How Often Do Newborns Sleep

Dealing With Baby Sleep Pattern Changes

All babies change their sleep patterns. Just when you think you have it sorted and you’ve all had a good night’s sleep, the next night you might be up every 2 hours.

Be prepared to change routines as your baby grows and enters different stages. And remember, growth spurts, teething and illnesses can all affect how your baby sleeps.

If your baby is having problems sleeping or you need more advice about getting into a routine, speak to your health visitor.

How Much And How Often Do You Feed A Newborn

Deciding on whether to breast or bottle-feed your newborn is completely your own decision and you should do whatever works best for your family.

Health professionals do advise that you exclusively breastfeed your baby for the first six months of their life, as your breast milk is specially designed to give your baby all of the nutrients they need to grow healthily you dont even need to give them water!

How Long Might Older Babies Sleep For

By the time babies are about three months old, around half may sleep for about five hours during the night . Between three and six months the balance of light and deep sleep becomes more organised, so babies settle more easily .

As babies get a bit bigger, youll notice that their sleep time will decrease to around 15 hours by 12 months. Most of that sleep will be at night and the rest during one or two daytime naps .

Although, just to let you know, night time waking might not disappear completely. It is still normal behaviour after three months and 27% of one year olds still wake in the night .

This page was last reviewed in November 2021.

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When To See The Doctor

Occasionally having to wake your newborn or older baby isnt something to worry about on its own. We all need a little more rest sometimes, so enjoy the extra downtime and keep your eye on the clock to know when you definitely need to wake her.

Chronic sleepiness, though, can sometimes be a cause for concern. If your newborn is regularly sleeping for more than 17 hours a day and it’s interfering with her ability to eat at least eight times per day, you should let your pediatrician know. Frequently missing meals could hurt her weight gain and growth.

For newborns or older babies, you should also call the doctor if the sleepiness coincides with other symptoms, like:

• Extreme lethargy or listlessness after you wake her, or trouble waking her
• Signs of dehydration, like fewer wet diapers, darker colored urine, tearless crying or cracked lips
• Extreme fussiness or irritability after you wake her
• For newborns, being uninterested in eating after waking
• Being unresponsive when you try to wake her

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

Newborns Typically Confuse Day And Night

Before your little one was born, he lived in total darkness and became accustomed to snoozing the day away and kicking his heels up at night.

Happily, his nocturnal ways are only temporary. As he adjusts to life on the outside, hell stop mixing up his days and nights, often by the end of the first month. That’s when your baby starts making his own melotonin, a sleep-regulating hormone.

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Newborn Sleep Surface Donts

Babies need a sleep area that is clear of any possible hazards. Keep babys bed simple and free of soft bedding. Avoid pillows, toys, stuffed animals, or positioning wedges in the crib or bassinet. Crib bumpers also pose a suffocation hazard, so its best to exclude them from your nursery decor.

As an alternative to loose blankets in which a baby could become entangled, consider dressing your little one in a wearable blanket if the temperature is cool.

Car seats and other sitting devices such as strollers or swings are not recommended for routine sleep at home, especially for young infants. They place baby in a more upright position that risks tilting the head forward and blocking babys airway .

Statistically, it is safest for baby to sleep in a crib or bassinet alone, independent of mom or dad. For babies under 3 months of age, research has found that sleeping on sofas significantly increases babies chance of SIDS or other sleep-related deaths. Be sure to avoid falling asleep with baby or placing baby to sleep on the sofa or other soft surfaces, such as a waterbed or armchair .

A Note On Sleep Patterns And Cycles

Within the first 6 weeks after birth, babies typically take a nap between their 2 or 3 hourly feeds.

For the first three weeks of a babys life, they are relying on maternal melatonin to help them prepare for sleep and their drive to sleep is strong.

Sleep cycles typically last about 45 minutes to an hour for newborns.

0-10 minutes they start to fall asleep, 10 to 20 minutes they are getting into deeper sleep.

20 to 30 minutes they are heavily asleep, 30 to 40 minutes they are coming out of heavy sleep, and 40 to 50 or 60 minutes they are in light sleep and easy to wake up.

This is why if you help baby to sleep by patting or shushing, but only do it for 5 minutes, baby wakes up or cries.

Its because they are not yet in deep sleep.

