The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends 12–16 hours of sleep per 24 hours for babies aged 4–12 months and 11–14 hours for toddlers aged 1–2, including naps, and the American Academy of Pediatrics endorses these ranges. There is no official range for babies under 4 months. Newborns sleep in short stretches around the clock, and the NHS guide to helping your baby sleep says their total can be around 18 hours. Naps then shrink from six or more a day to two for most babies at 8–12 months, and one for most toddlers by around 18 months.
This page brings the numbers together by age, explains where each one comes from, and links to a detailed schedule for each stage. Treat everything here as a range to work within, not a target your baby has to hit.
How much sleep does a baby need at each age?
Total sleep comes from the AASM and the NHS. Nap counts come from Nemours KidsHealth and Sleep Foundation. Wake windows (the awake time between sleeps) come from the ranges a Cleveland Clinic paediatrician gives.
| Age | Total sleep per 24 h | Naps a day | Wake windows (convention) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 months | No AASM range; NHS: varies, can be around 18 h | Many short sleeps (6 or more for newborns) | 0.5–1 h, then 1–2 h from 1 month |
| 4–5 months | 12–16 h (AASM) | Often 3–4 | 1.25–2.5 h; 2–4 h from 5 months |
| 6–8 months | 12–16 h (AASM); around 15 h (NHS) | 2–3 | 2–4.5 h |
| 9–12 months | 12–16 h (AASM); around 15 h (NHS) | Usually 2 | 2.5–4.5 h; 3–6 h from 10 months |
| 12–18 months | 11–14 h (AASM); 12–15 h (NHS) | 2, moving to 1 | No published range; go by nap timing |
| 18 months–3 years | 11–14 h to age 2, then 10–13 h (AASM) | 1; most drop it between 3 and 5 | Nap ends 3–4.5 h before bed |
Sources for the nap column: Sleep Foundation's wake-window guide (six or more newborn naps), Sleep Foundation on the 4-month change (three to four naps around 4 months), KidsHealth on naps (2–3 naps from 4–12 months), KidsHealth on 8–12 months (two naps), KidsHealth on toddlers (one nap from around 18 months) and Sleep Foundation on 2-year-old naps (nap timing). Sleep Foundation pages differ on how many children have stopped napping by 3, so the table gives the wider range: KidsHealth on naps says many children give up their nap between 3 and 5, as the guide to dropping the nap explains.
Wake windows are a practical convention, not clinical guidance. No public-health body publishes them, and the Cleveland Clinic page doesn't cite research for its ranges. Sleep Foundation's chart is wider still, for example 1.5–6 hours at 7–10 months, which shows how loose these numbers are. Read wake windows by age for how to use them well.
Why is there no official number for newborns?
The AASM panel made no recommendation for babies under 4 months, citing "the paucity of published outcomes in infants this young" in its consensus methodology paper. KidsHealth gives 14–17 hours as typical up to 3 months, and Sleep Foundation's overview of baby sleep says newborn needs range from about 11 to 19 hours. The Better Health Channel puts it simply: if your child is content and healthy, it's a sign they're getting enough sleep.
Why do the NHS and AASM numbers differ?
The AASM gives ranges for sleeping "on a regular basis to promote optimal health". The NHS gives approximate figures for what children usually sleep. So the NHS says babies sleep around 12–15 hours in total after their first birthday and most 2-year-olds need about 12–14 hours, while the AASM range for ages 1–2 is 11–14 hours. For ages 3–5, the NHS says about 12 hours and the AASM says 10–13. Both are reasonable guides, and neither is a pass mark.
Using corrected age for premature babies
If your baby was born early, compare them with the age bands using their corrected age. The AAP's corrected age guide gives the example of a baby born 8 weeks early who, at 4 months old, has a corrected age of 2 months, and suggests using corrected age for the first 2 years. Sleep Foundation notes that premature babies often need more sleep than full-term babies early on.
How does sleep split between day and night?
