Bringing a new baby into the world is magical, yet it comes with the challenge of establishing sleep habits as well as figuring out their sleep needs, cues, and overall temperament.
A consistent sleep schedule is helpful for ensuring both baby and parents get the rest they need. In this detailed guide, we'll walk you through specific baby sleep schedules by age for the first year, providing insights and practical tips for a well-rested family.
Month 1-3: Sleep Recommendations for the Newborn Stage
During the first three months, babies are adjusting to life outside the womb. Sleep is often irregular, with short cycles of wakefulness. Between weeks 8-11, their circadian rhythm develops and you start to come out of the newborn fog. Establish a flexible routine that includes feeding, diaper changes, and short periods of awake time.
Overview for the first few months:
Aim for 14-17 hours of sleep per day, broken into 4-7+ naps.
Sleep occurs in 20 min to 2 hour increments (more if you’re lucky). Naps are frequent, and can be short, especially if they’re not held.
Focus on soothing bedtime rituals.
Embrace contact naps to prevent overtiredness.
Night time sleep typically becomes more organized first and your “long” stretch of sleep may begin to develop (3+ hour stretch after bedtime, frequent wakings after aren’t uncommon).
Usually eats 3+ times a night
Baby Sleep Schedules by Age: Months 1-3
We don't recommend having your child on a strict schedule as a newborn; it's pretty impossible due to the irregularity of their sleep and it can lead to frustration, anxiety for parents, and even worse: a failure to thrive situation for a baby.
Here's what a sample day may look like for a baby sleep schedule in months 1-3:
7:00am wake up, eat, play
8:00-9:00am nap in bassinet, eat, play
10-10:30am nap in crib, eat, play
11:30-1:00pm nap in carrier, eat, play
2-3:15pm nap in bassinet, eat, play
4:30-5:00pm nap in car, eat, play
6-7:00pm nap in carrier, eat, play
8-8:45pm nap while parents watch a show, eat, bedtime routine
10:00pm bedtime
Month 4-6: Sleep Schedules During the 4 Month Regression
Around the fourth month, babies begin to develop more regular sleep patterns. Many infants start to sleep for longer stretches at night. Introduce a consistent bedtime routine, and consider sleep training methods if necessary.
Overview for 4-6 month olds:
Encourage self-settling with sleep training
Establish a consistent sleep environment (dark, cool, white noise)
Aim for 12-15 hours of sleep per day, with 3 naps during the day.
Night feedings are still normal (0-3ish feedings)
Bedtime may move earlier during this time
10-12 hours of night time sleep (in their crib for that amount of time)
3-4 hours of day sleep.
Sample schedule with 4 naps:
7:00am wake up, eat, play
8:15-10:00am nap, eat, play
11:30-12:45pm nap, eat, play
2:15-3:45pm nap, eat, play
5:15-5:45pm nap, eat, play
7:00pm bedtime
Sample schedule with 3 naps:
Wake up time: ideally anytime between 6-7:00am
Nap 1: nap beginning between 8:30-9:00am
Nap 2: nap beginning between 12:00-1:00pm
Nap 3: usually this will happen around 4:00pm (but our goal is 2 hours after nap 2 ends)
Bedtime: 6-7:00pm, or 2 hours after nap 3
For example, your schedule might look like
nap 1: 9:00-10:30
nap 2: 12:30-2:00pm
nap 3: 4-4:45 pm
bedtime: 6:45pm
Month 7-9: Sleep Schedule when Transitioning to 2 naps
By the seventh month, babies often consolidate sleep into more predictable patterns. This is an excellent time to establish a more structured daily schedule. Introduce solid foods if you haven't already and ensure your baby is well-fed before bedtime.
Overview for 7-9 month old schedules:
Create a consistent sleep environment.
Monitor nap lengths to avoid disrupting nighttime sleep.
Aim for 12-14 hours of sleep per day, with 2-3 naps during the day.
Sleep is consolidating and they may drop their night feeds
10-12 hours of night time sleep
2.5-3.5 hours of day time sleep
Sample Schedule for 2 naps:
Wake up time: ideally anytime between 6-7:00am
Nap 1: begin between 9:00-9:30amam (9am is a pretty average starting time for nap 1)
Nap 2: begin between 1:00-2:00:pm (leaning towards 1pm for a younger child)
Bedtime: 6-7:00pm, or 3-3.5 hours after nap 2.
