3 week old baby feeding and sleeping schedule

Newborn Sleep Schedules By Week + Patterns

Newborns need 14 to 17 hours of sleep a day (8 hours during the day and 8 at night) but can’t stay awake longer than 1 to 2 hours at a time and newborn sleep patterns change rapidly. If newborns generally eat, poop, and sleep around the clock in the early days, what does a newborn’s sleep schedule look like? This post shares sample newborn sleep schedules by week, information about your newborn’s sleep patterns, and tips to help get your newborn sleeping.

You can peruse all the newborn sleep schedules by scrolling down or using the quick links below. In addition, you may also want to bookmark this page for future use or get more comprehensive sample schedules and sleep schedule guidance in our e-book, Essential Keys to Your Newborn’s Sleep.

Quick Links:

1 Week Old Schedule	2 Week Old Schedule	3 Week Old Schedule
4 Week Old Schedule	5 Week Old Schedule	6 Week Old Schedule
7 Week Old Schedule	8 Week Old Schedule	9 Week Old Schedule
10 Week Old Schedule	11 Week Old Schedule	12 Week Old Schedule
13 Week Old Schedule	14 Week Old Schedule	15 Week Old Schedule
16 Week Old Schedule

1 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: A 1-week old will sleep upwards of 16-18+ hours in a day, but babies this age tend to sleep in “chunks” of 2 hours at a time and will need to eat that often. It is important to feed 1-week-old babies often to ensure proper weight gain and, if you’re breastfeeding, it helps establish your milk supply. So, even if your baby wants to sleep longer than 2 hours, you will need to wake him or her to feed. It’s very likely your baby will go right back to sleep after a feeding and diaper change quite a bit of the time. Or, at least, it might feel that way.

Another thing to keep in mind is that your baby’s “night sleep” will not be very long just yet. In fact, late bedtimes are common at these younger ages and many newborns mix up day and night. This means if they are awake at all, they are awake at night when you are sleeping and then sleep in very long stretches during the day. Understandably, you may be wishing they would sleep that long at night. If so, you will want to consider correcting your newborn’s day/night confusion if they don’t correct it themselves in the next week or so.

Your 1-week-old’s newborn sleep schedule will not be set to a clock, but rather, you should feed your baby on demand and put your baby to sleep when they show sleepy signs. Babies this age, can barely stay awake every 45 minutes, usually, and eat every two hours. They have very short wake windows. Here’s a bit of how your day might look but it will vary quite a bit, baby to baby as well as day-to-day, and some naps will likely be longer than others:

1-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake and Diaper Change
7:15 AM	Milk
7:45 AM	Nap
9:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
9:30 AM	Nap (goes right back to sleep after a feeding, possibly)
11:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
12:00 PM	Nap
1:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
2:00 PM	Nap
3:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
3:30 PM	Nap (goes right back to sleep after a feeding, possibly)
5:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
6:00 PM	Nap
7:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
8:00 PM	Nap
9:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
10:00 PM	Bedtime
11:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
1:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
3:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
5:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

A newborn’s sleep patterns are a bit repetitive, but I promise things will get more interesting as your baby gets older. 😉

You May Also Be Interested In…

10 Things to do Before and After You Have a Baby

6 Reasons Your Newborn Is Not Sleeping

Newborn Day/Night Confusion

How Long Do Newborns Sleep?

2 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: A 2-week-old doesn’t differ too much from a 1-week-old in that your baby will sleep most of the day, approximately 16 hours, on average. But, again, the sleep is broken into “chunks” where some naps will be longer than others. If your baby still has day/night confusion, you may want to start trying to keep them awake for at least 45 minutes multiple times a day and avoid naps longer than 3 hours.

If your baby will only sleep when in your arms or chest, then the days may be challenging unless you have help at home. However, if your baby is sleeping in a bedside bassinet you may have more time on your hands than you thought you would after having a baby! If that’s the case, be sure to rest up for the coming weeks. 😉 Here’s a bit how your day might look but it will vary quite a bit, baby to baby as well as day to day, and some of you newborn’s naps will likely be longer than others:

2-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake and Diaper Change
7:15 AM	Milk
7:45 AM	Nap
9:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
9:30 AM	Nap (goes right back to sleep after a feeding, possibly)
11:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
12:00 PM	Nap
1:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
2:00 PM	Nap
3:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
3:30 PM	Nap (goes right back to sleep after a feeding, possibly)
5:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
6:00 PM	Nap
7:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
8:00 PM	Nap
9:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
10:00 PM	Bedtime
11:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
1:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
3:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
5:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

3 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: At 3 weeks old, your newborn baby may begin to stay awake a bit longer during the day up to one hour or so but still will need to sleep about 16 hours in a 24-hour period. Unfortunately, he or she may also begin to become a bit fussier, in general. This is normal as babies sometimes have a hard time adjusting to the outside world. Their central nervous system is maturing and developing.

