Baby Sleep Schedule by Age: 0–12 Months

Before the numbers: a gentle reality check

Every baby is different. These are averages, not targets. If your baby sleeps more, less, later, or earlier — they are not broken and neither are you.

Use these as a map, not a mould.

0–6 weeks: pure survival

• Total sleep: 14–17 hours (in 30-min to 3-hour chunks, day and night)
• Wake windows: 45–60 minutes
• Night feeds: every 2–3 hours
• What's normal: day/night reversal, cluster feeding, the witching hour starting

At this age, sleep is driven by feeding and comfort. There is no schedule and there shouldn't be one. Your only job is to feed, cuddle, and rest whenever the baby does.

6 weeks – 3 months: rhythms start

• Total sleep: 14–16 hours (about 8–10 at night, 4–6 in the day across 3–5 naps)
• Wake windows: 60–90 minutes
• Night feeds: every 3–4 hours

A rough shape appears: a longer first stretch at night (sometimes 4–5 hours if you're lucky), and clearer daytime naps. Still no rigid schedule — follow their tired signs, not the clock.

3–6 months: the 4-month "regression" - Total sleep: 13–15 hours

• Wake windows: 90 minutes – 2 hours
• Naps: 3–4 per day, starting to consolidate
• Night feeds: 1–3

Around 4 months, sleep cycles mature and many babies suddenly wake more. This isn't a step backwards — it's a permanent development. Consistent bedtime cues, a dark room, and white noise help a lot.

6–9 months: two-nap territory

• Total sleep: 12–15 hours
• Wake windows: 2–3 hours
• Naps: dropping to 2 (morning + early afternoon)
• Night feeds: 0–2

By 6 months, many babies can sleep longer stretches. Some still wake to feed and that's fine. Teething, weaning, and separation anxiety all show up in this window and can bump sleep temporarily.

9–12 months: one big nap forming

• Total sleep: 11–14 hours
• Wake windows: 3–4 hours
• Naps: 2, transitioning to 1 by around 12–15 months
• Night feeds: 0–1

Bedtime lands around 6:30–7:30pm for most, with a morning wake between 6 and 7. This is when a consistent bedtime routine (bath → book → bottle/feed → bed) really pays off.

When to gently check in

Talk to your health visitor or GP if:

• Your baby is regularly sleeping much less than these ranges and seems distressed or is losing weight
• Sudden, extreme sleep changes with no obvious cause (illness, teething, travel)
• You're the one who isn't coping — that counts, and there's help

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I'm Elira — a wellness companion, not a doctor. This guide is for reflection and gentle support, not medical advice. If something feels wrong, trust your gut and speak to your GP, health visitor, or 111 (UK) / your paediatrician (US).