Average Sleep Charts - from Newborn to Preschooler



I thought these charts might make things a bit easier for you. I hope you like them--because they took a long time to make! I've been neglecting my poor kids all day for these, people :) I also have some age specific ones you can find here as well as in the sleep by age section. You can also find these charts on the individual subject posts.

All charts below are based on optimal amounts for a well-rested child, not what is necessarily common (since many children sleep less and wake more frequently than what I would consider
ideal). I realize that these averages vary from what some other sources say-- I'm sorry we can't all agree! I've come up with these averages after working with lots of babies and parents and after much research. Hopefully they will be a source of help and not a source of stress!

Remember, everything is an average and should only be used as a reference point—your child is a unique little squishy! Also, all averages are done with the assumption that your child is healthy and growing well and was born around his due date (those with children under 2 should use adjusted age). These charts are just suggestions, your pediatrician should always be consulted in all things regarding your child’s health.

You can find the charts (for easy printing) HERE.  I know, cool, huh?

How long should baby stay awake?

Age
Waketime Length
Birth - 6 weeks
45-60 minutes
2 months
1 hour
3 months
1-1.5 hours
4 months
1.25-1.75 hours
5 months
1.5-2.25 hours
6 months
2-2.5 hours
7 months
2.25-2.75 hours
8 months
2.25-3 hours
9 months
2.5-3 hours
10 months
3-3.5 hours
11 months
3-4 hours
12 months
3-4 hours
12-18 months (2 naps)
3-4 hours
12- 18 months (1 nap)
4.5-6 hours (before nap)
18-24 months (1 nap)
5-6 hours (before nap)
2-3 years (1 nap)
5.5-7 hours (before nap)
3-4 years (1 nap)
6-8 hours (before nap)
More on waketime length here.



       Total Sleep per 24 hours

Age
Total Sleep per 24 hours
Birth - 6 weeks
16-18 hours
2 months
15.5-18 hours
3 months
15.5-18 hours
4 months
14.5-16.5 hours
5 months
14-16 hours
6 months
14-15.5 hours
7 months
14-15.5 hours
8 months
14-15.5 hours
9 months
14-15 hours
10 months
14-15 hours
11 months
14-15 hours
12 months
13.5-14 hours
12-18 months
13.5-14 hours
18-24 months
12-14 hours
2-3 years
12-14 hours
3-4 years
11-14 hours



   Total Night Sleep (may be feeds)

Age
Night Sleep
Birth - 6 weeks
9-12 hours
2 months
9-12 hours
3 months
10-12 hours
4 months
11-12 hours
5 months
11-12 hours
6 months
11-12 hours
7 months
11-12 hours
8 months
11-12 hours
9 months
11-12 hours
10 months
11-12 hours
11 months
11-12 hours
12 months
11-12 hours
12-18 months
11-12 hours
18-24 months
11-12 hours
2-3 years
11-12 hours
3-4 years
11-12 hours



                              
            Daily Sleep and Naps

Age
Number of naps
Total Daily Sleep
Max Daily Sleep (if you suspect it is a cause of night issues)
Birth - 6 weeks
4+
4-8 hours
Avoid naps >2 hrs
2 months
4+
4-8 hours
Avoid naps >2 hrs
3 months
4
4-7 hours
Avoid naps >2 hrs
4 months
3-4
3-7 hours
4.5 hours
5 months
3
3-5 hours
4 hours
6 months
2-3
3-5 hours
3.5 hours
7 months
2-3
3-5 hours
3.5 hours
8 months
2-3
3-5 hours
3.25 hours
9 months
2
2.5-4 hours
3 hours
10 months
2
2.5-4 hours
3 hours
11 months
2
2.5-4 hours
3 hours
12 months
2
2-4 hours
3 hours
12-18 months
1-2
1.5-4 hours
3 hours
18-24 months
1-2
1.5-3 hours
2 hours
2-3 years
0-1(ideally 1)
1.5-3 hours
2 hours
3-4 years
0-1
0-2 hours 
0-2 hours
Day sleep is quite variable. I try to aim for naps that last at least 1.5 hours (not including the last nap of the day if on more than 1 nap) but as most of you know, there are quite a few cat nappers out there. Cat nappers often need more naps, more often and end up with a bit less day sleep overall (early bedtime anyone?). I generally suggest keeping naps 2 hours and under after the newborn period unless it is the only nap of the day. You can find more about naps (including individual naps) in the nap index.




      Average Age Naps are Dropped

Nap
Average Age Dropped
From 4 to 3 naps
3-5 months
From 3 to 2 naps
6-9 months
From 2 to 1 naps
14-18 months
From 1 to 0 naps
3-4 years (is often dropped at 2 years of age, but is usually still needed for optimum development and a happy mood)
The last nap of the day is often a catnap (super short) before it is dropped for good. These nap times are averages—your child may drop slightly sooner or keep a nap slightly longer. Find out more about dropping naps here and here.




What time do I end the last nap of the day?      
Age
To preserve night sleep and and early bedtime hour, end all naps by:
Birth - 6 weeks
Avoid naps >2-2.5 hours each and monitor waketimes
2 months
Avoid naps >2-2.5 hours each and monitor waketimes
3 months
5-5:30 pm
4 months
4:30-5 pm
5 months
4:30-5 pm
6 months
4:30-5 pm
7 months
4:30-5 pm
8 months
4 pm
9 months
4 pm
10 months
4 pm
11 months
4 pm
12 months
4 pm
12-18 months
4 pm
18-24 months
4 pm
2-3 years
3-4 pm
3-4 years
3-4 pm
With all things sleep, this is just a guideline. You’ll need to use some trial and error. If your child is struggling falling asleep at bed or is having night wakings—the timing of this last nap might be an issue.




