As a parent one question we all wonder, how much sleep does my baby need? And what time should my baby be sleeping? There is no simple answer to this. Parents often share to another all the dramas they have had with their little ones and the constant struggles we face each day, along with all the other challenges of parenting.

Newborns

Most newborns don’t have definite day and night sleep patterns. They’re still learning to tell the difference between day and night. Newborns generally sleep for 16-20 hours in a 24-hour period, but they wake every 2-4 hours to be fed.

During the first 12 weeks usually newborns start to develop day and night sleep patterns. By 3 months, babies average 14-15 hours of sleep per 24-hour period.

3-6 months

At this age, most babies sleep 10-18 hours in a 24-hour period.

On average, they sleep around 14 hours. Sleeping patterns vary a lot especially at this age, but generally while they’re 3-6 months, they nap 3 times during the day.

6-12 months

During these months most babies sleep for around 14 hours in a 24-hour period.

While there is a lot on the internet about “how much should my baby sleep” all parents eventually work out a routine that best suits their babies needs.

With my first I constantly had struggles with him actually falling asleep at night. Hours and hours of lying on the floor next to the cot, waiting for him to close his eyes and doze off. You would think that a little person like that would just pass out from a day full of activities but no! Thankfully at the age of 3 he falls asleep at the click of a finger, on the other hand, my other child slept like this from the start. In the end, sleeping habits will always be unique to your baby.

I wish your baby and family, happy sleeping!