Is your little one getting enough sleep? Does your baby seem alert and content? How much sleep does a baby or toddler actually need?
Did you know that getting enough sleep is incredibly important for your baby? And it's not just me saying this — there are plenty of studies out there that confirm it.
To clear up any confusion and guesswork about how much sleep your baby needs, I've gathered all the essential information on this topic.
So how can you tell if your little one is getting enough sleep? The time before bedtime can give you valuable clues. Is it calm and pleasant? Is your baby or toddler fairly balanced until the very end?
Or does it look more like this: It's 9:00 PM, and it's another battle! Your little one seems very tired but just can't settle. Feeding, rocking, bouncing — and then starting all over again. Your baby cries and fusses, and you find yourself wondering: Why won't my baby just fall asleep peacefully? And why are evenings always so exhausting?
I was quite surprised when I started researching baby sleep in depth and kept coming across one crucial piece of advice. Again and again. A piece of advice that often goes against parental intuition but is considered the golden rule of baby sleep by many experts!
What is it? "Sleep promotes sleep."
Simply put: The more your baby or toddler sleeps, the better they will sleep overall! Overtiredness is one of your biggest enemies when it comes to helping your baby or toddler develop good sleep habits.
The old belief that keeping babies or toddlers awake longer will help them sleep better is usually NOT true. In fact, the opposite is often the case!
Try the other way around: Let your child sleep more and put them to bed earlier. Ensure your baby gets enough sleep, and you'll have a happier, more balanced child. We should never underestimate how incredibly important sufficient sleep is for babies.
Your baby and toddler need sufficient sleep for optimal development. According to studies, adequate sleep positively impacts your baby's development in the following ways:
These points also prove that wanting to improve your baby's sleep is not selfish — it's essential and healthy for your child! Sleepless nights take a toll not only on you but also on your little one.
When babies don't get enough sleep, it often affects their mood. Many babies (though not all) become fussier, less focused, and more easily frustrated.
Below, you'll find a helpful overview of your baby's sleep needs. Important: The values in the table are averages and do not represent uninterrupted sleep periods. For preemies, use their due date as a reference.
| Age | Night Sleep | Total Sleep (24h) |
|---|---|---|
| Newborns | 8–10 hours (with interruptions) | 16–18 hours |
| 1–2 months | 8.5–10 hours | 14.5–16 hours |
| 3 months | 9–11 hours | 14–15 hours |
| 4 months | 10–12 hours | 14–15 hours |
| 5 months | 10–12 hours | 14–15 hours |
| 6–8 months | 10–12 hours | 14–15 hours |
| 9–10 months | 11–12 hours | 13.5–14.5 hours |
| 11–12 months | 10–12 hours | 13–14 hours |
| 1–1.5 years | 10–12 hours | 13–14 hours |
| 1.5–3 years | 10–12 hours | 12–13 hours |
| 3–5 years | 10–12 hours | 11–12 hours |
| Age | Total Daytime Sleep | Naps | Wake Windows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborns | 5–8 hours | varies | 30–90 min |
| 1–2 months | 6–7 hours | varies | 1–2 hours |
| 3 months | 5–6 hours | 3–5 | 1–2 hours |
| 4 months | 3–5 hours | 3–4 | 1.5–2.5 hours |
| 5 months | 3–4.5 hours | 3 (sometimes 4) | 1.5–2.5 hours |
| 6–8 months | 2–4 hours | 2–3 | 2–3 hours |
| 9–12 months | 2–3 hours | 2 | 2.5–3.5 hours |
| 1–1.5 years | 2–3 hours | 1–2 | 3–4 hours |
| 1.5–3 years | 2–3 hours | 1 | 4–4.5 hours |
Of course, the table above only provides average values (though experience shows that most babies actually follow these sleep patterns). Some parents believe their baby needs significantly less sleep — but in most cases, this isn't true (unless your baby is consistently happy, well-rested, and has no trouble falling and staying asleep).
Naturally, some babies and toddlers will be at the lower end of the sleep range, while others need more rest. Experts widely agree that children under 2 years should get at least 10 hours of night sleep to ensure proper recovery and growth.
Most sleep experts and parenting guides suggest that babies around 6 months (and certainly by 9 months) can sleep through the night without a feeding. Personally, I would expect this transition between 9–12 months.
Babies have a very high sleep requirement in the first year and this need decreases only gradually. What changes more noticeably is the number and length of naps your baby needs.
Important: Babies and toddlers go through phases of major developmental leaps, during which they may sleep poorly for 2–4 weeks. These sleep regressions are usually temporary and not a cause for concern.
If you suspect (or have now confirmed) that your baby could use more sleep, here are some practical tips to help make that happen.
To get a clear picture of your baby's sleep patterns, it's highly recommended to track their sleep for a few days. Write down when and how long your baby sleeps. I usually created a weekly sleep log (just a simple A4 sheet) and kept it in a central place with a pen nearby. After a week, I had a great overview — and a much better idea of when my baby got tired or wanted to feed.
What do your notes reveal? Is your baby sleeping significantly less than the recommended amount? If so, your little one might be overtired, and you may need to focus on helping them get more high-quality sleep.
By responding to their sleep cues more quickly, moving their bedtime earlier, and creating an ideal nap environment with a dark, calm setting.
Every child's sleep needs are different — that's only natural. But a guide like the one above can be incredibly helpful in understanding your baby's individual requirements.
If you often feel that your baby or toddler isn't well-rested, I encourage you to take a closer look at their sleep and track their sleep times for 3–5 days. Then, compare your notes to the table above. Yes, it takes a little effort — but it's absolutely worth it. For you (and your evenings). For the rest of your family. And most importantly, for your little one.
Wishing you all the best and restful nights!
Sarah
Newborns typically need 16 to 18 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, spread across many short sleep and wake periods throughout the day and night. Their sleep is not yet organized around day and night — that circadian rhythm develops gradually over the first few months. It's completely normal for a newborn to have no predictable schedule at all in the early weeks.
In healthy, thriving babies, sleeping "too much" is rare. Most babies naturally regulate their sleep according to their needs. However, if a newborn consistently sleeps so heavily that they miss feedings and are not gaining weight well, it's worth discussing with your pediatrician. Beyond the early newborn phase, a baby who seems drowsy and low-energy even after sleeping should also be checked by a doctor.
An overtired baby often shows signs that seem counterintuitive: they may become more wired, fussy, and difficult to settle rather than calm and drowsy. Common signs include rubbing eyes, yawning, staring blankly, arching the back, increased clinginess, and difficulty falling asleep despite clearly being exhausted. The earlier you catch the tiredness cues and start the wind-down process, the smoother sleep tends to go.
Wake windows are the age-appropriate periods of time a baby can comfortably stay awake between sleeps. When wake windows are too short, babies aren't tired enough to settle well. When they're too long, babies become overtired, making it harder for them to fall and stay asleep. Using wake windows as a guide — rather than watching the clock rigidly — helps you time sleep in a way that works with your baby's natural rhythm.
Teething can temporarily disrupt sleep quality and make settling harder due to discomfort, but it doesn't change how much sleep a baby fundamentally needs. Babies going through teething may wake more at night or resist naps for a short period. Gentle comfort measures — like a cooled teething ring before sleep — can help ease the discomfort without creating lasting sleep associations.
With love, Sarah
Mom of seven. Certified Sensitive Sleep Consultant of the ISSC Australia. Founder of Land of Little Dreamers. Writing about attachment-friendly baby sleep for ten years, because it took her years to find her own way.
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