How long should a 6 week old baby sleep between feeds
Breastfeeding FAQs: Sleep - Yours and Your Baby's (for Parents)
Breastfeeding is a natural thing to do, but it still comes with its fair share of questions. Here's what you need to know about making nights easier for you and your baby.
Where Should My Baby Sleep?
It’s a good idea to put your baby to sleep in your room without sharing a bed. That’s because bed-sharing puts babies at risk of suffocation, strangulation, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Experts recommend room-sharing for at least the first 6 months of life, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Here are some ideas:
- Put a bassinet, play yard, or crib next to your bed. This lets you keep that desired closeness that makes it easier to breastfeed at night. It also lowers your baby’s risk of SIDS.
- Buy a bassinet or play yard with one side that is lower, which attaches to your bed. This allows you to be next to your baby without the chance of rolling over onto your infant.
Don’t let your baby sleep in the same room as someone who is smoking.
Also:
- Don’t let your baby fall asleep on a product that isn’t specifically designed for sleeping babies, such as a sitting device (like a car seat), a feeding pillow (like the Boppy pillow), or an infant lounger (like the Dock-a-Tot, Podster, and Bummzie).
- Don’t use products or devices that claim to lower the risk of SIDS, such as sleep positioners (like wedges or incliners) or monitors that can detect a baby’s heart rate and breathing pattern. No known products can actually do this.
- Don’t use products that are weighted, such as a weighted blanket, sleeper, or swaddle.
- Don’t use products that have not been approved by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as meeting federal safety standards for infant sleep products
How Should My Baby Sleep?
Always place your baby on the back to sleep, not on their stomach or side, to help lower the chance of SIDS.
When babies can roll over easily from front to back and back to front, it's fine for them to stay in the sleep position they choose.
When picking out bedding for your baby, keep these tips in mind:
- Use a firm sleep surface. Cover the mattress with a sheet that fits snugly. Make sure your crib, bassinet, or play yard meets current safety standards.
- Do not put anything else in the crib or bassinet. Keep plush toys, pillows, blankets, unfitted sheets, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, and bumper pads out of your baby's sleep area. Make sure there are no items within reach that could pose a hazard to your baby, such as cords, ties, or ribbons.
- Dress your baby for the room temperature, and don't overbundle. Watch for signs of overheating, such as sweating or feeling hot to the touch.
How Can I Make Nighttime Feedings Easier?
To make nursing in bed more comfortable, keep a donut-shaped nursing pillow on or near your bed or use a "husband" back pillow with arms on each side.
Keep the room dimly lit and any noises (talking, singing, etc.) to a minimum. This will help your baby realize that nighttime is for sleeping — not playing — and can help your baby fall back to sleep sooner.
My Baby Falls Asleep While Nursing. What Can I Do?
Newborns often fall asleep at the breast, especially after feeling satisfied from a feeding. (You'll know if your baby isn't nursing if you don't hear swallowing sounds, like little clicks, or see the jawbones moving.)
If you think your baby is asleep and hasn't finished nursing, here are some tips to try:
- Undress your baby and rub their back.
- Tickle your baby’s feet.
- Burp your baby.
- Change your baby's diaper or switch to the other breast.
- Gently compress (squeeze) or massage your breast at the end of feeding to encourage your baby to drink more.
Babies who latch on wrong may fall asleep at the breast. If this happens, break the suction and reposition your baby onto your breast to include both your nipple and areola.
You can break the suction by slipping your finger in the side of your baby's mouth (between the gums) and then turning your finger a quarter turn.
After you've broken the suction, try to burp your baby and switch to the other breast.
Is it OK to Nurse My Baby to Sleep?
In the first few months of life, it's practically impossible to keep a nursing baby awake who is satisfied with a full belly. But as babies grow, encourage them to sleep on their own. To do this:
- Put your baby down for naps and bed slightly awake. This teaches babies to get used to falling asleep on their own.
- Create a familiar and relaxing bedtime routine. Bathing, reading, and singing is soothing and signals an end to the day.
- Be consistent with the bedtime routine. Eventually, babies associate these steps with sleeping.
- Offer a pacifier. Experts recommend giving a pacifier at naptime and bedtime to babies under 1 year old to reduce the risk of SIDS. Only give a pacifier after breastfeeding is established, so no sooner than 3 weeks of age.
If your little one doesn't want a pacifier, don't push it.
When Will My Baby Sleep Through the Night?