For example, your schedule might look like
nap 1: 9:00-10:15/10:30am
nap 2: 1-3:00,
bedtime 6/6:30pm based on cues)
Month 10-12: Holding off the 2-1 nap transition
As your baby approaches their first birthday, they may be ready for more independence in sleep. This is a good time to transition from multiple naps to a more consolidated nap schedule. Aim for 11-14 hours of sleep per day, with 2 naps during the day.
Overview for maintaining 2 naps
Adjust nap schedules as needed and try to front load awake time in preparation for the transition to 1 nap (eg 4/4/3 as the end goal on 2 naps)
Aim for 10-12 hours of overnight sleep
2-3 hours of day sleep, 2 naps
Sample schedule for 2 naps:
Wake up time: ideally anytime between 6-7/7:30am
Nap 1: begin at approximately 9:30/10:00am
Nap 2: begin at approximately 2:00/2:30pm
Bedtime: have baby asleep for the night 3-3.5 hours MAX after waking from second nap
For example, your schedule might look like nap 1: 9:30-11:00am, then nap 2: 2-3:30, then bedtime 6:30/7pm based on cues).
If you’re using awake times for one nap, we usually like to make sure you’ve maxed out your two nap schedule first. This helps minimize the overtiredness that is nearly inevitable when you transition to one nap. It’s a very big jump in awake times. Some schedules are a 3/4/4 (11 hours of total awake time) example, but I find that 4/4/3 makes the transition more seamless because you’re not going from 3 hours of WT to 4.5-5+ hours. Going from 4 to 4.5-5 is a much easier shift!
I like to start with 4.5-5/5-5.5 or 5/5 depending on the age of the child when they’re transitioning (ie the younger the child, the lower the starting awake time).
One nap schedule by the clock:
If you’re using by the clock, you may start the 2-1 transition with nap starting between 11:00am to 12:00pm. This also depends on what time your child wakes up in the morning (as these times make sense for a child waking between 6:30-7am and not for a child who wakes at 6am or 8am).
OPTION 1: Early in the transition
Wake up time: ideally anytime between 6:30-7:00am
Nap: 11:30/12-1:30/2:00pm (1.5-3 hours is an appropriate nap length)
Bedtime: 6-7:00pm, or 4.5-5 hours after nap/out of crib time from nap.
*the closer your nap starts at 12, (mid day) the better it typically settles for their circadian rhythm.
*The ranges in the start times above allow you to tune into your baby’s sleep cues to determine where in that range they should go down for nap.
OPTION 2: Older child, later in the transition
Wake up time: ideally anytime between 6:30/7:00am
Nap: 12:30/1:00pm-2:30/3:00pm
Bedtime: have baby asleep for the night 5 or so hours after the end of the nap (aiming for 10-10.5 hours of total awake time)
For example, your schedule might look like
wake up at 7:00am
nap: 12:30-2:30pm
bedtime 7:30pm
A combination of these might look like:
a consistent morning wake up/out of bed time
which leads to a consistent start time for your first nap
you’d use awake time to determine when bedtime is
Want to read up on more schedule topics? Check these other blogs out:
Navigating the first year involves adapting to your baby's changing sleep needs. Establishing a consistent sleep schedule, aligned with their age, lays the foundation for healthy sleep habits. Pay attention to your baby's cues, be patient, and remember that quality sleep is crucial for their growth and development. Sweet dreams!
Author:
Ashley Olson is a certified pediatric sleep consultant, owner of Heaven Sent Sleep and co-founder of Raising Happy Sleepers and The Collective for Family Rest and Wellness, and is passionate about helping new parents, experienced parents, and desperate and sleep-deprived parents form healthy sleep habits for their children.
She has over 6 years of experience in working with families and has completed over 150 hours of coursework plus continuing education related to infant and toddler sleep. The focus of her work is on fostering a routine that grows your bond with your child while improving their sleep habits. She specializes in custom sleep plans and one-on-one support in changing sleep practices!