How Much Should My Baby Sleep? Age-by-Age Guide

One of the most common questions pediatricians hear is “How much should my baby sleep?” The answer changes dramatically as your baby grows — from the fragmented 17-hour days of a newborn to the consolidated 11–14 hours of a toddler. Understanding age-appropriate sleep expectations helps you set realistic goals and recognize when something might be off. The National Sleep Foundation and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provide evidence-based guidelines that form the foundation of this guide.

📌 Key Takeaway: Baby sleep needs decrease gradually from 14–17 hours at birth to 11–14 hours by age 2. Wake windows — the time between naps — are the most reliable tool for getting the right amount of sleep. When in doubt, watch your baby’s sleep cues rather than the clock.

Complete Baby Sleep Needs Chart

Here is the comprehensive breakdown of how much sleep babies need at every age, based on recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation and the AAP:

Age	Total Sleep (24 hrs)	Night Sleep	Day Sleep (Naps)	Number of Naps	Wake Windows
0–4 weeks	15–18 hours	8–9 hours	7–9 hours	4–6 naps	30–60 min
1–2 months	14–17 hours	8–10 hours	6–8 hours	4–5 naps	45–75 min
3–4 months	14–16 hours	9–11 hours	4–6 hours	3–4 naps	75–120 min
5–6 months	13–15 hours	10–11 hours	3–4 hours	2–3 naps	2–2.5 hours
7–9 months	12–15 hours	10–12 hours	2–3.5 hours	2 naps	2.5–3.5 hours
10–12 months	12–14 hours	10–12 hours	2–3 hours	1–2 naps	3–4 hours
13–18 months	12–14 hours	11–12 hours	2–3 hours	1–2 naps	3.5–5 hours
19–24 months	11–14 hours	11–12 hours	1.5–2.5 hours	1 nap	5–6 hours

📊 Key Data: According to the National Sleep Foundation, babies under 12 months need 12–16 hours of total sleep per 24 hours (including naps), while toddlers aged 1–2 need 11–14 hours. These ranges represent what most healthy babies need for optimal development.

Newborn Sleep (0–3 Months)

Newborns don’t have a circadian rhythm yet, so their sleep is distributed evenly across day and night — a condition sometimes called day-night confusion. Expect short bursts of sleep (2–4 hours) punctuated by feedings.

What’s Normal for Newborns

• Sleeping 14–18 hours per day in 2–4 hour stretches
• No predictable schedule until around 6–8 weeks
• Day-night confusion in the first 4–6 weeks
• Very short wake windows (30–75 minutes)
• Needing 4–6 naps per day (or more — newborn naps are unpredictable)

💡 Tip: Don’t try to force a schedule on a newborn. Instead, focus on establishing a simple bedtime routine and following your baby’s sleep cues. A predictable pattern will emerge naturally around 3–4 months.

4–6 Months: The Sleep Training Window

This age represents a major shift in sleep architecture. Around 4 months, your baby’s sleep cycles mature to resemble adult patterns, which is why the “4-month sleep regression” occurs. Once this transition is complete, most babies are ready for sleep training.

4–6 Month Sleep Expectations

Aspect	Expectation
Total sleep	13–15 hours
Night sleep	10–11 hours
Night wakings	1–2 (may still need 1 feed)
Naps	2–3 per day
Nap length	45 min–2 hours
Wake windows	2–2.5 hours
Bedtime	6:30–8:00 PM

Use our Sleep Tracker to log your baby’s naps and night sleep — it will help you identify optimal wake windows and the best bedtime.

7–12 Months: Consolidation and Nap Transitions

Between 7 and 12 months, most babies settle into a predictable two-nap schedule and consistently sleep through the night (10–12 hours). This is also when separation anxiety may cause temporary sleep disruptions.