Breastfed newborns' longest sleep periods are generally 2–3 hours — this is about how long their small bellies can go between feedings. If newborns do sleep for a while, they'll probably be extra-hungry during the day and may want to nurse more often.
And just when you think that sleeping through the night seems like a far-off dream, things start to get a little easier. At 3 months, a baby averages a total of 5 hours of sleep during daytime naps and 10 hours at night, usually with an interruption or two. Most babies this age sleep "through the night," meaning a 5-6 hour stretch. But every baby is different, so don't be surprised if your baby sleeps more or less than others.
Will it Hurt My Milk Supply to Let My Baby Sleep?
Letting your baby sleep for longer periods (usually at around 3 months of age) isn't going to hurt your breastfeeding efforts.
Your body readjusts your milk supply based on when you nurse and how much your baby needs. Some babies will sleep through the night early but will make up for it during the day, so your breasts will accommodate that.
As your baby matures and starts taking solid foods, the need for breast milk will decrease and your body will adjust for that too.
Reviewed by: Jamila H. Richardson, BSN, RN, IBCLC
Date reviewed: January 2021
Newborn Sleep Schedules + Patterns– Nested Bean
With a baby on the way, or perhaps just arrived, you have probably been warned about the sleepless nights in your near future. Every parent knows that sleep deprivation is just part of the package – but don't worry, the priceless, magical moments you spend with your baby in their first few weeks make it all worth it. If you start to establish a newborn sleep schedule during the early stages of parenthood, you could save yourself a lot of stress in the long run.
We've broken down newborn sleep patterns to give you suggested newborn sleep routines all the way through your baby's first year.
We'll also answer all your questions revolving around newborn sleep - like, how much sleep do they actually need? How can I make sure my baby becomes a “good sleeper” and more! Click the links below to skip to the sample newborn sleep schedule:
0-6 Weeks Newborn Sleep Schedule
2 to 3 Months Baby Sleep Schedule
4 to 6 Months Baby Sleep Schedule
6 to 10 Months Baby Sleep Schedule
10 to 12 Months Baby Sleep Schedule
First, let’s get the most important question answered and out of the way:
Will I ever sleep again?
The answer is...YES! Having a newborn baby is exhausting - we know! Infant sleep hours feel erratic and unpredictable at first. But there will be a light at the end of the tunnel! Our newborn sleep schedules will help you decode your baby's sleep and guide you along the way to “sleep success” (A.K.A. a peaceful ☺, full-night's sleep EVERY. NIGHT.). It will take patience, but our newborn sleep schedules will help you get there.
How do I make sure my baby gets the right amount of sleep?
Overstimulation during the day can cause your baby to either sleep too little or sleep when they should be eating, due to exhaustion.
Newborn babies need to be fed frequently to ensure proper development.
If your newborn baby becomes overtired (meaning they've been awake too long between naps) they will become fussy, and harder to settle for sleep. We've given age-targeted tips to help avoid overstimulation and improve your baby's sleep in the sleep schedules below. For more information on how much sleep your baby needs and how long they should be sleeping at a time (as well as when you should consider waking your baby to feed) read How Much Do Newborns Sleep?
Learning your baby's sleep cycle
While your baby has your nose or eyes, the two of you couldn't be farther apart when it comes to sleep cycle! The main reason your newborn's sleep patterns are unpredictable is because of their evolving sleep cycle.
Adults can easily pass from one sleep cycle into the next without completely waking up. Newborns, however, don't stay in deep sleep (REM sleep) for long periods at a time, so they are more susceptible to frequent wake-ups.
Our post, Your Baby's Sleep Cycle, explains more in-depth about how your baby's sleep cycle is linked to their sleep patterns.
Around 3 or so months, your baby's sleep cycle will change to look a little more like yours, which is why this is the same age you'll notice more stable and predictable sleeping patterns emerge. Unfortunately, shortly after 3 months into the 4th month, your baby also goes through many physiological changes, which may affect their sleep cycle and patterns; commonly called the 4 month sleep regression.
To learn more about the changes to your baby's sleep cycle and how to cope with sleep regression, read our post 10 Tips to Surviving the 4 Month Sleep Regression.
How much sleep does my baby need?
The short answer: A LOT. Your newborn will spend the majority of time sleeping, and the rest of their time eating - this is especially true for the first few weeks. As a 6-week-old baby, your newborn will sleep up to 18 hours for every 24 hour period - in their first few days of being alive, they'll sleep even more! Of course, as your baby grows they'll need less and less sleep each day.