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How Long Should Baby Sleep On Back

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It is recommended that you place your baby on his back from birth until he is one year old. The recommendation for back to sleep for the entire first year applies regardless of whether the risk of SIDS is highest during the first six months or the entire first year.

It is not recommended to put babies to sleep on their backs for the first year. As a general rule, sleeping in bed with your baby for the first year of his or her life is the safest place for him or her. When an infant dies suddenly, it is referred to as sudden infant death syndrome . According to experts, a baby should be placed on his or her back during sleep. We know how to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome significantly, so this condition is extremely rare nowadays. While there is no way to prevent a baby from rolling onto his or her side or stomach during sleep, you can try to ensure that he or she always sleeps on his or her back. If your baby sleeps in a back-sleeping position, he or she is less likely to develop SIDS. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately for bed and that the temperature in the room is comfortable. Put your baby on his or her back every night for at least the first year after birth.

What Is The Best 6

There is no single, universal sleep schedule that all six-month-old babies should follow. Many parents think the best 6-month baby schedule involves their baby sleeping uninterrupted throughout the night and for short naps during the day. Although this schedule might be ideal for parents, not all babies adhere to it by this age.

There is a lot of variation among babiesâ sleep schedules at six months. Some six-month-old babies get most of their sleep at night and take one or two naps during the day, while others sleep sporadically across daytime and nighttime hours.

Hereâs a sample 6-month-old baby sleep schedule:

In this example sleep schedule, the six-month-old baby sleeps for two and a half hours at night, wakes up to eat, then sleeps for seven more hours uninterrupted at night. The baby also sleeps for three and a half hours during the day across two naps. Overall, the baby receives 13 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period.

This schedule represents a baby who has begun sleeping more at night and less during the day. Not all six-month-old babies sleep through the night, however. Some six-month-olds have sleep schedules that are more similar to those of three-month-olds.

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How Long Do Newborns Sleep A Day

According to the AAP, newborn babies sleep an average of 16 to 17 hours a day over a 24-hour period but usually in 1-2 hour segments. And, according to The National Sleep Foundation, newborns sleep between 14 and 17 hours a day.

As a sleep consultant for over 10 years, I want to point out that there is quite a big difference between a 3-4-week old versus a 12-week old but both are considered a newborn. Sleep needs change rapidly and, therefore, you can expect your 3-4-week old to sleep more than your 12-week-old, for example.

This is one reason why we break down newborn sleep patterns by the week. If you compare a 1-week-old who is eating and sleeping virtually all day and night, you will see that a 6-week-old is awake much more.

Its important to adjust your expectations as your baby grows and changes so you can make sure you are helping your newborn get the appropriate amount of sleep.

Can your baby sleep too much? The short answer is yes but its highly unlikely. If your baby is healthy, they are likely sleeping the amount they need and babies need a LOT of sleep! If you are ever concerned, be sure to talk to your babys doctor, of course. The total amount of sleep in a 24-hour period will vary from baby to baby. Your babys average will stay relatively constant, though, meaning they will sleep approximately the same amount every day unless they are going through a growth spurt or have changed their habits.

What If My Baby Won’t Sleep In A Crib

Sometimes babies just dont want to transition from their parents’ cozy arms into their own crib, no matter how cute it looks.

If thats the case, blur the lines between you and the baby bed. Try calming him down in your arms until he’s drowsy, then gently place him directly onto the bed without losing skin-to-skin contact.

A little massage or patting should help him nod off too. Make sure the temperature in your baby’s room is comfortably warm. Dim the lights, and put on a white noise machine or fan to drown out ambient sounds.

Swaddling baby or putting him into a sleep sack before placing him in the crib may make him feel extra secure and, hopefully, encourage him to fall asleep in his bed.

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Try White Noise At Night

White noise can help to replicate the sounds your baby heard in your womb and may help keep her calm. Your white noise machine may need to be at a fairly loud volume to work, and can also act as a sound barrier, helping to block outside sounds from your babys room.

White noise is often very helpful for children who are very alert and curious to help them calm their minds and fall asleep.

Should I Wake Up With My Baby Every Time They Wake Up At Night

During the first 12 months, babies develop quickly, and their sleep patterns change rapidly. Its important to understand that all babies briefly awaken several times a night. Some babies are able to soothe themselves back to sleep after they wake up. Other babies learn to signal their parents for help to settle them back to sleep if they wake up in the middle of the night. However, it is best to let the newborn comfort himself or herself back to sleep rather than develop a need or association with a parent or guardian.