Talk to your baby’s doctor or healthcare provider to make sure you no longer need to wake your baby to feed. If your baby is gaining weight well, your doctor may allow him or her to sleep in longer stretches during the day and at night. In addition, sometimes babies still feed frequently during the day at this age but then have at least one longer stretch at night. Although a strict newborn sleep schedule is still not common, your day may look a little something like this:

3-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake and Diaper Change
7:15 AM	Milk
8:00 AM	Nap
9:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
9:30 AM	Nap (goes right back to sleep after a feeding, possibly)
11:15 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
12:15 PM	Nap
1:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
2:15 PM	Nap
3:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
3:30 PM	Nap (goes right back to sleep after a feeding, possibly)
5:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
6:15 PM	Nap
7:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
8:15 PM	Nap
9:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
10:00 PM	Bedtime
1:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
3:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
5:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

Again, which naps are longer will vary from baby to baby and maybe even day-to-day for the same baby.

4 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 1 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: At 4 weeks old / 1 month old, your newborn baby will still need ~14-16 hours of sleep per day and will likely begin staying awake a bit more during the day. Sleep schedules are still relatively loose and vary day-to-day though some babies are getting into more predictable sleep patterns.

Thankfully, some 4 week old newborns start to have one or two longer stretches of sleep at night. Talk to your baby’s doctor or healthcare provider to make sure you no longer need to wake your baby to feed. If your baby is gaining weight well, your doctor may allow him or her to sleep in longer stretches during the day and at night and it will be glorious! If you are struggling to put your baby to sleep, be sure to read How to Get Your Newborn to Sleep at Night: 7 Steps.

Breastfed babies sometimes feed more frequently than formula-fed babies at this age. For example, my son was breastfed and couldn’t go longer than 2 to 2 1/2 hours during the day before he needed to eat again while some formula-fed babies start to go 3 hours between feedings. Also, cluster feeding and evening fussiness may become more common around this age. Here is a common 4 week old/1 month old sleep pattern and schedule:

4 Week Old / 1 Month Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake and Diaper Change
7:15 AM	Milk
8:00 AM	Nap
9:45 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
11:00 AM	Nap
12:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
1:15 PM	Nap
2:45 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
3:45 PM	Nap
5:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
6:15 PM	Nap
6:45 PM	Milk (Cluster Feed)
7:45 PM	Milk (Cluster Feed)
8:15 PM	Nap
8:45 PM	Milk (Cluster Feed)
9:45 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
10:00 PM	Bedtime
2:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
5:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

As you can see, you may have one fewer night feeding and longer stretches of sleep (hopefully!)

5 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: A 5-week-old will still need ~14-16 hours of sleep a day and can’t stay awake much longer than an hour. Some babies need more time to be able to stay awake longer, but 1 to 1 1/2 hours is typical. All babies develop at their own pace so if your baby is still sleeping almost the entire day, as long as your doctor isn’t concerned, it’s likely just fine. On the other hand, if your baby is staying awake a lot more during the day, this is also normal. In other words, newborn sleep patterns change rapidly! Your baby will begin to stay awake more and more throughout the day as they can handle more stimulation.

Newborn sleep cycles are around 30-40 minutes so if your baby is waking up mid-way through the nap, that’s why. Unfortunately, we start to see this become problematic in the coming weeks. Be sure you are still swaddling your baby to help keep them asleep. If their moro reflex wakes them during a sleep cycle, remaining swaddled can help them drift back to sleep.