Our newborn sleep schedules break it down for you and apps can help you track naps and nighttime sleep.
Zen Sleepwear™ is gently weighted to help soothe babies to sleep, so they can start learning healthy sleep habits while getting the rest they need.
| Help your baby get the sleep they need with gently weighted Zen Sleepwear Learn more |
Wondering if your newborn is sleeping too much? Want to learn more about how much your newborn should sleep and why? We've got answers in our article How Much Do Newborns Sleep?
Newborn sleep schedules
0-6 Weeks: sleep survivalYour newborn baby's sleep patterns: look irregular and erratic. This is the true “newborn” stage. Like we mentioned, your baby will be spending most of their time snoozing, only waking to eat.
| From the experts “Up to 6 weeks it is typical that little ones are unable to stay up beyond the 35 to 40 minute mark. This means that they are essentially awake to get cleaned up, put on a new outfit, get a full feed, get cleaned up again, get another new outfit, and then nap again! Sometimes there isn't even time for the wardrobe change! Around 6 weeks, this awake threshold is right around 45 minutes, which still goes quickly!” - Brittney Stefanic, Brittney Stefanic Sleep Consulting |
The biggest challenge: You'll feel like you're in a constant eat-snooze-poop cycle. This is usually the most exhausting stage for parents despite so many baby sleep hours, as you'll only ever get a few hours of sleep at a time. This is why we've named this the “sleep survival” stage. During this time, focus on making sure your baby gets all the rest, love, and care they need - that's what's most important.
Avoid introducing sleep aids or associations if you can, but ultimately, just do what you need to do to make sure your baby AND YOU are getting enough rest.
Baby sleep schedule: 0-6 weeks
| Your day should start around... | 7 AM |
| Total hrs of sleep (in a 24-hr period) | 15 to 18 hours |
| Naps | 3 to 5 naps, each 15 minutes to 3 hours long |
| Time awake between sleeps | 30 minutes to 1 hour |
| Longest stretch of nighttime sleep | 2 to 4 hours |
| Bedtime should be around... | 9:30 to 11 PM |
When to feed: Whenever baby needs it - which will be often! Their tiny stomachs can only hold so much, so expect to feed any time they wake up!
| From the experts “During this phase of adjusting to life with new baby, it is most important to ensure that their feed and sleep needs are being met. |
The only "sleep rule" for this young age, is to ensure that baby is sleeping in a safe sleep environment without added items in their crib or bassinet, and laid flat on their back. If ever in question, remember the ABCs of safe sleep: Alone, on their Backs in an empty Crib or bassinet!"
Zen tip: Take time to help your newborn clear up any day/night confusion. At this age, it’s too early to have a super structured sleep schedule. While you can start implementing a simple bedtime routine, your baby is just going to sleep whenever they feel like it. Instead, teaching them the difference between day and night (that’s right - all babies need to LEARN the difference!) by keeping days bright and full of activity and nights dark, calm, and quiet, you’ll help them make an association that will help them sleep better as they grow.
| From the experts “One of the best ways to clear up the day/night confusion common during weeks 0 to 12, or the 4th trimester, is to expose baby to natural light during the daytime and keep them in a dark room during the night to allow their circadian rhythm and hormone (melatonin and cortisol to name a few) levels to start to adjust to life outside the womb. |
I always recommend to my prenatal and newborn clients that feeding their new baby the first feed of the day occurs in a room with as much natural light as possible, rather than in a dark bedroom or nursery. This tiny trick can make a big difference in expediting how our little bundles adjust to the day and night needs.”Your newborn's sleep pattern: is starting to emerge into a true pattern! She's probably able to stay awake a little longer between sleeps, and you're getting an idea of the times she starts to get sleepy. Still, your baby probably won't be awake for more than a couple hours at a time.
| From the experts “Even at 3 months old, the total time that babies are able remain awake without becoming overstimulated or overtired is only 1. |
5 hours. Remember this is time spent awake from the end of one nap to the start of the next, and it should include a full feed! Though this is a big jump from the quick 45 minutes at 6 weeks old, it still can speed by for a lot of parents, especially if they are trying to fit in running errands or taking care of things around the house. In these cases, it can be helpful to set an alarm or timer when baby gets up from their nap to help remind parents when it is time to start the next one!”