Total sleep falls only a little over the first 2 years. What changes most is the split: daytime sleep shrinks and night sleep grows. These averages come from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
| Age | Total | At night | In the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 16 h | 8–9 h | 8 h |
| 3 months | 15 h | 9–10 h | 4–5 h |
| 6 months | 14 h | 10 h | 4 h |
| 9 months | 14 h | 11 h | 3 h |
| 12 months | 14 h | 11 h | 3 h |
| 18 months | 13.5 h | 11 h | 2.5 h |
| 2 years | 13 h | 11 h | 2 h |
They are averages, not targets, so your baby may sit above or below them and be completely fine. The pattern is the useful part: once night sleep reaches about 11 hours, the daytime total keeps shrinking, which is why naps drop away.
What does the sleep schedule look like at each stage?
Newborn: 0–3 months
Newborns sleep on and off around the clock, waking every couple of hours to feed, according to KidsHealth. Sleep Foundation says newborns may take six or more naps a day and that there's no need to try to stretch their wake windows to lengthen sleep. The NHS suggests helping your baby learn that night is different from day from the start: daylight and play by day, low light and a quiet voice at night. See newborn sleep patterns for what's normal in these weeks.
3–5 months
Sleep Foundation describes three to four daytime naps and around 10–12 hours of night-time sleep as typical at about 4 months. It also says it's normal for a 4-month-old to wake one to three times a night for feeding or comfort. Sleep cycles mature around this age, which is why naps and nights can suddenly get choppier. See the 3–5 month sleep schedule and the 4-month sleep regression.
6–8 months
KidsHealth on 4–7 months says that by 6 months most babies sleep 9 hours or longer at night, with brief wakings, and have at least two naps adding up to about 3–4 hours of daytime sleep. Some babies are still on three naps while others have moved to two. Sleep Foundation says separation anxiety often starts around 6 months, and solids usually start around now too (the AAP advises not before about 6 months). See the 6–8 month sleep schedule and three to two naps.
9–12 months
KidsHealth says babies aged 8–12 months need 12–16 hours a day, including a night stretch of 9–12 hours, and will likely still take two naps of anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. It also notes that sleep problems are common in the second half of the first year, partly because of separation anxiety. See the 9–12 month sleep schedule and the 8-month sleep regression.
12–18 months
Toddlers aged 1–2 need about 11–14 hours a day, including one or two naps. KidsHealth says that at around 18 months, or sometimes sooner, most toddlers condense two naps into one afternoon nap, and a toddler who resists the morning nap is likely ready. See the 12–18 month sleep schedule, two naps to one and the 12-month sleep regression.
18 months to 3 years
Sleep Foundation says a 2-year-old's afternoon nap usually lasts from one and a half to about three hours, and suggests the nap end at least 3–4.5 hours before bedtime. Its sample day has bedtime at about 7–8 pm. The Better Health Channel says children need daytime naps until around 2.5 to 3 years, and KidsHealth suggests an earlier bedtime when a child gives up their nap. See toddler sleep, dropping the nap and the 18-month and 2-year sleep regressions.
Should a baby's schedule follow the clock or their cues?
For young babies, cues come first. Their sleep is too variable for a clock to predict, and Sleep Foundation's advice for newborns is to follow them rather than stretch them. Sleep Foundation says babies typically become able to follow a day/night sleep schedule between 4 and 6 months, and as naps settle many families find a loose clock helps, because the same nap times start to repeat on their own. Most families end up somewhere in between: a predictable order and rough times, adjusted to the baby in front of them.
| Approach | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Cue-based | Newborns, unsettled weeks, illness | Missing early tired signs on busy days |
| Clock-based | Childcare, older babies with steady naps | Holding a tired baby up, or a hungry one off |
| Blend | Babies from about 4–6 months on | Treating the plan as more important than the baby |
How to build a flexible schedule
- Anchor the morning. The AAP's healthy sleep habits page suggests keeping the same wake time on weekdays and weekends. A steady start makes nap times more predictable.
- Use the wake-window range to know when to start watching. When the window is nearly up, look for tired signs. The Better Health Channel lists staring, jerky movements, clenched fists, frowning and yawning in newborns, and losing interest in toys, eye rubbing and fussiness in older babies.
