How much sleep does my baby need?

“Is my baby sleeping too much or too little?” This is a question I am often asked. In the first few weeks of life some babies will sleep a lot more than the routine states and this is alright.

On page 119 of my Save Our Sleep book I have listed some tips to help you with these early routines. I have noticed lots of clients, readers and friends miss these tips thinking they relate to the 10 week routine only. They relate to all of the routines from birth to 10 weeks. So please be sure to read them to help with your baby’s sleep needs. 

Below I have shared a helpful graph from my Save Our Sleep Book to help you with your baby’s sleep needs. 

How much sleep does a baby need?

Every baby is different in the amount of sleep they need but the table following gives you an idea of what is average; some babies will sleep a lot more and others slightly less.

Note: A sleep is when a baby sleeps for more than one sleep cycle (usually longer than 40 minutes), but a nap is one sleep cycle or less.

It is also worth noting that both larger babies and babies who have slept well from day one often need less day sleep than smaller babies or babies coming to Save Our Sleep after a few weeks or months of poor sleep.

For more sleep advice consider SAVE OUR SLEEP. A parents’ guide towards happy, sleeping babies from birth to two years.