Here is what a 5-week-old newborn sleep schedule may look like, but again, it could vary quite a bit and you should still be putting your baby down based on his or her sleepy cues:

5 Week Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake and Diaper Change
7:15 AM	Milk
8:15 AM	Nap
9:45 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
11:15 AM	Nap
12:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
1:30 PM	Nap
2:45 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
4:15 PM	Nap
5:15 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
6:30 PM	Nap
7:00 PM	Milk (Cluster Feed)
8:00 PM	Milk (Cluster Feed)
8:15 PM	Nap
8:45 PM	Milk (Cluster Feed)
9:45 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
10:00 PM	Bedtime
2:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
5:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

6 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: 6 week old babies typically need ~14-16 hours of sleep a day and will likely start gravitating toward a 4-5-nap nap schedule. The first nap is typically the first to organize and lengthen to become a more predictable nap. If your baby is fussy, this is typically the age when fussiness peaks. Your baby may be going through their 6-week growth spurt and will become a lot more social. Evening fussiness is still very common at this age and bedtimes often get a bit earlier but I still recommend avoiding bedtimes that are TOO early since babies this age don’t sleep 11-12 hours just yet. We start to see newborns fight sleep around this age and the upcoming weeks.

Here’s what a 6-week-old baby sleep schedule may look like:

6-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
8:30 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
11:30 AM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
1:30/2:00 PM	Nap
4:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
4:30 PM	Nap
6:30 PM	Nap
7:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
8:00/8:30 PM	Milk (Cluster Feed)
8:30 PM	Nap
9:45 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
10:00 PM	Bedtime
2:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
5:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

7 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns are emerging and possibly becoming more predictable. 7-week-old newborn will still need ~14-16 hours of sleep each day and his or her schedule will likely look very similar to a 6-week-old’s. Your baby may begin to move bedtime earlier and drop one of their cluster feedings in the evening. Evening fussiness typically is going away around this age, though if your baby needs a couple more weeks, that would be within norms, too. Don’t worry! Your baby won’t likely remain so fussy unless he or she doesn’t get the sleep he or she needs. If you have any concerns, be sure to talk to your doctor and ensure proper weight gain is occurring. Here is a common daily routine and 7 week newborn sleep schedule:

7-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
8:30 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
11:30 AM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
1:30/2:00 PM	Nap
4:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
4:30 PM	Nap
6:30 PM	Nap
7:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
8:30 PM	Milk
9:00 PM	Bedtime
2:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
5:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

A schedule is beginning to emerge! If your baby is sleeping a single 5-hour stretch, congratulations! This is considered “sleeping through the night. ” Of course, you may not be sleeping all night just yet. Some babies, especially formula-fed babies, might be sleeping in even longer stretches at night. Some babies have increased their bottle sizes during the day while others haven’t. The key is that they are eating enough in a 24-hour period. Breastfed babies may still be eating three times a night.

8 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 2 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: By 8 weeks old/2 months old, many babies are sleeping longer at night and we start to see earlier and earlier bedtimes as your baby lengthens nighttime sleep to 11-12 hours and they nap 3-4 hours during the day, on average. They still need ~14-16 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. However, if your baby still has a later bedtime, that isn’t too uncommon. Until your baby is sleeping 11-12 hours at night, you really don’t want an 8 PM or earlier bedtime else you will have to start your day WAY too early! In addition, your baby may have been eating just 1-2 times a night but once they lengthen their nighttime sleep, this might mean a night feeding creeps back in, temporarily.

Some parents stop swaddling around this age because baby is rolling which can become problematic for sleep. This can lead to more night-waking and shorter naps. In addition, there is commonly an 8-week growth spurt to keep in mind. This is a common age when parents begin to think about sleep training their newborn.

Here is what your 8-week-old’s schedule may look similar to:

8 Week Old/2 Month Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
8:30 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
11:00/11:30 AM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
1:30/2:00 PM	Nap
4:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
5:00 PM	Nap
7:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
7:30 PM	Bedtime
10:30 PM	Fill-Up Feed / Dream Feed
3:30 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

Please note: Not all babies, especially breastfed babies, can transition to just two night feedings by this age, especially if they are in bed for 12 hours. Some babies are still getting three night feedings and that would be within averages.

9 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

At 9 weeks old, your baby will need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 hours during the day broken into 3-4 naps for a total of ~14-16 hours a day. This will be true for several more weeks. Your 9-week old’s newborn sleep schedule won’t likely look too different than your 8-week schedule. The frequency of schedule changes starts to slow down a bit as we approach 16 weeks. Here is a sample 9-week old sleep schedule, though as always, babies vary a lot:

9-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
8:30 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
11:00/11:30 AM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
1:30/2:00 PM	Nap
4:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
5:00 PM	Nap
7:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
7:30 PM	Bedtime
10:30 PM	Fill-Up Feed / Dream Feed
3:30 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

Please note: Not all babies, especially breastfed babies, can transition to just two night feedings by this age, especially if they are in bed 12 hours. Some babies are still getting three night feedings and that would be within averages.