The Biggest Challenge: You are EXHAUSTED from those first 6 weeks of constant ups and downs. You're ready to get your baby snoozing for longer stretches - especially at night! But it's not easy, and it won't happen overnight. During the “sleep survival” stage, you may have introduced some habits that aren't sustainable in the long run, like feeding or rocking to sleep. Starting to introduce good sleep habits at this point will help lay the foundation for healthy sleep patterns.
| From the experts “Nighttime sleep can consolidate early, especially if newborns learn the skill of connecting sleep cycles without being fed to sleep from an early age. I have worked with many families that approach a solid 6 hour stretch of sleep after bedtime by 6 weeks old.” - Brittney Stefanic, Brittney Stefanic Sleep Consulting |
| Your day should start around... | 6 to 6:30 AM |
| Total hrs of sleep (in a 24-hr period) | 14 to 16 hours |
| Naps | 3 to 4 naps, each 30 minutes to 3 hours long |
| Time awake between sleeps | 45 minutes to 2 hours |
| Longest stretch of nighttime sleep | 3 to 6 hours |
Bedtime should be around. .. | 8 to 10 PM |
When to Feed: Your baby's stomach is a little bigger now, so they'll stay full for longer, but babies at this age still typically need to be fed every few hours - including throughout the night.
Zen tip: Here's when you can start implementing a baby bedtime routine. You've probably already picked up on the things that seem to soothe your baby. Stories? Baths? Swaddling? Try some different calming activities out and develop a nighttime routine that helps relax your baby and prepare them for sleep. Having a consistent routine is SO important for healthy sleep.
Overstimulation in the evening can make it difficult for your baby to settle to sleep. Try bathing, cuddling, singing, playing quiet music or reading, with a clearly defined end point when you leave the room. Begin these activities before your baby is overtired in a quiet, softly lit room. - Mayo Clinic
The Zen Swaddle makes a great addition to any bedtime routine.
It's gently weighted center and sides help soothe babies more than a traditional swaddle blanket. The weight helps to mimic your touch, so they can feel your loving embrace, even once you put them down to sleep. Additionally, the Zen Swaddle is effective in combating Moro Reflex, which is prevalent in most babies until 5 to 6 months old.
| Sweeter Sleep Story “We love our Zen Swaddle! Emma Grace sleeps like a "baby" in her sweet pink swaddle. The weighted center works just like a hand gently resting on her chest. As soon as we finished swaddling her, she was ready to sleep. It works!" - Susan R., 3/19/2018 It's never too soon to start implementing healthy sleep habits. The Zen Swaddle is a great addition to a bedtime routine and, when used consistently like with Emma Grace, will become your baby's cue to sleep. |
| Add the Zen Swaddle to your bedtime routine for better sleep Try the Zen Swaddles |
Additionally, take note of your baby’s sleepiness cues.
You don’t want to let your baby get overtired. Knowing and noticing their sleepiness cues will help you put them to bed while they’re drowsy and awake (another tip for good sleep!) and avoid an overtired baby.
4-6 Months: establishing healthy sleep habits
Your newborn’s sleep patterns: might appear to be changing. The 4 to 6 month mark is a time of transition for your baby - especially when it comes to their sleep! These transitions cause sleep to look very different depending on the baby. Some babies might be down to just 2 naps per day, others will still be fighting to get their baby to sleep during naptime (read our Naptime Guide for tips). Some babies will be experiencing a sleep regression due to changes in their sleep cycle (read more about the 4 month sleep regression) while others could potentially be sleeping through the night.
Regardless of what your baby's sleep looks like from 4-6 months, know that a full night's sleep is finally within your reach! In When Do Babies Sleep Through the Night, we explain when you can expect your baby to start staying asleep right through the night based on certain developmental milestones, most of which are passed around 4-6 months of age.
The Biggest Challenge: Transitions will be your biggest challenge during this time. Whether it's a visible transition, like transitioning out of swaddling or moving from the bassinet to the crib, or a transition you might not be able to see, like the changes to their sleep cycle, know that these transitions are temporary, therefore, so are the associated challenges. Luckily, we have many resources that can guide you through these transitions:
Learn When to Stop Swaddling and about our 4-Step Swaddle Transition Plan
Learn 10 Tips to Survive the 4 Month Sleep Regression
Some parents also seek out a sleep coach or start sleep training around this age. If you'd like to learn more about sleep training and what it is, check out our Sleep Training Guide.
