12/21/2024

Your Baby’s Sleep Habits

Understanding newborn sleep cycles and setting up healthy sleep habits can help your baby sleep better and support their overall growth and development.

Understanding babies’ normal sleep patterns and behaviours can also help you adjust your own sleep cycle, improving your physical and mental well-being.

Typical Newborn Sleep Patterns

Your newborn may sleep on average 14 to 18 hours a day. Babies typically sleep in stretches of one to three hours, but sometimes they sleep for as little as 15 minutes.

Since newborns can’t yet tell day from night, they need to eat often because their small bellies and growing brains need constant energy. Over the next few months, your baby will begin to sleep longer during the night.

Here is a guide to what you might expect from a typical newborn’s sleep pattern. Remember, every baby is unique, and your baby may follow a different schedule.

   Age    Average Sleep Amount
   Newborns
  • 14-18 hours of sleep per 24 hours
  • Many brief periods of sleep, ranging from 30 minutes to 3-4 hours at a time
  • Awake for two hours or less at a time
  • May cry a lot or have a fussy period of 3 to 6 hours, usually in the evening or at night
  • May sleep more during the day than during the night
   2-6 Months
  • 14-16 hours of sleep per 24 hours
  • 2-3 naps, ranging from 30 minutes to 3 hours at a time
  • After 3 months naps become more regular
  • May still have a fussy period, usually in the evening
  • May have longer sleep periods at night
   6-11 Months
  • 11-14 hours of sleep per 24 hours
  • two naps, ranging from 30 minutes to two hours
   12 Months
  • 10-13 hours of sleep per 24 hours
  • 1-2 naps, ranging from 30 minutes to two hours

(Adapted from Sleep Well, Sleep Safe, Best Start Resource Centre)

Tips to Help Your Baby Sleep Better

To help your baby adjust between day and night and sleep better:

  • Recognize when your baby is getting tired and try not to wait until they are overtired to lay them down to sleep. Keep an eye out for these typical signs of sleepiness:
    • Eye rubbing
    • Yawning
    • Turning their gaze away
    • Becoming fussy
  • Create a simple routine before naps and bedtime to help your baby associate it with sleep. Choose a few activities you both enjoy, such as breastfeeding, bathing, storytelling, singing, or massaging. This will signal to your baby that it’s time to sleep.
  • Try keeping noise and lighting at typical levels. Bright, well-lit, and normal everyday sounds during the day. If your baby wakes up for feeding at night, keep the environment calm with dim lights and minimal noise.
  • Feed your baby whenever they show hunger cues – signs of being hungry. Newborns typically feed at least 8 times within 24 hours. While some babies quickly develop a regular feeding schedule, others may prefer frequent, shorter feedings, especially during the evening or nighttime.
  • Save playtime for the daytime. Your newborn should have a few periods of wakefulness each day – this is a good time for play! Remember, tummy time is important for your baby every day.
  • Comfort your crying baby – it will not “spoil” them. Responding with affection helps them feel secure and teaches them that you are there when needed. Softly speak, sing, or gently stroke their forehead, as your presence alone may soothe them to sleep. This approach helps your baby learn to self-soothe and fall asleep on their own.

Services related to this information:

  • Contact your Public Health Nurse for immunizations and other prenatal support.
  • 811 HealthLine (Newfoundland & Labrador) – Call 811 or 1-888-709-2929 / TTY 1-888-709-3555

Eastern Zones:

http://hi.easternhealth.ca/healthy-living/pregnancy-birth-and-early-parenting/your-newborn/your-babys-sleep-habits/
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Last updated: 2024-12-19