10 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your 10-week-old baby is likely starting to move bedtime a bit earlier if they haven’t done so already. It’s even more likely he or she is in bed 11-12 hours at night, now. 10-week-olds need an average of 14-16 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period and will likely be taking 3-4 naps a day, at this point. Here is a sample 10 week old newborn sleep schedule:

10-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
8:30 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
11:30 AM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
2:00 PM	Nap
4:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
5:00 PM	Nap
7:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
7:30 PM	Bedtime
10:30 PM	Fill-Up Feed / Dream Feed
3:30 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

11 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

11-week-old babies still need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 naps, but the average total sleep tends to drop a bit at this age to ~14-15 hours. As we approach 3 months old, your baby is likely staying awake a bit more during the day and some naps may be starting to shorten. This is a common age to start putting baby in the crib for naps. Here is what a day in the life of an 11-week-old might look like:

11-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
8:30 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk and Diaper Change
11:30 AM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
2:00 PM	Nap
4:00 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
4:30 PM	Catnap
6:30 PM	Milk and Diaper Change
7:00 PM	Bedtime
10:30 PM	Fill-Up Feed / Dream Feed
3:30 AM	Milk and Diaper Change

12 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 3 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns have likely changed significantly from a few weeks ago. 12-week-olds (or 3-month-olds) are starting to approach the time when we start to see newborn sleep problems if you haven’t seen them up to this point. Naps sometimes get shorter and it may be harder to stick to your schedule or eat-play-sleep routine. Your baby still needs 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 hours during the day, but the total average sleep is right around 14 hours. Of course, by definition, some babies will need more and some will need less. If your baby needs less, developing a 3-month-old schedule is usually more difficult. Ideally, you’d keep your baby awake no longer than two hours at a time otherwise, your 3 month old might be very fussy.

Here is what a typical 12 week old sleep schedule looks like, though not always predictable just yet:

12-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
8:45 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk
11:45 AM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk
2:30 PM	Nap
4:00 PM	Milk
5:00 PM	Nap
7:00 PM	Milk
7:30 PM	Bedtime
10:30 PM	Fill-Up Feed / Dream Feed
3:30 AM	Milk (formula-fed babies tend to drop this feeding around this age)

13 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your 13-week-old’s sleep schedule won’t be too different than a 12-week-old’s in that not much changes. Of course, as your baby gets older, he or she will be able to stay awake for progressively longer periods of time. Most babies this age will stay awake 1-2 hours at a time, with the first stretch being one of the shortest. However, not all babies this age have 4 naps. Typically, those who take longer naps will have fewer naps, so it depends on whether your baby has started developing a consistent morning nap, yet. Your baby’s central nervous system is maturing and your newborn’s sleep is organizing. Here is a sample 13-week-old’s sleep schedule:

13-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
8:45 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk
11:45 AM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk
2:30 PM	Nap
4:00 PM	Milk
5:00 PM	Nap
7:00 PM	Milk
7:30 PM	Bedtime
10:30 PM	Fill-Up Feed / Dream Feed
3:30 AM	Milk (formula-fed babies don’t always need this feeding)

14 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

At 14 weeks old, your baby still needs 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 hours during the day. Some babies are transitioning to 3 naps around this age, though not all, depending on how long they can stay awake between sleep periods. Most babies still need to sleep within 1-2 hours of being awake. And, if they are sleeping 12 hours at night, they may not need quite as much sleep during the day. Schedules are still coming together except for regular or predictable babies who naturally gravitate toward a schedule. Here is what your schedule might look like if your baby takes a longer midday nap:

14-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
9:00 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk
12:00 PM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk
4:00 PM	Milk
4:30 PM	Catnap
6:45 PM	Milk
7:00 PM	Bedtime
10:30 PM	Fill-Up Feed / Dream Feed
3:30 AM	Milk (formula-fed babies don’t always need this feeding)

15 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your 15-week-old will not sleep too differently than 14 weeks old. While not too much changes week-to-week, babies change a lot from week 1 to 16. Most importantly, keep in mind that all babies develop at a different pace. For instance, a 15-week old could look more like a 12-week-old or a 16-week-old and both would be “normal.” Not all babies will organize their sleep at the exact same time. Babies tend to be more predictable after they transition from 3 to 2 naps, but other nap transitions and schedule changes aren’t quite as predictable. Here is what some 15-week-old’s schedule looks like if they can’t stay awake very long between sleep periods and don’t take super long naps:

15-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
9:00 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk
12:00 PM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk
3:00 PM	Catnap
4:00 PM	Milk
5:00 PM	Catnap
7:15 PM	Milk
7:30 PM	Bedtime
10:30 PM	Fill-Up Feed / Dream Feed
3:30 AM	Milk (formula-fed babies don’t always need this feeding)

16 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

16 weeks is the last that we consider a “newborn. ” Your baby should be awake a lot more during the day and developing some personality! By this age, I knew my son was very spirited and persistent, and I had challenges in my future! He did end up inspiring an entire website after all. 😉

At 16 weeks old or 4 months, the main sleep problem we see is the famous 4 Month Sleep Regression. Babies tend to wake up frequently at night and take short naps after this regression begins. However, keep in mind that this can occur as early as 12 weeks old or as late as 5 months old once sleep cycles change. Some babies will go back to sleeping well while others will need more help learning how to sleep in longer stretches at night and take longer naps.

If you haven’t already, this is often when visitors download our free e-Book, 5 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night or consider sleep training.

Here is what a sleep schedule for your 16 week old might look like:

16-Week-Old Sleep Schedule
Time	Activity
7:00 AM	Wake, Diaper Change, and Milk
9:00 AM	Nap
10:00 AM	Milk
12:00 PM	Nap
1:00 PM	Milk
4:00 PM	Milk
4:30 PM	Catnap
6:45 PM	Milk
7:00 PM	Bedtime
10:30 PM	Fill-Up Feed / Dream Feed
3:30 AM	Milk (formula-fed babies don’t always need this feeding)

I hope this post gives you some ideas about an appropriate newborn sleep schedule for your baby and about your baby’s sleep patterns. But, keep in mind that all babies are unique and some are more predictable and easy-going than others. Spirited babies tend to be more challenging when it comes to sleep schedules. Take heart that all babies do eventually get into a rhythm, though not all are predictable to the clock. You’ll get to know your baby and his or her unique needs.

What is your newborn’s sleep schedule?

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Newborn Baby Feeding and Sleep Schedule

When you understand your newborn’s sleep patterns and habits, you can start to establish a little more structure in your daily life and build a little more confidence in your decisions and actions during the baby’s first days.

While newborns can’t stay on a strict sleep or feeding schedule – mostly due to their many growth spurts in these early months – these sample newborn sleep and feeding schedules can guide you through these stages and make sure everyone is getting the sleep and nutrition they need.

Otherwise, you may be soothing a crying baby all day.

A newborn baby cries a lot more when they are over-tired, not sleeping enough, or hungry. In other words, getting him or her on a routine (even if it’s not a strict schedule) can be a life-saver!

Your newborn’s feeding schedule should be age-appropriate, and you should never withhold food from a newborn just to stay on schedule. A newborn sleep schedule is also often based on how long your baby can stay awake (not strictly by the clock), which is usually short in the newborn days.

Keep reading to discover what you can do to get started.

Skip to the schedules

Understanding Newborn Sleep Patterns

A baby is considered a newborn from birth until about 3 months of age.

During this period, your newborn’s sleep patterns will look nothing like yours.

Your baby will sleep in short bursts – anywhere from 30 or 45 minutes to 3 or possibly 4 hours – and then eat between periods of sleep.

In other words, the typical day/night sleep cycle doesn’t really apply to newborns. Some newborns come out of the womb with their days and nights completely mixed up!

This is called day/night confusion, and babies who struggle with it tend to sleep a lot during the day and then wake up frequently at night.

Many newborns also seem extra sleepy in the first week or two after birth and must be woken up to feed or drift off while feeding before getting their fill.

Eventually, though, your newborn will definitely “wake up” within three weeks after birth. This is when you will start to deal with more wakefulness. In fact, you may start to miss the early weeks of having a super-sleepy newborn!

Babies simply cry more often as they get a bit older (depending on temperament), but you will quickly learn how to soothe a crying baby.

Working with Newborn Feeding Schedules

Newborns feed very, very frequently, but this isn’t a problem that needs to be solved.

It’s perfectly natural!

Your newborn’s tummy is quite small. They simply need to fill it up regularly.

Formula-fed newborns may need to eat slightly less often than breastfed newborns because it takes a newborn’s tummy longer to digest and break down formula.

