Are you wondering about the proper baby sleep times that you should be aiming for? This article will help you narrow down what might work best for you and help you use it alongside any type of sleep training regimen.
Having a baby is like the best and MOST CONFUSING thing ever.
Baby is tired…
Or is baby hungry…
Or does baby have reflux…
Wait, does baby want a hug…
Or is it all of the above?
You’re probably trying to figure this out, too. Make sure baby is getting enough sleep so that he (or sweet she) is happy, well rested, and getting the restoration that comes from true rest.
That is not only possible, it’s not as difficult as you think. It all boils down to a few things.
Most of which are in this post.
Tried-and-true *hands on* newborn settling strategies that even the most fussy (or wide-awake-sleep-refusing) newborns cannot resist!
Learn MoreWhat's in this post...
What To Consider About Baby Sleep Time
Let’s dive into all that we need to consider when we talk about baby sleep time and how to have a happy, well-rested baby!
If you are about to work on your baby’s sleep, use our daily baby logs to help you track changes.
Read: Foolproof Baby Sleep Tips — Routines, Habits & Strategies
Suggested Amount Of Baby Sleep
Let’s look at generally agreed upon sleep times for babies. Some babies will have higher sleep needs than others, so you don’t have to go to the letter.
You know if your routine is working if baby is content the majority of the time.
These are windows, of course. Some babies will sleep on the higher end (or perhaps even more) and some a bit lower than this.
Remember the rule of thumb above!
- Newborn to 2 months: 16-18 hours a day | 7 to 9 naps (one after each feed)
- 2-4 months: 15-17 hours a day | 4 to 5 naps (after each daytime feed)
- 4-6 months: 14-16 hours a day | 4 naps or so (probably dropping the last nap before bedtime)
- 6-9 months: 14-16 hours a day | 3 to 4 naps a day (eventually getting down to 2 naps a day)
- 9 – 12 months: 14-16 hours a day | 2 to 3 naps (eventually getting down to 2)
- 12-18 months: 14-15 hours a day | 2 naps a day (eventually getting down to 1 nap a day)
Read: Baby’s First Year: The Ultimate Month By Month Guide
THIS: How Long Baby Is Awake Between Feeds
Baby’s wake time makes a huge difference in how well they go to sleep.
As such, how well a baby goes down to sleep is determined by how long they’ve been awake!
If a baby is awake too long between the time they start feeding and the time you put them down to nap they will become overtired. Overtired babies don’t nap well.
Babies will fight sleep or seem extremely alert because of that. Then you’ll think, “Baby isn’t tired!” when, in fact, baby is overtired.
Read: Cocooning a Newborn & 7 Reasons Why it Can Be Good For The Family
Create sustainable sleep habits for your little lamb so the whole family can sleep peacefully without the stress, drama, and tears.
Learn MoreApproximate sleep windows
- Newborns should really be up no more than 75 minutes (from the beginning of a feed) until they go back to bed.
- By 3 months they are likely able to be awake 1.5 hours (from the beginning of a feed) until they go back to bed.
- By 6 months they are likely able to be awake about 2 hours (from the beginning of a feed) until they go back to bed, probably a bit longer in the late evening before their bedtime.
- At 9 months they should still not be staying awake much longer than 2 or 2.5 hours at a time before going back down for the morning nap. Then after lunch, back down again. The late evening time may see them awake for 3 or 3.5 hours but then still to bed at a good early bedtime.
Read: How to Stop Contact Naps (Peacefully)- and What to Do Instead
These are approximate, but note: if your baby is fussy and fights sleep (aside from medical issues) then they are likely overtired and need to go to bed earlier and/or sleep more than they do.
Well fed and well rested babies are basically happy and smiling 99% of the time!
Read: The Biggest Baby Sleeping Myth That Backfires Every Time
Fast, simple, and free strategies to implement if baby can’t get to sleep, won’t stay asleep, or is unsettled in general.
Get On A Routine — Stat
There is no denying it.
The research is unanimous.
There are no negatives (for the baby) to having a routine.
It is all positives.
Better feeding, better sleeping, better moods, more predictability. All round better. The only rub?
Mama’s gotta keep the routine.
This is not easy for some types of personalities. There is good news, though, and it’s this… if you keep a routine for a week or two you’ll be so impressed with its benefits that you work hard to keep it. And you don’t have to watch the clock to the minute to get the benefits of routine either.
- Newborn Sleep Schedule
- 3 to 6 Month Sample Routine
- 6 to 9 Month Sample Routine
- 9 to 12 Month Sample Routine
- 35+ Printable Routines (aged 6 weeks to 5 years)
Read: 7 Simple Reasons Why Your Baby Won’t Nap & What To Do
Start Healthy Habits Early
If baby is already stuck in habits you don’t like that don’t work for baby, then I encourage you to sign up for one of my free cheat sheets and you’ll get some tips.
Either way, if you are holding a wee one… start healthy habits early.
This means you need to help little ones learn to sleep without YOU jumping through hoops. You’ll especially be tempted to jump through hoops during witching hours.