Baby sleep schedule: 4 to 6-month-old sleep schedule| Your day should start around... | 7 to 8 AM |
| Total hrs of sleep (in a 24-hr period) | 12 to 15 hours |
| Naps | Usually 3 naps, each 1 to 3 hours long |
| Time awake between sleeps | 1. |
| Longest stretch of nighttime sleep | 4 to 8 hours |
| Bedtime should be around... | 8:30 to 9:30 PM |
5 to 2.5 hoursWhen to Feed:
Your babies feedings are probably consolidated by now, but that still means you're feeding 5 to 6 times throughout the day. Many babies also still have at least one nighttime feed at this age - but it might not be necessary. Check with your paediatrician to make sure it's safe to start weaning the nighttime feed(s) and then follow our Zen Tip to break the association.
Zen Tip:
Now is the time to start breaking sleep associations. A sleep association could be anything that aids your baby in falling asleep. Some sleep associations, such as swaddling or white noise, are positive.
Others, like rocking or nursing to sleep, are negative because they aren't sustainable. All babies need to learn to self-soothe at some point, and slowly breaking negative sleep associations is the first step. Once they no longer rely on any outside help to fall asleep, they'll be able to learn to fall asleep independently. If you're feeding your baby to sleep, start weaning from feedings by shortening them. If you're rocking her to sleep, rock her for shorter periods of time before putting her down.
The Zen Sack™ can be especially helpful in breaking sleep associations and overcoming transitions. The Zen Sack's gently weighted center offers a similar comfort and pressure to swaddling, making it the ideal swaddle transition product. Additionally, the weighted center mimics your touch, which can help babies relax and begin learning to self-soothe.
| Sweeter Sleep Story “My 3 month old daughter would not sleep in her own bed. - Chelsey C., 4/15/2018 |
Her dad or I would have to stay up all night, holding her, and we were exhausted. Every time we laid her down she would wake up! Once we started with the Zen Sack, immediately things started changing for us. Not only is our little girl sleeping in her own bed, she will also fall asleep on her own! Thanks Nested Bean!" The Zen Sack™ helps break sleep associations and eases transitionsTry the Zen Sack |
Your baby’s sleep pattern: is completely unique! During this time, there's one thing we can't stress enough: EVERY BABY IS DIFFERENT! Some babies progress faster than others - so while your baby might still only sleep 4 hour stretches at night, your friend's baby might have been sleeping through the night for a month now.
If you are just beginning to implement a consistent bedtime routine, learning your baby's sleepiness cues, and starting to break sleep associations, then it's going to take your baby a little longer to reach the sleeping through the night milestone - but that's okay! You should still see a distinct sleeping pattern at this age, and you can use that to start implementing all the Zen Tips you might have missed until now (look back at the other ages' sleep schedules to review them).
The Biggest Challenge: Sleeping Through the Night. Some parents might have gotten lucky and their baby is already sleeping through the night at this point! Other parents are still patiently waiting. If you're part of the second group, don't stress. Many babies don't sleep through the night until after 6 months old. First, review our article When Do Babies Sleep Through the Night to make sure your baby has passed the developmental milestones necessary to start sleeping through the night.
If they have, wonderful! Now you can move on to our 8 Solutions To Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night to help overcome this challenge. Also know that according to the National Sleep Foundation, 70-80% of babies are sleeping through the night by 9 months old - so chances are a good night's sleep is just around the corner!
Baby sleep schedule: 6-10 months
| Your day should start around... | 7 AM |
| Total hrs of sleep (in a 24-hr period) | 11 to 15 hours |
| Naps | 2 or 3 naps, each 1 to 3 hours long |
| Time awake between sleep | 2 or 3 hours |
| Longest stretch of nighttime sleep | 5 to 10 hours |
Bedtime should be around. .. | 8 to 9:30 PM |
When to Feed: Some pediatricians recommend adding in solid foods at 6+ months old. You'll still be breast or bottle feeding up to 5 times per day, but also supplementing with solid foods. To learn more about what solid food servings should look like, consult your pediatrician.
Zen tip: Now that you’ve started breaking sleep associations, you’ll need to help teach your baby to self soothe. Here’s what you can do: Remember those sleepiness cues? Use those to make sure you are putting your baby to sleep drowsy, but awake. Putting her down while she’s still awake will help her practice falling asleep on her own. If you are still trying to wean night time feedings, give a dream feed a try, or keep cutting back on feeding time.
You can also use the Zen Sack to teach your baby to self soothe. Start by putting them down drowsy but awake in their Zen Sack.