So babies tend to feel fuller for longer periods of time. Breast milk, on the other hand, is digested fairly quickly.

How much breastmilk or formula does your baby need?

Every situation is different, of course, but if your baby is formula-fed, you can use a fairly simple formula to determine approximately how many ounces your baby needs in a day.

Simply multiply your baby’s weight by 2.5.

For example, an 8-pound baby would need about 20 ounces of formula in a 24-hour period.

If your baby is breastfed, the general rule is that most newborns need between 20 and 30 ounces of breastmilk (and between 25-35 ounces once they’re past the newborn stage).

How often should you feed your baby?

In general, if you are exclusively nursing, it’s best to nurse on demand in the first few weeks after birth to ensure that your milk supply becomes well-established. In fact, in order to maintain your supply, you’ll need to nurse every 2 to 3 hours, on average.

Once your baby is past 3 months of age and is in the infant stage, that will slowly stretch into 5-6 hours, and then 7-8, and eventually right up to 10 or 11 hours once your baby is 9 months old or 10 months old.

Newborn Growth Spurts

Believe it or not, a lot is going on with your newborn baby.

So much growth and development is happening in that little body! Your newborn will very likely go through growth spurts at the following times:

7-10 days of age
2-3 weeks of age
4-6 weeks of age
3 months of age

During these growth spurts, it will feel like your newborn is feeding almost constantly (and like when she’s not feeding, she’s sleeping). This is 100% normal – feed your newborn as often as she needs it, as the extra nourishment is important during the growth spurt.

How to Create a Newborn Feeding and Sleep Schedule

Your unique newborn’s wake times and total sleep needs may vary from what is recommended below.

These schedules are based on averages, but your baby may need more or less sleep (or shorter/longer wake times) than what is listed here.

Remember, watch your baby’s sleepy cues closely (rubbing eyes, yawning, staring off into space, etc.), and let those guide the sleep schedule.

Remember, too, that if your baby is already fussing, he or she is already overtired. Try to get your child down for his or her nap earlier next time, before the fussing starts.

2-8 Week Old Newborn, Breast Feeding

This schedule is best for babies who consume average amounts of breast milk and for moms who have average breast milk production and storage amounts.

9:00 AM	Wake and Feed*
10:00 AM	Nap (30-60 minutes)
11:00 AM	Wake and Feed
12:30 PM	Nap (30-60 minutes)
1:30 PM	Wake and Feed
3:30 PM	Nap (30 – 60 minutes)
4:30 PM	Wake and Feed
6:00 PM	Nap (30 – 60 minutes)
6:30 PM	Wake and Feed
7:30 PM	Catnap (20 – 30 minutes)
8:00 PM	Wake and Feed
9:30 PM	Catnap (20 – 30 minutes)
10:00 PM	Wake and Feed
11:30 PM	Feed and Bedtime*
3:30 AM	Feed and Right back to sleep
6:30 AM	Feed and Right back to sleep

* – We recommend you make these fixed points in your baby’s schedule. You can read more about this in our article on fixed points in a baby schedule.

Babies who eat smaller amounts, babies with reflux, and moms who produce and store smaller amounts of breastmilk will need a different schedule. So will babies who eat larger amounts per feeding and moms who produce/store greater amounts of breast milk.

Schedules for those scenarios, as well as schedules for older, breastfed newborns, are available in our newborn book, Essential Keys To Your Newborn’s Sleep.

2-8 Week Old Newborn, Formula Feeding

This schedule recommends longer naps and fewer feedings than the breastfeeding schedule above, simply because formula is more difficult for baby to digest. So, babies tend to feel fuller longer and therefore need slightly fewer feedings.

9:00 AM	Wake and Feed*
10:00 AM	Nap (60 – 90 minutes)
11:30 AM	Wake
12:30 PM	Feed and Nap (30 – 60 minutes)
1:30 PM	Wake
3:00 PM	Feed and Nap (60 – 90 minutes)
4:30 PM	Wake and Feed
6:00 PM	Nap (30 – 60 minutes)
6:30 PM	Wake
7:30 PM	Feed and Nap (30 – 60 minutes)
8:30 PM	Wake
9:30 PM	Nap (30 – 60 minutes)
10:00 PM	Wake and Feed
11:30 PM	Feed and Bedtime*
4:30 AM	Feed and Right back to sleep
7:30 AM	Feed and Right back to sleep

* – We recommend you make these fixed points in your baby’s schedule. You can read more about this in our article on fixed points in a baby schedule.

