How Much Sleep Does a Baby Need? Baby Sleep by Age

Hours of sleep by age

Recommended total sleep in 24 hours, including naps
Age	Total sleep	Naps
0–3 months	14–17 hours	Many, spread across day and night
4–12 months	12–16 hours	3 at first, 2 by around 8–10 months
1–2 years	11–14 hours	1–2, usually 1 by 15–18 months
3–5 years	10–13 hours	Often none by age 3 to 5

The 4-month-to-5-year ranges are from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Newborn guidance is from the US National Sleep Foundation. Some healthy babies sleep a little more or less.

Newborns: sleep in short stretches

In the first weeks babies sleep in stretches of a couple of hours, day and night, waking to feed. They don't yet know night from day. Daylight and activity during the day, and a dark, calm room at night, help their body clock develop over the first months.

When do babies sleep longer at night?

Around 3 to 6 months many babies start sleeping for a longer stretch at night, but waking at night is still normal for much of the first year, especially for breastfed babies. "Sleeping through" means very different things to different families. If you're worried about your baby's sleep or feeding, talk to your pediatrician or pediatrician.

Safe sleep basics

Always put your baby to sleep on their back, for naps and at night.
Use a firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet, and nothing else in the crib: no pillows, duvets, bumpers or soft toys.
Keep your baby in the same room as you for the first 6 months.
Keep the room at a comfortable temperature and don't let your baby get too hot.
Keep your baby smoke-free, before and after birth.
Never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair.

When to call a doctor

Get medical advice if your baby is unusually hard to wake, feeding much less than usual, breathing with pauses or effort, or seems unwell. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

Questions parents ask

Does my baby need a sleep schedule?

Not in the early weeks, when feeding on demand matters most. From around 3 to 4 months, a predictable rhythm of naps and a short bedtime routine can help. Our wake window calculator gives you a starting point.

What is the 4-month sleep regression?

Around 3 to 4 months, many babies' sleep changes: they start cycling through lighter and deeper sleep like adults, and may wake more often for a while. It's a normal developmental stage, not a step backwards.

Should I wake my newborn to feed?

In the first weeks some babies need waking for feeds, for example if they're small, jaundiced or not yet back to their birth weight. Your midwife or pediatrician will tell you if your baby needs this.

Sources

Written from the guidance above. It's general information: your midwife, doctor or pediatrician knows your situation.

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