Most new parents delight in watching their little ones sleep: the lightly curled fists; the fluttering lashes; the deep, contented breaths are so precious you could sit and watch for hours. Sometimes, though, parents worry that their infants are sleeping too much or not enough. It's a valid concern: infants need a certain amount of sleep to stay healthy, and if baby doesn't sleep, you don't either.
Newborns
Sometimes it seems that all newborn babies do is sleep, eat and fill their diapers, and they seem to go heavy on the sleep part of that equation. New babies usually need between 16 and 20 hours of sleep per day, divided about equally between daytime and nighttime sleep. Of course, those hours are broken up by baby's need to eat frequently. Most newborns won't sleep more than three or four hours at a stretch before they wake up to nurse.
Three Months
By three months of age, your baby can go a little longer between feedings, and he may even start sleeping through the night. At this age, he still needs about 15 hours of sleep every 24 hours, but he will start sleeping more at night as he's awake more during the day. Sleeping through the night doesn't necessarily mean your baby goes to sleep at 8 pm and sleeps through to daylight; it usually just means six to eight hours of interrupted sleep--otherwise known as bliss to new, sleep-deprived parents.
Six Months
By six months of age, your baby is probably staying awake a lot more during the day. With so many skills emerging, she has lots to keep her busy in the daytime, and if she wasn't sleeping through the night before, she should be soon. At this age your infant needs about 14 hours of sleep. Most of those hours will be during the night, and your baby will still sleep for three to four hours during the day.
Twelve Months
At 12 months of age, your baby is really on the go. Between crawling and maybe even walking all over the house and eating a diet mostly of solid food, he's worn out by the end of the day. He will still sleep about 11 hours at night and nap during the day for three or four hours. Around this age, some babies will stop taking naps in the morning and afternoon, consolidating them into one longer nap.
Helping Baby Get Enough Sleep
Sometimes infants, like adults, have a hard time going to sleep. If your little one has a hard time falling asleep, try limiting stimulating play near bedtime. Read a book to her instead, or sing a soft lullaby. Establish a bedtime routine and try to stick to it every night. Make sure your baby is able to nap as needed; getting too sleepy can make her fussy and hard to calm at bedtime. If you have concerns about your infant's sleep habits, talk to your pediatrician.