For formula-feeding schedules for older newborns, see our newborn book, Essential Keys To Your Newborn’s Sleep.

Additional Newborn Sleep Articles

Want more newborn sleep tips? Check out our other newborn sleep articles:

7 Gentle, Natural Ways To Help Your Newborn Sleep Better
How Much Your 1-Month Old Baby Should Sleep
Establishing Healthy Sleep Habits In Your Newborn (Members Area tele-seminar)
10 Tips To Help Your Newborn Sleep
What You Should Know About Newborn Sleep Patterns
Essential Keys to Your Newborn’s Sleep (Members Area digital book)
Why Newborns Are Fussy In The Evening (Besides Colic)
Your Top 5 Breastfeeding + Sleep Questions Answered by an Expert (Members Area article)

Want FREE sleep help that you can put to use right away? Download a copy of our free guide, 5 Ways To Help Your Child Sleep Through The Night! The guide is available to download instantly, which means you can start using the techniques in it as early as tonight. So download now, and learn why your baby is waking at night – and what you can do about it.

Click here to learn more about how to get your free guide.

A better night’s sleep could be just a few clicks away. So don’t wait – download now, and start your journey to better sleep tonight!

Need Newborn Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

child development from 0 to 1 month

03/01/2019

The long-awaited day has come and we finally arrived home with the baby from the maternity hospital. And now, in place of the hospital calmness, where everything seemed so clear, a wave of emotions swept over me. When and how often should I put him to bed? How to combine sleep and feeding from the first days? Should a child have a regime or should not organize a clear schedule?

All the knowledge was in theory, but it was not easy to put it into practice. Therefore, I share recommendations that it is good for a young mother to know in order to survive such a difficult first month! nine0003

Baby's routine

Before we talk about baby's daily routine, it's useful to remember a few facts about sleep in babies this age: Yes, all children are different - some sleep more, others less. But in general, babies need to sleep about 16-18 hours a day.

The baby's sleep in the first weeks of life is not organized in any order due to the physiological immaturity of the brain. nine0020

Now it is more important for parents to create suitable conditions so that the baby will quickly get used to the new world and new environmental conditions.

Therefore, all actions to organize the child's day regimen will be directed to this.

Before the age of 4 months, the neurological maturation of the child takes place, which is necessary for setting up sleep processes in the future.

Focus on the planned date of delivery (PDR), and not on the actual age, when you want to make an approximate regimen for the day of the baby. nine0020

The baby will sleep in any conditions.

Use different methods of soothing: swaddling, motion sickness, sleeping on the chest, in a stroller, a pacifier (when breastfeeding only after lactation is established).

Given these facts, we can say that it is difficult to create a clear day schedule of 1 month.

Daytime sleep

Daytime dreams will not differ from nighttime. During the day, a newborn baby can sleep both 3-4 hours and 20-40 minutes in one dream. nine0003

The longest sleep period can be in a day.

How do you know when a baby wants to sleep again? Focus on signs of fatigue in a child: if he rubs his eyes, looks at one point, sucks his thumb, then it's time for him to sleep. It is also recommended not to exceed the awake time for more than 50-60 minutes if the previous sleep was more than an hour. If the sleep was less than an hour, the period of activity of the crumbs will be the same amount of time. Overworking the child leads to long bedtimes, restless sleep at night and an incomprehensible daily routine. nine0003

Night sleep

Sleep can be about 7-10 hours at night. The baby will wake up for feeding. If in the evening your baby began to cry non-stop for several hours, it may be colic. The period of colic lasts up to 6-8 weeks. After feeding, hold the baby upright - this will help his digestion, do a light massage of the tummy.

If you suspect that crying is not related to colic, be sure to contact your doctor. If you are formula feeding, talk to your pediatrician - it may be that changing infant formula will improve the baby's condition. nine0003

Confusion of day and night

Until 6-8 weeks of age, babies may confuse day and night due to an unformed biological clock.

Take your baby out to bright light during the day and dim the lights at home in the evening. Use a night light with a warm, low light at night during feedings and diaper changes.

How to make it clear to a child of 1 month of age that it is time to start the day or go to bed?

Rituals will come to the rescue - daily repeated actions after waking up or going to bed. In the morning it can be hygiene procedures, and in the evening - bathing, quiet games, swaddling and a lullaby. nine0003

Baby bed

For the prevention of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), certain rules are followed when organizing a baby bed.

