Updated on
November 29, 2024
The early days, weeks, and months with your baby are filled with overwhelming love and new experiences, but they also come with questions and uncertainties - especially about sleep. How long should a newborn sleep at a time? How much sleep is normal? Where and how should a newborn sleep? When is the right time to start a sleep routine?
Babies and sleep often raise dozens of questions. If you're curious about sleep schedules and sleep habits for newborns, you're in the right place. Here, we address the most frequently asked questions to help you navigate this exciting yet challenging time.
So, your baby is between three and four months old (or older) and suddenly doesn’t want to sleep anymore? No wonder you’re concerned! Don’t blame yourself; it’s not your fault. The reasons for this challenging sleep behavior are biological—and completely NORMAL. Spoiler alert: Along with learning many new cognitive and motor skills, your baby is also learning how to sleep.
How does all of this connect? What do growth and developmental spurts have to do with it? And why shouldn’t you fear the infamous 4-month sleep regression? You’ll find out next.
Below, we answer the most common questions about the 4-month sleep regression:
The first three months with a newborn are like a survival camp. Period.
The nights are restless, and the days are chaotic: a nap here, a nap there. Routine, structure, and order quickly become foreign concepts. Simply put, a newborn’s (0–3 months) sleep is chaotic, unpredictable, and inconsistent.
It’s completely understandable that, over time, you start craving more structure. A sleep schedule with set nap times seems like the perfect solution. But you should hold off on trying to establish a fixed sleep schedule. Why?
Your baby is, well, a baby—not a clock that can be set and regulated. You can't control your baby’s sleep needs, nor should you try to. Sleep is incredibly important for your baby's physical, mental, and emotional development.
Sleep promotes sleep. Period.
So, your baby should sleep as much as they need—except when they need to be fed. Instead of clinging to a rigid sleep plan that might cause more frustration than peace, focus on your baby’s cues and stay flexible. The following guidelines can help you bring a bit more structure into your daily life together.
Newborns sleep a lot - a lot. Since they haven’t yet developed a fixed day-night rhythm, their "schedule" is simple and repetitive: feed, change diapers, sleep. Feed, change diapers, sleep. This cycle continues around the clock.
However, every day with your newborn is unique. Your baby’s sleep patterns are highly individual, so expect the unexpected. How and when your day starts depends on many factors: the quality of their nighttime sleep, wake windows, the number and length of naps, and growth spurts. The list goes on.
That’s why the following sleep schedule is just an example of what a day with your baby could look like. It’s not a strict routine, but rather a flexible guide to help shape your day:
This flexible routine provides a structure to follow, while allowing you to adapt to your baby’s individual needs. As your baby grows, these patterns will evolve naturally.
Your baby is finally here, and yes—everything has changed. Your entire life, including your sleep schedule, now revolves around your baby. After those first sleepless nights at home, it quickly becomes clear: A newborn's sleep pattern is chaotic.
But why is that?
It’s because your baby’s sleep rhythm is still developing. Newborns don’t yet have a fixed day-night cycle like we do as adults. The reason is simple: During pregnancy, it was cozy, warm, and above all, dark for nine months. Even though the fetus starts alternating between sleep and wake phases around the 36th week of pregnancy, these are still very irregular. After birth, your baby continues this unpredictable sleep-wake pattern—at least for the first three months. So, your patience will be needed.
In the early months, newborns have a very different sleep pattern than adults. Their sleep and wake phases are shorter, but more frequent. What does that mean for you? Your baby will wake up every 2 to 4 hours to be fed, changed, or cuddled. And that’s completely normal.
It’s only after the 4th month that a more regular circadian rhythm—often called the internal clock—begins to develop. Over time, your baby will learn to sleep for longer stretches, even at night. But remember, every newborn has their own unique sleep-wake cycle, which depends on their age and temperament. So be patient, even if things don’t always go as planned
Have you ever wondered why newborns (0–3 months) sleep so much? Here's why: Newborns need plenty of sleep because they are growing at an incredible rate, both physically and cognitively. Even while sleeping, their brains are hard at work—forming new neural connections and processing the day’s impressions and sounds. Sleep is crucial as it supports your baby's physical, mental, and emotional development.
