Baby Sleep Schedule by Age: How Much Sleep and When

Key Takeaways

• Newborns (0-3 months) need 14 to 17 hours of sleep per 24 hours, usually in short 1 to 2 hour stretches, per the CDC ¹.
• By 4 to 12 months, total sleep drops to 12 to 16 hours a day, including naps ¹².
• Most babies do not develop regular sleep cycles until around 6 months, and most start sleeping through the night only around 3 months ².
• Track feedings, diapers, and sleep to spot your baby’s natural rhythm and give your pediatrician accurate answers.

How much sleep does a baby need?

Sleep needs change fast in the first year, and they are not a single number. The amount of sleep a baby needs per 24 hours falls steadily from birth to the first birthday, while the length of nighttime sleep grows.

Age	Total sleep per 24 hours	Notes
Newborn (0-3 months)	14-17 hours	In short 1 to 2 hour stretches 12
Infant (4-12 months)	12-16 hours	Includes naps 12
Toddler (1-2 years)	11-14 hours	Includes naps 1

These totals come from the CDC’s recommended sleep guidelines ¹ and Stanford Medicine Children’s Health ². They overlap because babies differ widely. A newborn who sleeps 17 hours and one who sleeps 14 hours can both be perfectly healthy. What matters more than the exact total is whether the total is trending in the right direction for your baby’s age.

If you are new to tracking, our guide to what to track in your baby’s first year covers the feeding, diaper, growth, and milestone logs that pair with a sleep schedule.

The first-year pattern is consistent: total sleep slowly decreases while nighttime sleep gets longer. A newborn sleeps in tiny segments around the clock; a 1-year-old takes most of their sleep at night with one or two naps. That transition happens gradually, and each age has its own rhythm.

Newborn (0-3 months): sleep around the clock

Newborns need the most sleep and get it in the smallest pieces. According to Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, newborns sleep about 16 to 17 hours per day, but rarely more than 1 to 2 hours at a time ². They wake frequently to eat, and they have no established day-night rhythm.

A newborn’s “schedule” is really a feeding-driven cycle: wake, feed, brief alert time, sleep, repeat. Because their stomachs are small, they need to eat often. The AAP notes that healthy, growing babies usually do not need to be woken to breastfeed, and it lists 8 to 12 feedings a day for a breastfed baby or 5 to 8 for a bottle-fed baby as a typical healthy pattern ³.

What to expect in this stage:

• Total sleep: 14 to 17 hours per day ¹.
• Night stretches: 1 to 2 hours at a time at first, occasionally stretching longer ².
• Awake windows: short, roughly 45 to 60 minutes, though babies differ.
• Naps: many, irregular, at unpredictable times.
• Sleep cycles: not yet regular; this does not develop until around 6 months ².

At this age, trying to force a strict schedule usually backfires. The useful job is to observe and respond to sleepy cues rather than fight them. Newborns show they are tired by yawning, rubbing their eyes, or becoming fussy. Putting them down drowsy but awake helps them practice falling asleep on their own ².

4-6 months: the big transition

The 4-to-6-month window is when sleep begins to consolidate. Total sleep is now 12 to 16 hours per day ¹², and night stretches grow to 6 to 8 hours for many babies. This is also the age of the well-known 4-month sleep regression, when a baby who seemed to sleep well suddenly starts waking frequently again.

The 4-month regression is not a setback; it is a neurological milestone. Around this age babies transition to more adult-like sleep cycles with more light sleep, so they wake more easily between cycles ². Because this is a normal developmental change, it usually passes as the baby’s sleep cycles mature.

What to expect:

• Total sleep: 12 to 16 hours per day ¹².
• Night sleep: 6 to 8 hour stretches become common for many babies ².
• Naps: typically 3 to 4 naps a day, still somewhat irregular.
• Awake windows: roughly 1.5 to 2 hours.
• Sleep cycles: becoming more regular, especially after 6 months ².

A consistent bedtime routine becomes more valuable now. A predictable sequence, such as bath, feed, and a quiet activity before bed, helps signal that sleep is coming. Many parents find that a regular nap rhythm and an earlier bedtime make night sleep more settled.

7-9 months: fewer, longer naps

By 7 to 9 months, total sleep is 12 to 15 hours a day, and night sleep makes up the largest share. Nap counts drop to 2 to 3, and each nap tends to be longer and more predictable.

Two things often appear around this age. First, separation anxiety can cause night wakings, because babies begin to understand that a parent exists even when out of sight ². Second, this is a common time for sleep to change again as babies become more mobile and more aware of their surroundings.

What to expect:

• Total sleep: 12 to 15 hours per day.
• Night sleep: 10 to 11 hours, with a possible return of night wakings due to separation anxiety ².
• Naps: 2 to 3 naps a day.
• Awake windows: roughly 2.5 to 3 hours.

If a baby who was sleeping through the night starts waking again around 6 to 8 months, separation anxiety is a likely and normal cause ². Reassuring your baby during the day, keeping a consistent routine, and comforting them briefly at night without fully waking them can help.

10-12 months: toward one nap

Near the first birthday, total sleep is 12 to 14 hours, with 10 to 12 hours at night and 2 to 3 hours of daytime sleep. Many babies transition from two naps to one long afternoon nap somewhere in this window, though the exact timing varies.

What to expect:

• Total sleep: 12 to 14 hours per day.
• Night sleep: 10 to 12 hours.
• Naps: 1 to 2 naps a day, often merging into one afternoon nap.
• Awake windows: roughly 3 to 4 hours.