Then gently pat or rub the weighted center of the Zen Sack with your hand to help them make the association between the weight and your touch. Let them drift off to sleep, and if they wake up and cry out for you, just pat the weighted center again to soothe them. Try to avoid picking them up, as that can sometimes just re-stimulate them. The gentle pressure from the weighted center helps calm babies and they can use it to soothe themselves back to sleep without your help. You may even notice that your baby starts patting the weighted center themself to soothe back to sleep!
Learn more about how to teach self-soothing with the Zen Sack here.
Some parents decide to try sleep training around this age. To learn more, check out our Sleep Training Guide.
| Sweeter Sleep Story “My baby sleeps really well when she has her Zen Sack on. She likes to stroke the front of the sack while she falls asleep. - Velda M., 3/14/2018 |
I really like that it gives her the reassurance of a light when on her chest when I move her from lap to crib, which we all know is the most crucial part of getting the baby to sleep!" The gently weighted Zen Sack helps teach your baby to fall asleep independentlyTry the Zen Sack |
10-12 Months: avoiding sleep setbacks
Your baby’s sleep patterns: look a bit more like an adults - except for the naps ;) Most likely, your baby is starting to sleep through the night, taking a couple naps a day and is spending much more of their time playing and exploring instead of sleeping!
The Biggest Challenge: At this stage, your biggest challenge will be any potential setbacks. Sleep regressions commonly occur at 8, 9, or 10 months old, and some babies even experience sleep regressions at 12 months old (when they’re getting ready to drop the 2nd nap).
Different milestones, changes to routine or environment, and separation anxiety are some of the causes of sleep regressions or setbacks at this age. Read more about each type of sleep regression in Surviving Sleep Regressions.
Baby sleep schedule: 10-12 months
| Your day should start around... | 6 to 7:30 AM |
| Total hrs of sleep (in a 24-hr period) | 11 to 14 hours |
| Naps | 1 or 2 naps, each 1 to 2 hours long |
| Time awake between sleeps | 2.5 to 3.5+ hours |
| Longest stretch of nighttime sleep | 7 to 12 hours |
Bedtime should be around. .. | 8 to 9 PM |
When to Feed: Usually you’ll still nurse or bottle feed 3 to 4 times per day, and supplement with solid foods. You may notice an increase in appetite around 10 months old due to the increase in your baby’s activity levels. This might require extra snacks throughout the day. Most babies are able to sleep through the night without a feeding at this age.
Zen tip: If your baby does experience a sleep setback during this time, it can be especially frustrating, not to mention, discouraging. Just when you thought you had it all figured out, they suddenly stop sleeping through the night or they hate naps all of a sudden.
| From the experts “Responding with consistency and holding your baby to their personal best is a great way to overcome sleep setbacks as quickly as possible. |
It is important to minimize the confusion that our children experience by staying consistent in the messages we send them, in sleep and beyond!”For help with naptime, read How to Get My Baby to Nap.
For help with sleep regressions, read Surviving Sleep Regressions.
For additional sleep tips, read 7 Tips and Tricks on How to Get My Baby to Sleep.
For information on sleep training, read our Sleep Training Guide.
Baby sleep safety
No matter what age or stage your baby is at, it’s important to make sure their sleeping safely. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), your baby should always be placed on their back to sleep and the sleep surface should be firm and clear of all loose objects, including bedding, blankets, toys, stuffed animals, etc.
To learn more about baby sleep safety, especially when your baby starts to roll over, read Safe Sleep: Baby Sleeping on Side or Stomach.
To learn more about the AAP’s guidelines, visit How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained.
Sleeping through the night
While we walked you through the baby sleep schedules above, we explained that sleeping through the night happens around 6 months or older for most babies. Most babies will start sleeping longer stretches around the 6 week mark, but for some babies, the 4 to 6 week mark is the onset of colic or disruptive sleep due to other reasons. But it won’t last forever- I promise. Stay consistent with the feeding and sleep schedule, adapt to your baby’s changes and most importantly institute that consistent bedtime routine of bathing, reading, feeding, rocking. Before you know it, your baby will be sleeping through the night.
At 3-4 months old, your baby will still wake up once or twice to be fed, but the sleep stretches in-between will increase to 4-6 hours. You’ll see their number of naps reduce during the day, but again, the stretches of sleep will be longer.