Always place your newborn on their back. This is the safest position for a baby right now.
Avoid overheating the baby - it is more dangerous for him than the cold. Therefore, pay attention to the temperature in the room: it should not exceed 21-23 degrees in winter and 25 degrees in summer. nine0003
The child needs to sleep on a flat, firm surface, without blankets, pillows, bumpers, toys or other things.
A separate nursery is not needed for up to six months, and sometimes up to a year - a crib in the parents' room is an ideal option for a child to relax. You can remove one wall of the crib and attach it to the bed of the parents. So the baby will be as close as possible to mom at night, but at the same time on a separate surface.
nine0020

Tips to help your newborn sleep

Feeding your newborn

Feeding on demand is considered to be the best way to manage your newborn's diet.

In the early days, breastfeed as often as possible. This stimulates milk production. We feed from 15 to 90 minutes. Prolonged feeding allows a newborn baby not only to satisfy hunger, but also to survive the stress after childbirth and get used to the new world. After the baby is likely to fall asleep. Night feedings are equally important for both the baby and the mother. They will mostly occur every 3-4 hours. nine0003

To improve lactation, also try to feed in the early hours of the night.

If a breastfed baby is eating well and gaining weight, he does not need additional food and fluids until 4-6 months of age.

Walking

An important part of the daily routine of a newborn this month. Walking outside helps set your baby's biological clock and improves sleep. You can walk with a healthy and full-term baby starting from the 10th day of life. Increase the time of outdoor walks gradually until the child is 1 year old, starting from 10 minutes in winter and 20 minutes in summer. nine0003

As you can see, in the first month the child's regimen is reduced to establishing a certain sequence of actions: sleep-wakefulness-feeding-games/walk, and there is no clear timetable yet.

Tell us, did you manage to organize sleep and feeding in the first weeks of your baby's life? What were the difficulties?

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Votes: 293

Daily routine for a child under 1 year old

Daily routine is a system for distributing periods of sleep and wakefulness, meals, hygiene and health procedures, activities and independent human activities throughout the day.

Compliance with a rational daily routine corresponding to the age characteristics of the child contributes to his healthy growth and development. Getting used to performing various types of activities at the same time, the child is prepared for the upcoming type of activity at every moment of time, which ensures their easier and faster implementation. Compliance with the correct daily routine provides a good mood for the child and maintains a keen interest in the study of the world around him, contributing to his normal motor and psychoverbal development. nine0003

The child's daily routine includes the following obligatory elements: diet, time spent outdoors during the day, frequency and duration of sleep, mandatory classes to develop skills in accordance with age, free time.

In the first months after birth, a healthy newborn baby sleeps for most of the day, since all external stimuli are very strong for the nervous system of a child, accustomed to a cozy intrauterine environment, and cause its rapid exhaustion. As the child grows older, the duration of sleep gradually decreases and the time of wakefulness increases. nine0003

nine0145 4 times 2 hours

Age	Daytime sleep mode	Night sleep	Wake mode
Birth to 2 months	6 x 2.5 hours	6 hours	During feeding
2-4 months	5 times 2-2.5 hours	6.5 hours	4 x 1.5 hours
4-6 months	4-5 times for 2 hours	7 hours
6-9 months	3-4 times for 1.5-2 hours	8 hours	4 x 2.5 hours
9-12 months	2 x 1.5-2 hours	9-10 hours	4 times 3-4 hours

Closely related to the sleep-wake mode is the feeding mode of the baby. The sleep of a child in the first months of life is very sensitive and is easily disturbed under the influence of various extraneous stimuli, including hunger. nine0003

Age	Mode	Example
Birth to 2 months	7-8 times, every 3 hours	6,9,12,15,18,21,24 (no night feeding)
2 to 6 months	6-7 times, every 3.5 hours	6, 9.30, 13, 16.30, 20, 23.30 (without night feeding) 6, 9.30, 13, 16.30, 20, 23.30, 03 (with night feeding)
From 7-12 months	5 times, every 4 hours	6,10,14,18,22

The child's stay in the open air is essential in the daily routine. The total duration of stay in the open air for children under 1 year of age should be at least 5-6 hours a day. Fresh air has a calming effect on the baby, improves metabolic processes, and increases the body's defenses. In the summer, all games and activities should be held outdoors; in the cold and transitional seasons, two one-time walks of 1.