The move to one nap is gradual. Signs a baby is ready include fighting the morning nap, taking a long time to settle, or resisting bedtime after two naps. Most babies make this transition between 12 and 18 months, so there is no need to rush it.

A sample daily schedule

Every baby is different, and these are examples, not prescriptions. Use them as a starting point to see how your baby’s feedings, naps, and nights fit together. The pattern below shows how sleep usually distributes across the day at each stage.

Newborn (0-3 months): feeding-driven

Time	Activity
24/7	Wake, feed every 2-3 hours, sleep 1-2 hours
Day	Many short naps with no fixed times
Night	1-2 hour stretches, feeding when awake

4-6 months

Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake and feed
9:00-10:30 AM	Morning nap
11:00 AM	Feed
12:30-2:00 PM	Midday nap
3:00 PM	Feed
4:30-5:00 PM	Short late-afternoon nap
7:00 PM	Bedtime routine
7:30 PM	Bed, with 6-8 hour stretches overnight

10-12 months

Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake and feed
9:30-11:00 AM	Morning nap (often dropping)
12:30 PM	Feed
1:00-3:00 PM	Long afternoon nap
5:30 PM	Feed
7:00 PM	Bedtime routine
7:30 PM	Bed, 10-12 hours overnight

The exact times matter less than the rhythm. Logging sleep and feedings for a few days will show you your baby’s actual pattern, which is a better guide than any chart. A baby note app makes this easy: one tap records a feed, diaper change, or sleep block, and after a few days the pattern becomes visible ⁴. If you are comparing options, our Huckleberry vs Baby Tracker comparison breaks down which apps offer sleep coaching. Many parents find that a dedicated sleep tracker makes spotting the rhythm clearer than trying to remember 3 AM wake-ups.

Sleep regressions and night wakings

Sleep is rarely a straight line in the first year. The two most common disruptions are the 4-month regression and 6-to-8-month separation anxiety ². Both are normal developmental changes, not problems to fix. For a full breakdown of the 4-month phase, including why it happens and how to handle it, see our guide to the 4-month sleep regression.

A useful reframe from the AAP: at this age, a “good sleeper” is not a baby who sleeps 10 hours without waking. It is a baby who wakes frequently but can settle back to sleep on their own ⁵. When you comfort a baby at night, pat and soothe without taking them out of bed, and give them a chance to settle before intervening ².

If night wakings are a new pattern, especially with signs of illness, talk with your pediatrician ².

Safe sleep practices

Sleep quality matters, but so does sleep safety. The AAP and Stanford Medicine Children’s Health recommend the ABCs of safe sleep for every sleep, both at night and for naps:

• Alone: your baby sleeps alone in their own crib, with no toys, crib bumpers, or loose blankets ².
• Back: place your baby on their back for every sleep; this is the single most effective way to reduce the risk of SIDS ².
• Crib: use a firm, flat sleep surface, such as a crib or bassinet that meets CPSC safety standards. Avoid inclined or angled surfaces ².

The AAP also recommends that babies sleep in the same room as their parents, close to the bed but in their own separate crib, for at least the first 6 months and ideally the first year ². Room-sharing without bed-sharing is the recommended arrangement.

When to call your pediatrician

Sleep concerns are common, but some signs warrant a call:

• A new pattern of trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, especially with illness ².
• Excessive sleepiness that interferes with feeding.
• Loud snoring, gasping, or pauses in breathing during sleep.
• Extreme difficulty waking for feeds in a young newborn.
• If you are unsure whether your baby is getting enough, ask at a well-child visit. Keeping a sleep log for a few days gives you concrete numbers to share.

Frequently asked questions

When do babies start sleeping through the night?

Most babies start sleeping through the night, defined as a 6 to 8 hour stretch, around 3 months of age, according to Stanford Medicine Children’s Health ². Many then go through regressions later, especially around 4 months and 6 to 8 months ².

How many naps does a baby need?

Nap needs decline through the first year. Newborns nap frequently and irregularly, 4-to-6-month-olds typically take 3 to 4 naps, 7-to-9-month-olds take 2 to 3, and most 10-to-12-month-olds move toward 1 to 2 naps. The exact number varies by baby.

Should I wake my newborn to feed?

Usually no. The AAP notes that healthy, growing babies generally do not need to be woken to breastfeed ³. Follow your pediatrician’s guidance, especially for newborns who are very young, small, or not gaining weight well.

Why does my baby suddenly wake up at night again?

If your baby was sleeping well and starts waking around 4 months, it is likely the 4-month sleep regression, a normal change in sleep cycles. If it happens around 6 to 8 months, separation anxiety is a common cause ². Both are normal and pass with time and consistency.

Is it safe for my baby to sleep in my bed?

The AAP recommends room-sharing, with your baby in their own crib, rather than bed-sharing ². A firm, flat, separate sleep surface in the same room is the recommended arrangement for at least the first 6 months.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Sleep patterns vary widely among babies, and every baby is different. Always consult your pediatrician with questions about your baby’s sleep, feeding, or health.

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Footnotes

1. CDC, “About Sleep,” Sleep and Sleep Disorders, reviewed May 2024. Source ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

2. Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, “Infant Sleep.” Source ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹

3. American Academy of Pediatrics, “Sleeping Through the Night,” HealthyChildren.org. Source ↩ ↩²

4. Simple Baby Tracker, Google Play listing, accessed August 2026. Source ↩

5. American Academy of Pediatrics, “Sleep,” HealthyChildren.org. Source ↩