Remember that trying to implement a later bedtime for your baby in the hopes that they will sleep later will not work. Your baby needs to be put down before they are overtired and will wake on their own schedule – whether that’s 4 a.m. or 7 a.m. Refer back to our newborn sleep schedules for a suggested bedtime, or check out our Age-by-Age Bedtime Chart.
In fact, don’t be surprised if around 12 to 15 weeks, you find yourself crawling out of bed at all hours of the night to go check on your little one, who (to your surprise) is sleeping soundly! This is an adjustment for you just as much as your baby. Once you get used to waking up to calm or feed your baby every few hours, it can feel really odd not to once it stops - sometimes even alarming.
| From the founder "Once I finally got our first son sleeping for those longer stretches, I still found myself waking up to go check on him and make sure he was okay. - Manasi Gangan, Founder & President, Nested Bean |
I even called our pediatrician to make sure nothing was wrong! She congratulated and assured me that it meant ‘He is getting good nutrition during daytime. Good job mom! Go get some sleep!’”Read When Do Babies Sleep Through the night to find out when you can expect your baby to sleep through the night based on the milestones he or she has reached.
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 can’t stress that enough. So, don’t compare your baby’s sleeping habits to another baby’s because they WILL be different. Like we said, some babies start sleeping for longer stretches right at six weeks (even earlier in some cases!) while other babies will take much longer to reach this milestone.
| From the founder "Our first son slept through the night by 12 weeks while our second son was such a poor sleeper that he inspired me to create the Zen Swaddle. Every baby is completely different!" - Manasi Gangan, Founder & President, Nested Bean |
Ultimately, YOU know what’s best for your baby, and YOU know when there’s something wrong. Don’t be stressing out when at 7 weeks your baby is still sleeping for 3 or 4 hours at a time while your friend’s baby is already sleeping through the night. If your instincts are telling you something’s up, call your pediatrician. But otherwise, just keep implementing those healthy sleep habits, sticking to your routine, and using your Zen Swaddle!
Other Sleep ResourcesHealthychildren.Org: How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe?
National Library of Medicine: Newborn Circadian Rhythm
Journals.
plos.org: Development of sleep states in the first weeks
National Library of Medicine: Help me make it through the night
Healthychildren.Org: Preemie Sleep Patterns
Common questions about newborn sleep schedules and patterns
What is a normal sleep pattern for a newborn?The best newborn sleep schedule is one that works well for your baby's natural sleeping pattern. Generally, newborns sleep for around 8 hours during the day and then a further 8 hours during the night. Their sleep will be broken up into smaller 'chunks' depending on their hunger levels.
How do you get a newborn sleep schedule?The best way to determine a good sleep schedule for your baby is to work around their natural waking and sleeping patterns. You can then work other things, such as feeding and changing, around their sleeping patterns also until you have an established schedule.
Most newborns will sleep in short bursts of around 2-3 hours through both the day and the night.
They will wake up to feed and to have a diaper change. Some newborns may be able to get more hours of sleep in a row and others may sleep even less!
It is perfectly normal for newborns to only sleep for short periods of time however, if you are struggling with their current routine, there are a few methods that may help them to sleep for longer. Keep in mind that all babies are different so these methods may not work for every child. If your newborn is struggling to sleep for longer periods of time you could try:
- Blackout curtains
- Tools to block out noise
- Temperature adjustments
- Sleeping audio
- Teaching your baby to self-soothe
- Dream feeding
0 to 6 months
0 to 3 months
Typical sleep at this age
At this age, the newborn sleeps quite a lot - approximately 17 to 18 hours a day during the first few weeks and 15 hours a day by three months.
Children almost never sleep more than three or four hours in a row, day or night. This means that you will not be able to sleep for many hours in a row either. You will have to get up at night to feed and change your baby; during the day you will play with it. While some babies sleep through the night as early as 8 weeks old, many babies don't get that far until they are 5 or 6 months old. You will help your child achieve this result sooner by instilling good sleep habits in him from the very beginning.
How to develop healthy sleep habits?
Here's what you can do at this age to help your child develop proper sleep habits:
Study your child's signs of fatigue. If you don't put him to bed longer than this time, he will be overtired and won't be able to sleep well. Watch until you notice that the child is becoming sleepy. Does he rub his eyes, tug at his ear, do faint dark circles appear under his eyes? If you observe these or any other signs of drowsiness, send him straight to the crib.
Soon you will become so familiar with your baby's daily rhythms and behaviors that you will develop a sixth sense and instinctively know when he is ready for bed.