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Baby Sleep Schedule: 10

Read 8 Solutions to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night for additional tips on getting your baby to finally sleep all the way through the night and tips for helping baby sleep alone to help your baby become an independent sleeper.

Ultimately, these baby sleep schedules are just suggestions. Every baby is different. We cant stress that enough. So, dont compare your babys sleeping habits to another babys because they WILL be different. Like we said, some babies start sleeping for longer stretches right at six weeks while other babies will take much longer to reach this milestone.

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What Are An Infant’s Sleep Needs

Sleep needs for babies vary depending on their age. Newborns do sleep much of the time. But their sleep is in very short segments. As a baby grows, the total amount of sleep slowly decreases. But the length of nighttime sleep increases.

Generally, newborns sleep about 8 to 9 hours in the daytime and about 8 hours at night. But they may not sleep more than 1 to 2 hours at a time. Most babies don’t start sleeping through the night without waking until they are about 3 months old, or until they weigh 12 to 13 pounds. About two-thirds of babies are able to sleep through the night on a regular basis by age 6 months.

Babies also have different sleep cycles than adults. Babies spend much less time in rapid eye movement sleep . And the cycles are shorter. The following are the usual nighttime and daytime sleep needs for newborns through 2 years old:

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Swaddle And Keep Him Cozy

After spending nine months in a tight tummy, its no surprise that your newborn prefers a snug space now. Sure, hell grow into the crib eventually, but for now, he might prefer sleeping in a bassinet or cradle, which offers your baby a cozier, more contained space to settle into.

Swaddling your baby with a blanket or dressing him in a sleep sack will offer an extra dose of security and may even help him sleep a little longer. Just be sure to stop swaddling by the time he’s 3 or 4 months old, when he can roll over and wriggle out of his swaddle or blanket.

What Sleeping Positions Are Best For A Newborn

Research has found a link between sudden infant death syndrome and babies who sleep on their stomach .

Experts now agree that putting a baby to sleep or down for a nap on his or her back is the safest position. Side-sleeping has a higher risk for SIDS than back sleeping. Other reports have found soft surfaces, loose bedding, and overheating with too many blankets also increase the risk for SIDS. When infants are put to sleep on their stomach and they also sleep on soft bedding, the risk for SIDS is even higher. Smoking by the mother is also a risk for SIDS, as are poor prenatal care and prematurity. Since the American Academy of Pediatrics made the “back-to-sleep” recommendation in 1992, the SIDS rate has dropped more than 50%.

Back sleeping also appears to be safer for other reasons. There is no evidence that babies are more likely to vomit or spit up while sleeping on their back. In fact, choking may be more likely in the prone position.

A task force of The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the AAP, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development offer the following recommendations for infant bedding:

The AAP recommends that parents room share but not bed share. The report advises the following:

To prevent overheating, the report recommends that the infant should be lightly clothed for sleep and the room temperature kept comfortable for a lightly clothed adult. Avoid overbundling, and check the baby’s skin to make sure it is not hot to the touch.

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Newborns Communicate By Crying

The average newborn cries and fusses almost three hours a day until around 3 to 6 months of age. Some newborns cry more than this.

Newborns are usually the most unsettled during their first three months. They also have their longest periods of crying during this time.

A lot of this crying and fussing tends to happen in the late afternoon and evening.

Crying is a newborns main way of communicating, you should respond calmly and consistently.

Sometimes, there is no clear reason why a newborn is crying. They may not stop crying even though you try to help them settle.

From approximately two weeks to three to four months of age, newborns go through a stage of increased crying, which peaks around 6 to 8 weeks of age.

The crying may be difficult to soothe. If you need to take a break, place your newborn in their cot or another safe place and take a break for a few minutes. Your self-care is important.

This is a completely normal part of newborn development. There is no need for concern, as long as your baby is growing, gaining weight and is happy at other times.

However, if you are worried about your newborns crying, please talk to your maternal and child health nurse, doctor or phone the Maternal and Child Health Line on 13 22 29.

About Your Newborns First Week Of Life

Newborns spend their first week of life adapting to their new environment.

The outside world is very different from the womb, where its dim, the temperature is constant, and noise is muffled. You can help your baby get used to the outside world by giving them warmth, love, security, attention and lots of cuddles and smiles.

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