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Baby Sleep Schedule by Age

How much a baby sleeps in 24 hours, how that sleep is split between night and naps, and what the guidance actually says about time spent awake between sleeps — from birth to two years.

Last updated: November 10, 2026

Sleep hours and naps, 0–2 years

These are population ranges, not targets for a single day. A baby who sleeps an hour less than the range one day, then catches up the next, is usually following a normal pattern. Look at the trend across a week rather than a single night.

Age Total sleep in 24 hours Night sleep Daytime naps Awake time between sleeps
0–3 months 14–17 hours, including naps. The NHS notes that some newborns sleep around 8 hours and others up to 18. No settled night pattern; sleep comes in bursts that may last minutes or several hours. No set number of naps; sleep is spread across day and night. Often 1–3 hours awake between sleeps (NHS).
4–6 months 12–16 hours including naps (CDC). NHS guidance for 4–12 months gives 12–15 hours. Most sleep 9–12 hours at night, usually with a break for a feed. 2–3 naps a day, each about 30 minutes to 2 hours. Not numerically specified by the sources we checked; follow sleep cues.
7–9 months 12–16 hours including naps (CDC). An NHS leaflet gives up to 14–15 hours for 6–9 months. Up to about 12 hours at night by around 6 months. 1–3 naps (NHS leaflet for 6–9 months); the number usually falls as the baby gets older. Not numerically specified by the sources we checked; follow sleep cues.
10–12 months 12–16 hours including naps (CDC). An NHS leaflet gives up to 13–14 hours for 9–12 months. Up to about 12 hours at night. At least 1 nap (NHS leaflet for 9–12 months). Not numerically specified by the sources we checked; follow sleep cues.
1–2 years 11–14 hours including naps (CDC and NHS). The NHS separately gives 12–15 hours after the first birthday and 12–14 hours at age 2. Not separately specified in the ranges we checked. Two naps early on, reducing over time to one nap of 1–3 hours. Not numerically specified by the sources we checked; follow sleep cues.

Sources: CDC — How Much Sleep Do I Need?; NHS — Helping your baby to sleep; NHS — Your baby's sleep patterns; NHS — Sleep advice by age (South Tees Hospitals); NHS — Your baby's sleep at 6–12 months (leaflet). Checked 2026-11-10.

Why there are no made-up wake windows

“Wake window” is the time a baby stays awake between one sleep and the next. It is a popular idea, but the NHS, CDC and AAP pages we checked do not publish a table of wake windows by month. The only related figure we could verify is the NHS description of newborns having periods of about one to three hours awake.

Instead of inventing numbers for the older age bands, the table marks them as not specified. In practice, that means watching for sleep cues — yawning, eye rubbing, ear pulling, becoming quieter or less engaged, or a glazed look — and settling your baby when those appear, rather than waiting for crying, which is a late sign.

Sleep totals vary widely. The NHS states plainly that some babies need more sleep than others, and that patterns change as babies grow. A baby who is growing, feeding and generally content but sleeps at the bottom of a range is not automatically a problem. If your baby is very hard to wake for feeds, is not gaining weight, or you are worried about their breathing during sleep, seek medical advice.

How we built this table

Each age band uses ranges exactly as published, without averaging different sources into a new number. Where the CDC and NHS ranges differ, both are shown rather than blended. The nap counts and night-sleep figures come from the NHS pages that state them; where a page did not state a figure, the cell says so.

We deliberately did not convert “up to 14 hours” into a narrower range, and we did not add a night-sleep split that no source publishes. The result is a chart with some “not specified” cells, which is more useful than a complete-looking chart built on guesswork.

Sources used on this page:

All sources were checked on 2026-11-10.

Frequently asked questions

How much sleep does a baby need in 24 hours?

From 0 to 3 months, 14 to 17 hours is the range used by the CDC and NHS guidance, although the NHS also notes that some newborns sleep around 8 hours and others up to 18. From 4 to 12 months the CDC range is 12 to 16 hours including naps, and from 1 to 2 years it is 11 to 14 hours including naps.

Why does this chart not give exact wake windows?

Because the NHS, CDC and AAP pages we checked do not publish numerical wake windows by month. The only related figure we could verify is the NHS description of newborns having periods of one to three hours awake. Rather than invent numbers, the table marks the other age bands as not specified and points you to sleep cues.

Should I wake a sleeping baby to keep to a schedule?

Not for the sake of the schedule. The AAP advises waking a baby in the first few weeks if they sleep longer than 4 to 5 hours and start missing feeds. Beyond that, it is normal for sleep to vary from day to day, so use the schedule as a pattern to watch rather than a rule to enforce.

Is a sleep schedule safe for a newborn?

Safe sleep matters more than a schedule. The NHS advises that for at least the first 6 months your baby sleeps in the same room as you, on their back, in a clear cot. A simple routine can help, but newborns wake to feed and their sleep is not fully under anyone's control.

Disclaimer

This page is educational and is not medical advice. It does not diagnose a sleep problem and does not replace a conversation with your health visitor, GP or paediatrician. If your baby is unusually difficult to wake, is not feeding well, has noisy or paused breathing during sleep, or you are struggling with exhaustion, seek support promptly.