Start explaining the difference between day and night
Some babies are owls (you may have noticed some hints of this during pregnancy). And while you want to turn off the light, the child may still be very active. For the first few days, you won't be able to do anything about it. But once your baby is about 2 weeks old, you can start teaching him to tell the difference between night and day.
When the child is alert and active during the day, play with him, turn on the lights in the house and in his room, do not try to reduce the usual daytime noises (sounds of the phone, TV or dishwasher). If he falls asleep while feeding, wake him up. Do not play with your child at night. When you enter his feeding room, dim the lights and noise, don't talk to him for too long. It won't be long before your baby starts to understand that night time is for sleep.
Give him a chance to fall asleep on his own
When your baby is 6 to 8 weeks old, start giving him a chance to fall asleep on his own. How? Put him to bed when he's sleepy but still awake, experts advise. They discourage motion sickness or feeding the baby before bed. “Parents think that if they start training a child too early, it will not work,” they say, “But this is not so. Babies develop sleep habits. If you rock your baby before bed every night for the first eight weeks, why should he expect anything different later?
What difficulties might arise?
By the time your baby is 2 or 3 months old, he may already be waking up at night more than he should and developing negative sleep associations.
Newborns must wake up at night for food, but some may accidentally wake themselves before they really need to feed. To avoid this, try swaddling your baby (wrap him snugly in a blanket) before putting him to bed at night.
Avoid unnecessary associations with sleep - your child should not depend on motion sickness, feeding in order to fall asleep.
Put the baby to bed before he falls asleep and let him fall asleep on his own.
3 to 6 months
Typical sleep at this age
Congratulations! Now all your nightly rises every two or three hours are over (hopefully). By 3 or 4 months, most babies sleep 15 hours a day, 10 of them at night, and the rest of the time is divided between three naps (which will decrease to two when your baby is 6 months old).
At the beginning of this period, you may still get up once or twice a night for feedings, but by 6 months your baby will be able to sleep through the night. But it will depend on whether you develop healthy sleep habits in him.
How to develop healthy sleep habits?
Set a clear night and day sleep schedule and stick to it.
While your baby was a newborn, you could decide when to put him to bed during the night, watching for signs of sleepiness (rubbing his eyes, rubbing his ear, etc.). Now that he's a little older, you should set specific times for him to sleep at night and during the day.
In the evening, a good time for a child is between 19.00 and 20.30. Later, he will most likely be too tired and it will be difficult for him to fall asleep. Your child may not look tired late at night - on the contrary, he may seem very energetic. But believe me, this is a sure sign that it's time for the baby to sleep.
In the same way, you can set your nap time - schedule it for the same time every day, or feel free to put your baby to bed when you see that he is tired and needs to rest. Either approach is acceptable as long as the baby is getting enough sleep.
Start establishing a bedtime ritual
If you haven't already, it's time to start at 3-6 months of age. A bedtime ritual for a child may include the following: give him a bath, play quiet games with him, read a bedtime story or two, sing a lullaby. Kiss him and say goodnight.
No matter what your family's ritual involves, you must do it in the same order, at the same time, every night.
Children need consistency, and sleep is no exception.
Wake your child up in the morning
If your child often sleeps more than 10 hours at night, it is advisable to wake him up in the morning. Thus, you will help him restore the mode. Keeping a nightly sleep schedule may not seem difficult to you, but remember that your child should sleep on schedule and during the day. Waking up at the same time every morning will help.
What difficulties might arise?
The two problems of nocturnal awakenings and the development of negative sleep associations (when your baby becomes dependent on motion sickness or feeding as a prerequisite for falling asleep) affect both newborns and older children. But by about 3-6 months, another problem may arise - difficulty falling asleep.
If your child has difficulty falling asleep in the evening, first make sure that he does not stay up too late (as we mentioned, an overtired child has difficulty falling asleep).
If this is not the case, then he may have developed one or more associations associated with sleep. Now is the time to get rid of them. The child must learn to fall asleep on his own, and not calmed down, thanks to your hands, chest, or dummy.
What tactics to get rid of associations to choose is up to you. The easiest option is to wait until the child “shouts out and falls asleep”, which is not suitable for everyone.
References
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- Magalhaes MGS., Teixeira JB., Santos AMB., Clímaco DCS., Silva TNS., Lima AMJ. Construct validity and reproducibility of the six-minute step test in subjects with obstructive sleep apnea treated with continuous positive airway pressure.
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