Sleep. Eat. Repeat. Sounds like a dream—especially for sleep-deprived parents. Newborns have a very high sleep requirement and spend most of their day sleeping. In the first few weeks, newborns typically sleep 16 to 18 hours within a 24-hour period.
That sounds great, right? Well, yes and no. Newborns don’t sleep for long stretches at a time—they take many short naps. They usually sleep in fragments, meaning they wake up frequently, sometimes every 2 hours, to be fed.How many naps a newborn needs is entirely individual and depends on your baby’s personal sleep needs. Anything between 20 and 120 minutes is normal. Some babies wake every 2 hours to eat, while others need to be woken up every 2–3 hours to ensure they’re getting enough calories.
Is this normal? Absolutely. Every baby is different. If your baby doesn’t fit neatly into this pattern, there’s no need to worry. There’s a wide range of what’s considered “normal.” However, if you’re unsure whether your baby is sleeping too much or too little, don’t hesitate to talk to your midwife or pediatrician.
What’s important to understand is that a baby’s sleep needs can’t be controlled—they are influenced by factors such as hunger, developmental milestones, growth spurts, and more.
What you can control is how you handle your baby’s sleep rhythm. With understanding, love, and patience, you and your baby will get through this time together.
Newborns and infants have an especially high need for sleep, as it is crucial for their growth and development. Newborns spend most of the day asleep, typically sleeping 16 to 18 hours a day, divided into several short naps. As your baby grows, their sleep pattern begins to change, with sleep phases becoming longer and more regular.
By around three months, your baby’s sleep-wake cycle starts to stabilize. This means they can stay awake for longer periods without much effort and begin sleeping for longer stretches at night. This gradual shift helps lay the foundation for a more consistent routine as they continue to develop.
If you have any specific questions about your baby’s sleep needs or are concerned about their sleep patterns, it's always helpful to consult your pediatrician for guidance.
Sleep chart
Newborn wake windows (0–3 months) are very short, typically lasting only 30 to 40 minutes, with a maximum of 1 hour. In the first few weeks, these wake periods are often irregular, and you’ll notice that your baby gets tired quickly. As soon as you see signs of tiredness, such as yawning, rubbing eyes, or fussiness, it’s best to put your baby to sleep to avoid overtiredness.
Use these wake windows as an opportunity to bond with your baby. During these moments, your baby is alert and aware of their surroundings. This is the perfect time to change their diaper, feed them, or offer gentle stimulation—sometimes, simply talking to your baby is enough.
As your baby gets older, their sleep-wake rhythm becomes more stable, and by 4 to 12 weeks of age, many babies can stay awake for up to 90 minutes. You can find more about wake windows by age here.
During the first 12 weeks, newborn wake windows gradually extend as your baby grows. Here’s an overview of typical wake times by age:
Keep in mind that every baby is different, and these times can vary. Always watch for your baby’s tiredness cues to avoid overtiredness.
Sleep regressions are phases in which baby's and toddler's sleep pattern can temporarily change due to growth spurts. This is a normal part of child development and often occurs around four, eight, twelve, 18, and 24 months of age. During these phases, babies and toddlers may have difficulty falling asleep and sleep poorly - at night as well as during the day. Fortunately, sleep regressions are not permanent; after a developmental leap, your child's sleep should return to normal. Parents can help their child navigate a sleep regression with a personalized sleep plan, along with consistent routines and rituals.
Are you unsure whether your baby has sleep regression and would like to understand your baby's sleep patterns? With Happy Baby, you can record your baby's sleep and create an individual sleep plan that helps you through the difficult phases.
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