Baby Sleep Schedules by Age: Newborn to 3 Years

By BabyBloom · Updated 27 September 2026

A useful baby sleep schedule starts with your baby’s actual day. Compare broad sleep needs, record naps and feeds, and build a flexible routine around your family.

How much sleep do babies need?

The AASM recommendations below count all sleep across 24 hours, including naps. The AAP supports these ranges. They do not set an exact nap count, wake window or bedtime for every month.

Source: AASM consensus statement; AAP parent guidance.

Build a routine from three simple notes

1. Record when sleep starts and ends. Include daytime naps and overnight waking; time in bed is not always time asleep.
2. Add context. Note feeds, settling and anything unusual. A short factual note is more useful than labelling a day “good” or “bad”.
3. Look for a repeatable sequence. A feed, quiet time and sleep opportunity may be more useful than forcing the same clock time every day.

Keep feeding and comfort responsive. A schedule is not a reason to postpone a needed feed or change a clinician’s feeding plan.

Newborn days: start with observation

Short, changing sleep periods are common. Use the log to learn your baby’s pattern, not to enforce a bedtime. If your clinician has advised waking for feeds, follow that plan.

Around 3–6 months: a familiar wind-down

Try a small sequence you can repeat: a fresh nappy, a cuddle or short story, then a quieter room. Night waking can continue. Starting solids early is not a sleep strategy.

Around 6–9 months: compare a two-nap and three-nap day

Our seven-month schedule examples show two different ways a day might fit together. The examples are planning illustrations, not rules about when a baby should drop a nap.

Around 9–12 months: adjust to the day you have

If a nap ends earlier than expected, reconsider the rest of the day rather than forcing a long wait until a scheduled bedtime. Hunger, illness and changes in routine can affect sleep; do not assume every disruption is a “regression”.

Around 12–18 months: keep the whole day in view

Record naps alongside nights. One refused nap does not by itself establish a new pattern. Discuss ongoing sleep concerns with your child’s clinician.

From 18 months to 3 years

Keep a calm, familiar bedtime routine as your child grows. The age ranges in the table help frame a conversation about total sleep; they do not measure parenting success.

What about wake windows and nap transitions?

A wake window is simply the time between sleeps. It can help describe your day, but the AASM duration guideline does not prescribe month-by-month maximum wake times. Compare your own observations, sleepiness and feeding needs before adjusting a routine.

A worked example: count sleep, not time in bed

This example falls within the 4–12-month duration range, but a total alone cannot tell you whether a baby is healthy, feeding adequately or comfortable.

Keep the sleep space safe

For every sleep, place baby on their back on a firm, flat, noninclined infant sleep surface with a fitted sheet. Keep loose bedding and soft objects out. Room-share on a separate surface for at least the first six months. See the safe-sleep guide for details.

When to seek help

If your baby will not wake, has difficulty breathing, or turns blue or grey, seek emergency help immediately. Contact your clinician about unusual sleepiness, feeding concerns, persistent snoring or a sleep pattern that worries you. Do not wait for a numerical threshold in a chart.