- Put your baby down when the cues appear, even if it's earlier than planned. KidsHealth suggests putting babies down drowsy but still awake if that works for your baby.
- Keep the order, not the minutes. A predictable sequence (wake, feed, play, wind down, sleep) helps the day hang together even when times drift. Never hold off a feed to protect the schedule; see hunger cues.
- Repeat a short wind-down. The NHS suggests a simple, soothing bedtime routine, such as a bath, a fresh nappy, a story, dimmed lights and a cuddle. See bedtime routine.
- Review it every few weeks. The NHS reminds parents to be prepared to change routines as babies grow. If naps keep getting refused or bedtime is a battle, the schedule probably needs to shift, not your baby.
For a step-by-step plan for the whole day, see building a daily rhythm.
Why do sleep schedules fall apart?
Even a schedule that worked well for weeks will wobble. Common reasons:
- Developmental changes ("regressions"). Sleep often gets patchier around new skills and brain changes; see sleep regressions by age.
- Illness, teething and growth spurts. The NHS lists all three as things that can affect sleep. Go back to following cues until your baby is well, then return to the usual pattern. See teething.
- Separation anxiety. Sleep Foundation says it often starts around 6 months and usually resolves by age 2. See separation anxiety.
- New physical skills. Rolling, sitting, crawling and pulling up can all be practised in the cot. KidsHealth says that once babies consistently roll both ways, it's fine for them to stay in the position they choose, but always put them down on their back.
- Nap transitions. A baby who is outgrowing a nap often fights it or naps briefly. See short naps.
- Travel and time zones. Keep the bedtime routine, get daylight in the morning at your destination, and expect a few unsettled days. See travelling with a baby.
- Daylight saving. Many families shift the whole day by small steps over several days before the change, or simply follow the new clock and let naps settle. Neither is wrong.
- Overtiredness. CHOP lists overtiredness, along with separation anxiety and overstimulation, as a reason babies find it hard to go to sleep. See overtired baby and early morning waking.
How do you keep every sleep safe while following a schedule?
A schedule never changes the safe-sleep basics. Australia's Red Nose's six safe sleep recommendations are to place your baby on their back, keep their head and face uncovered, keep them smoke-free, provide a safe sleeping environment night and day, sleep them in their own safe space in your room for at least the first 6 months, and breastfeed if possible. The AAP's safe sleep guidance adds a firm, flat surface (nothing inclined more than 10 degrees), no soft objects or loose bedding, no weighted blankets, sleepers or swaddles, stopping swaddling when your baby looks like they're trying to roll (Australia's Red Nose in Australia also says by 3 months, whichever comes first), moving a baby who falls asleep in a car seat, pram or swing to a flat sleep surface as soon as possible, and never falling asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair. Naps count too: a contact nap or pram nap is not a reason to skip any of this. Read the full safe sleep guide.
When should you get help with your baby's sleep?
The NHS list of signs needing urgent help also includes a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher in a baby under 3 months, and no wet nappy or wee for 12 hours.
See a doctor today (or call NHS 111) if your baby:
- is feeding much less than usual
- has fewer wet nappies than usual
- seems unwell and you are worried, even if you can't say why
Book a GP or health visitor visit soon, rather than waiting for the next check, if your baby snores most nights or snorts or gasps in their sleep. The AAP lists snoring and sleep apnoea as sleep problems to watch for, and its sleep apnoea guide says to tell your doctor right away about frequent snoring.
Mention it at the next check with your GP or health visitor if:
- sleep seems very restless
- your baby is regularly well outside the sleep range for their age, or seems very tired or irritable during the day
- you are finding sleep so hard that it's affecting how you cope (your health visitor, or NHS 111 can help)
If you are so exhausted or low that you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, call Samaritans on 116 123 or 999 now. See sleep deprivation for support while things are hard.
What's worth noting in a sleep log?
For a week, jot down when your baby wakes for the day, when each nap starts and ends, and when they fall asleep at night. Totals for a single day bounce around, so look at the weekly pattern instead. A log also makes it easier to describe the problem to a GP or health visitor.