyond normal tiredness

· Anxiety, panic, irritability, or anger

· Feeling disconnected from the baby

· Difficulty sleeping even when the baby sleeps

· Guilt, hopelessness, or fear of being a “bad mother”

· Avoiding conversations or social interactions

· Emotional withdrawal or loss of interest in daily life

If these symptoms continue for more than two weeks, professional support should be considered.

How Families Can Help

The biggest support a new mother can receive is emotional validation. Instead of dismissing her feelings with statements like “You are dramatic” or “Is the baby healthy?” families should ask:

· “How are you really feeling?”

· “You don’t have to handle this alone.”

· “We are here for you.”

A new mother does not need constant advice, comparisons, or pressure. She needs rest, reassurance, emotional safety, and practical help. Small gestures like helping with the baby, preparing meals, managing household work, accompanying her for appointments, or simply allowing uninterrupted sleep can make a significant difference.

Most importantly, families should encourage professional support without shame. Postpartum depression is treatable, and seeking help is not a weakness. Treatment may include counselling, therapy, emotional support, lifestyle changes, support groups, or medical treatment when required. Recovery takes time, patience, and understanding.

Why Ignoring It Can Be Harmful

Untreated postpartum depression can affect a mother’s emotional and physical health, bonding with the baby, relationships within the family, confidence, and recovery after childbirth. Most importantly, it can leave mothers feeling deeply isolated during one of the most vulnerable phases of their lives.

The Conversation We Need to Start

Becoming a mother does not make women immune to emotional struggles. A woman can deeply love her baby and still battle postpartum depression. It is real, common, and treatable. The problem is not always that mothers are unable to speak — sometimes, it is that nobody is willing to listen. Every mother deserves to feel heard, supported, and cared for after childbirth. Because after delivery, healing is not only physical; emotional recovery matters too.

(Dr Shilva, Consultant – Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Panchkula)_

Infants who do not receive the recommended vitamin K injection at birth face a significantly higher risk of dangerous bleeding, including bleeding in the brain, according to a new study.

The findings, published in JAMA Pediatrics, reinforce the importance of the routine newborn vitamin K shot in preventing Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB), a rare but potentially life-threatening condition.

Higher Risk of Bleeding in Babies Without Vitamin K

Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden analyzed data from more than 2 million live births between 2003 and 2021.

The study found that babies who did not receive an intramuscular vitamin K injection had:

• 1.52 times higher odds of any bleeding episode during the first six months of life.
• 2.91 times higher odds of intracranial (brain) bleeding during the same period.

"Our findings have important clinical implications, highlighting the ongoing need for communication between healthcare practitioners and parents about the vital role of vitamin K prophylaxis in preventing potentially life-threatening bleeding in newborns," said lead researcher Eleni Simatou of the Karolinska Institutet.

Why Is Vitamin K Important For Newborns?

Also read: 13.5 Million Children Remain Zero-Dose In 2025 Despite Global Vaccination Gains: UN Report

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for normal blood clotting and bone health. Newborns naturally have very low vitamin K levels, putting them at risk of Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB).

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recommended a vitamin K injection for all newborns since 1961. The shot is highly effective in preventing VKDB, which can cause severe internal bleeding, including bleeding in the brain, and may lead to permanent brain damage or death.

Importantly, the vitamin K shot is not a vaccine. It is a one-time supplement given shortly after birth to provide babies with adequate vitamin K.

Growing Concern Over Refusal of Vitamin K Shot

The researchers noted that parental refusal of vitamin K injections has been increasing in several countries.

A separate JAMA analysis of US electronic health records, published earlier this year, found that refusal rates rose from 2.92% in 2017 to 5.18% in 2024. In Sweden, however, only 1.5% of newborns did not receive the vitamin K shot in 2021.

"Vitamin K at birth is safe and effective," said study author Kate Semidey of Florida International University.

"Our review found that babies who do not get the vitamin K injection are 81 times more likely to develop vitamin K deficiency bleeding."

In addition to the US, the refusal is also growing in countries like Canada, New Zealand , and Scotland.

The authors noted that refusal also appears to be more common in home births, where reporting may also be less complete.

Read More: Cyclosporiasis Outbreak: US Probes Taco Bell Link; CDC Reviews Over 5,100 Cases

Breastfed Babies Remain at Higher Risk

Breast milk contains relatively low levels of vitamin K. As a result, babies who are exclusively breastfed remain vulnerable to VKDB until they begin eating solid foods if they do not receive the birth injection.

The study also found a higher use of oral vitamin K, which is considered less effective than the intramuscular injection in preventing VKDB, particularly the late-onset form that can occur weeks after birth.