There is no single “right” baby sleep schedule, but there are well-established ranges for how much sleep babies and toddlers need, and predictable moments when sleep tends to wobble. This baby sleep guide by age walks you through both. Start with our safe sleep checklist: where and how your baby sleeps matters more than any routine.
How much should a baby sleep? Sleep needs by age
Total sleep needs fall steadily through the first five years. The numbers below are totals for 24 hours, including naps.
| Age | Typical total sleep per 24 hours | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn (0–3 months) | About 16–17 hours, often only 1–2 hours at a time | HealthyChildren.org (AAP) |
| 4–12 months | 12–16 hours | AASM consensus, endorsed by the AAP |
| 1–2 years | 11–14 hours | AASM consensus |
| 3–5 years | 10–13 hours | AASM consensus |
The NHS puts newborn sleep a little differently: total daily sleep “varies, but can be around 18 hours” (NHS). Both point to the same truth: newborns sleep a lot, just not in long, convenient blocks.
There are no official recommendations for babies under 4 months, because sleep varies so widely at that age. The ranges for older children come from a 2016 consensus of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which the American Academy of Pediatrics endorsed.
What are the sleep regression ages?
A sleep regression is a stretch of days or weeks when a baby who was sleeping reasonably well starts waking more, napping less or fighting bedtime. It’s a popular term rather than a medical diagnosis, and it usually lines up with a developmental leap. Cleveland Clinic pediatricians note that regressions typically last a week or two.
| Age | What’s often going on | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 months | Day/night confusion, short stretches, frequent feeds | How to get a newborn to sleep at night |
| 3–4 months | Sleep cycles mature; babies surface between cycles | The 4 month sleep regression |
| 8–10 months | Crawling, pulling to stand, separation anxiety, 3-to-2 nap change | 8–10 month sleep regression |
| 12 months | Standing and early walking; nap refusal that is often temporary | 12 month sleep regression |
| 18 months | Independence, language bursts, molars, 2-to-1 nap change | 18 month sleep regression |
| 2 years | Big life changes, new fears, boundary testing | 2 year sleep regression |
The 12 month sleep regression
Around the first birthday, many babies are pulling up to stand and cruising along furniture, skills the CDC lists as typical by 12 months. Practicing those skills in the crib can mean more night wakings for a week or two. Some babies also start refusing one of their two naps. That is often a phase rather than a true readiness to drop to one nap; Cleveland Clinic notes that many children move to one nap between 18 and 24 months. If you can, keep offering two naps for a couple of weeks before deciding.
Contact naps and early waking
Contact naps, where your baby only naps on you, are very common in the early months and aren’t a bad habit. When you’re ready to change them, try one crib nap a day (usually the first), keep the room dim, and use the same soft sound you use at night as a bridge. Never let your baby nap on you on a sofa or armchair if you might fall asleep yourself.
Early waking (before about 6 a.m.) often comes down to light, noise or an overtired bedtime. Blackout curtains, a steady low sound that masks early traffic and birdsong, and a slightly earlier bedtime are the usual first steps. We cover both in more detail in how to get your baby to sleep through the night.
Routines and sound at every age
The one thing that helps at every age is a short, predictable wind-down: the same few steps in the same order every night. Our toddler bedtime routine guide gives step-by-step routines from the baby months up to age five.
A soft, steady sound can be part of that routine. Pick one from our baby sleep sounds, keep it around 50 dB or lower and keep the phone or machine well away from the crib. Here’s how loud white noise should be. In the Baby Mantra app, a sleep timer can fade the sound out after 15 minutes to 2 hours.
When to call your pediatrician
Newborn Sleep
How to get a newborn to sleep at night: why newborns wake so often, how to fix day/night confusion, calm night feeds, safe swaddling and soft sound.
4 Month Sleep Regression
The 4 month sleep regression explained: why sleep cycles change, the signs, how long it lasts, and calm tips to help your baby (and you) through it.8–10 Month Sleep Regression
The 8 month sleep regression explained: crawling, standing, separation anxiety and the move to two naps, plus calm, practical ways to help your baby sleep.12 Month Sleep Regression
The 12 month sleep regression explained: standing, first steps, separation anxiety and nap refusal. How long it lasts, and why not to rush to one nap.18 Month Sleep Regression
The 18 month sleep regression explained: independence, new words, molars and the switch to one nap. Signs, how long it lasts and gentle, practical fixes.2 Year Sleep Regression
The 2 year sleep regression explained: big changes, new fears and boundary testing. Why your 2 year old won’t sleep, and calm solutions that actually help.
Bedtime Routine
A step-by-step bedtime routine for toddlers and babies: bath, brush, book, bed, with a sample timeline, printable chart and the best bedtime for a toddler.
Sleeping Through the Night
How to get baby to sleep through the night: what it really means, when babies do it, and gentle tips for night waking, 5 a.m. wake-ups and contact naps.Sources
- Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D’Ambrosio C, et al. Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations: A Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2016.
- AAP News. AAP endorses new recommendations on sleep times. 2016.
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP). Getting Your Baby to Sleep.
- NHS. Helping your baby to sleep.
- Cleveland Clinic. Infant Sleep Regression: What Parents Need To Know.
- Cleveland Clinic. 4 Signs Your Child Is Ready To Stop Napping.
- CDC. Important Milestones: Your Baby By One Year.