That doesn’t help them because it means if they are tired, they cannot sleep. They need you to jump through hoops. And what if you must go to the movies or to work or anywhere else?
Well… baby can’t sleep.
That’s inconvenient for you and unfair to baby. The answer? Refrain from introducing sleep props but instead focus on sleep associations.
- Ultimate Newborn Sleep Schedule: Week By Week
- Common Habits That Help And Harm Baby’s Sleep
- How To Get Your Newborn To Sleep Well From Day One
Establish A Good Bedtime Routine
One of the best ways to get baby to sleep on their own is to have a healthy bedtime routine.
A bedtime routine will do a few things that are important to sleep:
- Help baby calm down
- Give baby habits that he associates with sleep which will release calm down hormones
- Create a period of time where you and baby are bonding in a relaxing environment
- Gives the baby the best opportunity to fall asleep
There are many things you can do to have a healthy bedtime routine, so go with your gut on that. Books, songs, stories, hugging, turning lights down low, white noise, blackout curtains, etc.
These will all create an environment conducive for sleep.
Read: Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements To Success and Mom Habits That Are Barriers To Peaceful Baby Sleep
These lovely cards and checklists will help you create and keep healthy wind down and sleep routines for your little ones.
Learn MoreThe truth is… all babies are different, but most babies are the same with respect to sleep.
They need sleep.
They want sleep.
And, they just need to be shown the way!
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Hi- how can you determine a “full feed” if you’re breast feeding?
My husband and I are new parents. We have old habits of our own on going to sleep too late or not keeping a routine. Are there any tips you suggest? My daughter is 6 weeks old and I also breastfeed her as well
Such a cute article!
We’ve purchased your book on routines and schedules, and are using your 3-6 month routine for our 3 month baby boy. We have his wake time at 8am, and his bed time at 830pm, but my question is this: If he wakes up one morning at 715am like he did the other day, would we still have his first nap around 930am, or do we adjust for the early rise? I would assume if we adjusted, then we would need to adjust the entire day, and I wouldn’t want him to adjust to entirely new set times for wake/sleep.
We also use the shh/pat method to help get him to sleep as we didn’t realize how negligent we were with not enforcing good sleeping habits, and not having a good rhythm down. If he were to wake early, as in the above scenario, would we use our shh/pat method to try and get him to go back to sleep until around the desired wake that we’ve set of 8am?
We appreciate any and all feedback, as this is our first baby, and we’re trying to do as much research as we can, and ensure that our LO has our full support and is getting anything/everything he needs for a successful day!
Sometimes you can adjust the first one and not need to adjust all day. I’d test it slightly to see which end sup working best, but if he can wait a bit and keep the routine, I’d recommend that, if not then move it all up and gradually work twoards what you want!
I have an 8 week old and am stuck in a vicious cycle of an overtired baby! She will only sleep being held and while I’m trying to break that habit and get her to sleep in her own bed, I have a limited window to get her down before she’s overtired. Then it’s 2 hours and crying and fighting sleep. I end up nursing her to sleep then I usually only get her down (in my arms) for half an hour before we have to do it all over again. I know she’s overtired and I want her to be well rested but I can’t get out of this cycle! Please help!
Rachel, I’ve been devouring all your sleep and feeding routine posts lately. I searched for scheduled breastfeeding in an attempt to calm the chaos of life with a newborn and found your website. It has been a huge relief! I have a question I hope you can help me with. My 8 week old will wake at night 3 hours after the dream feed to eat, but he falls asleep when he’s about 1/4 of the way through the second side. I even changed his diaper in between sides to wake him up, since he’d fallen asleep after the first side. He wakes up 2 hours later and I assume he’s hungry since he didn’t take a full feed. This time his feed is even shorter. So then he wakes up a half hour later. This time I change his diaper to help him stay awake to eat but he still falls asleep quickly. He sleeps for another 1.5 hours and then we go through the same thing, but this time I let him cry for five minutes, I give him his pacifier, etc before deciding to feed him. What would you do?
Hi Rachel! How long should last a typical nap for a 6 week old baby? Do we let her sleep until she wakes up by herself? What if she sleeps all the way through the next feeding hour? Thanks for your advice!
When establishing a routine, do you wake up baby or let them sleep? Also if your newborns bedtime routine is for 8/8:15pm how and when you transition them into a 7/7:30 bedtime? Do you talk about this in your books or courses?
Our 3 month old refuses to nap longer than about 4o minutes. We have him on a regular feeding routine, but find that he often needs to take 2 different naps between feedings. He’s been sleeping for about 7-9 hour stretches at night, but one night feeding. We’ve tried putting in his pacifier when he wakes up after his nap, but he never goes back to sleep, so if he is happy enough in his bassinet we just keep putting the pacifier in until the desired nap time has passed. How can we get him to go back to sleep? We put him down drowsy, but awake for naps and bedtime, so he is able to fall asleep on his own, it’s just that he can’t seem to do it for naps and he clearly needs more nap time because he becomes fussy after waking so soon.