Nap Transition Guide

Transition	When It Happens	Signs It’s Time	How Long It Takes
4 naps → 3 naps	3–4 months	Last nap consistently refused	1–2 weeks
3 naps → 2 naps	6–8 months	Third nap causes late bedtime or is refused	2–3 weeks
2 naps → 1 nap	13–18 months	Morning nap causes late or refused afternoon nap	2–4 weeks

⚠️ Important: Don’t rush nap transitions. Dropping a nap too early leads to overtiredness, which makes sleep worse, not better. Most babies are ready to drop to two naps around 7–8 months and one nap between 14–18 months. If your baby still seems to need the extra nap, keep it.

13–24 Months: Toddler Sleep

By the toddler stage, most children are on one nap and sleeping 11–14 hours total. The biggest challenges at this age are the 18-month sleep regression (driven by separation anxiety and language development) and the transition from crib to toddler bed (which the AAP recommends delaying as long as possible, ideally until age 3).

Toddler Sleep Schedule Example

Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake up
12:30 PM	Nap begins
2:30 PM	Nap ends (2 hours)
7:30 PM	Bedtime routine starts
8:00 PM	Asleep

Understanding Wake Windows

Wake windows are the single most useful tool for ensuring your baby gets enough sleep. A wake window is the time between the end of one sleep period and the beginning of the next.

Complete Wake Window Guide

Age	Minimum Wake Window	Maximum Wake Window	Sweet Spot
0–4 weeks	30 min	60 min	45 min
1–2 months	45 min	75 min	60 min
3 months	75 min	105 min	90 min
4 months	90 min	120 min	105 min
5 months	2 hours	2.5 hours	2.25 hours
6 months	2 hours	2.75 hours	2.5 hours
7–8 months	2.5 hours	3.5 hours	3 hours
9–10 months	3 hours	3.75 hours	3.25 hours
11–12 months	3.25 hours	4 hours	3.5 hours
13–15 months	3.5 hours	5 hours	4–4.5 hours
16–24 months	5 hours	6 hours	5.5 hours

💡 Tip: The last wake window before bedtime should be the longest one of the day. This builds enough sleep pressure for a strong start to nighttime sleep. For example, an 8-month-old might have wake windows of 2.5 / 3 / 3.5 hours throughout the day.

Signs Your Baby Isn’t Getting Enough Sleep

Watch for these red flags that your baby may be under-sleeping:

• Consistently falling asleep in the car or stroller within minutes
• Extreme fussiness in the late afternoon
• Difficulty falling asleep at bedtime (paradoxical as it sounds, overtired babies resist sleep)
• Frequent night wakings not related to hunger
• Short naps (under 45 minutes consistently)
• Waking unhappy from naps or morning wake-ups

⚠️ Important: This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. If your baby’s sleep patterns seem significantly outside normal ranges, or if you notice breathing irregularities, excessive sleepiness, or difficulty waking, consult your pediatrician.

FAQ

How many naps should a 6-month-old take?

Most 6-month-olds take 2–3 naps per day, with total daytime sleep of 3–4 hours. Many babies transition from 3 naps to 2 naps between 6 and 8 months. Signs that your baby is ready for two naps include consistently refusing the third nap and taking longer to fall asleep at bedtime.

Is it normal for my baby to wake up at night?

Yes, night wakings are developmentally normal throughout the first year. However, the number and duration of wakings should decrease with age. By 6 months, many babies can sleep 10–11 hours at night with 0–1 feeds. By 9–12 months, most healthy babies can sleep through the night without feeds if they’re eating enough during the day.

What if my baby sleeps more or less than the recommended amounts?

The ranges provided are guidelines based on population averages. Individual babies may need slightly more or less sleep and still be perfectly healthy. If your baby seems well-rested, is gaining weight appropriately, and is meeting developmental milestones, they’re likely getting the right amount of sleep — even if it falls slightly outside the typical range.

References

• National Sleep Foundation (2025). “How Much Sleep Do Babies Need?” sleepfoundation.org
• American Academy of Pediatrics (2022). “Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations.” aap.org
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2025). “How Much Sleep Do I Need?” cdc.gov
• Healthline (2025). “Baby Sleep Schedule by Age.” healthline.com
• Mayo Clinic (2026). “How Much Sleep Do Babies Need?” mayoclinic.org