What time should bedtime be? (with a wake up around 7 am)

Age
Ideal Bedtime
Birth - 6 weeks
Variable:  7-11 pm
2 months
Variable: 7-10 pm
3 months
Variable: 7-10 pm
4 months
6-8 pm
5 months
6-8 pm
6 months
6-8 pm
7 months
6-8 pm
8 months
6-8 pm
9 months
6-8 pm
10 months
6-8 pm
11 months
6-8 pm
12 months
6-8 pm
12-18 months
6-8 pm
18-24 months
6-8 pm
2-3 years
6-8 pm
3-4 years
7-8 pm
4-10 years
7-8:30 pm
Most young children sleep best if they are on a routine like 7am-7 pm (give or take a bit, of course). Some children will be OK with a shift in their entire routine—say 8 am-8 pm. Most (like 90%) will either be overtired with this, have extra night wakings or wake extra early in the morning.




How many Night Wakings/Feeds and for how long?           
Age
How many hours straight at night (longest stretch—others may be shorter)?
How many night feeds? (from 7pm-7am, not including the 7 am/7pm feeds)
Birth - 6 weeks
Baby eats every 2-5 hours
Lots! Baby eats every 2-5 hours
2 months
5 + (fingers crossed!)
1-3 feeds
3 months
5-10 hours (some babies will sleep more)
1-2 feeds
4 months
8-12 hours
0-1 feeds
5 months
8-12 hours
0-1 feeds
6 months
8-12 hours
0-1 feeds
7 months
8-12 hours
0-1 feeds
8 months
8-12 hours
0-1 feeds
9 months
11-12 hours
0 feeds
10 months
11-12 hours
0 feeds
11 months
11-12 hours
0 feeds
12 months
11-12 hours
0 feeds
12-18 months
It’s time to stop feeding at night J
0 feeds
18-24 months
It’s REALLY time to stop feeding at night J
0 feeds
How many and how long to do night feeds is VERY debatable. Some people suggest stopping all night feeds by 12 weeks and others suggest keeping multiple night feeds for years. I’ve come up with this list after working with hundreds of parents (possibly thousands at this point) over the years and after talking to some pediatricians.  I haven’t met a healthy, well growing baby yet that can’t happily have all night feeds dropped by 9 months (often before) so I feel confident drawing the line here. A couple of the pediatricians thought I was even being too generous with this age :)  Learn more about when to expect a child to sleep through the night (and how I define sttn) here.


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9 comments :

  1. Hi, a quick question: if my 7 month old baby goes to bed at 6:00, could I still expect him to stay in bed in the morning until 7:00? He was on a 7-7 routine (approx) but just dropped his 3rd nap. I'm in a bit of a bind with his new bedtime because he often won't sleep more than an hour for his 2nd nap, so he's up by 2:00/2:30 many times. Even when he's up by 2:00, he's been refusing his 3rd nap so I'm pretty sure dropping it was the way to go, but I'm not sure what to do about bedtime when there's the potential for such a long period of awake time in the afternoon. What do you suggest?

    Thanks!

    Lauren

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. L. Morris,
      You'd definitely want to do an early bedtime, sooner than just 12 hours before wake up (as you suggest).

      Delete
  2. Okay, thanks. And I've read that you believe even 5:30 is not too crazy, correct? I am just so nervous about putting him down earlier than 6:00 because I'm afraid he'll wake after just a couple of hours. And if he went down at 5:30, that would be 13.5 hours of nighttime sleep - that's not crazy? Do you think it's problematic to sometimes have a 3rd nap (today I put him down and he fell asleep for it, first time in 4 days he's done that but he woke at 1:45 and I just could not rationalize a 4 hour awake time) and sometimes go without? In other words, once you drop a nap, do you think it's best to just go with it? Thanks so much - can't tell you how much I appreciate your site - and how often I recommend it!

    Lauren

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. L.Morris,
      some kids do fine with a super early bedtime, some kids don't. Some will take a few days to adjust to it. You have to try it out to see what happens :) For the most part, I try to be consistent with whether or not a child has a nap (mainly after 5-6 months). I've found that going back and forth (the occasional extra nap is fine) just makes their sleep cycle more crazy and makes them sleep worse and feel more tired overall. But if going back and forth with naps works for your child, then go ahead and do it. Everyone is different.

      Delete
  3. Question! I have almost 11 month old twins and they used to sleep till 5 have a bottle and go back to sleep, which i was trying to some how extend till 7am at least, but now, they wake up at 4am and go back to sleep till almost 7. Can you suggest how i can have them drop this feeding time. I feel like it's habitual waking at this point, but they do drink the 8oz at that time. Any advise or just keep sucking it up till they are one year old.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi, my 2 month old feeds every 2-4 hours at night. It's not distressing me at all....but is it not a good idea? And if so, how do I get her to stop waking to feed?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh man. L. Morris’ predicament is just like mine.... but mine is worse. My baby dropped his 3rd nap one day and simply would not go down for it anymore but he is up from his second nap around 1:00/1:30 every day which leaves a really long awake window until bedtime. He does sleep about 12 hours a night and is up at 6:00 every morning, takes his first nap around 8:15 for an hour and a half and his second nap around 1 for about 30/40 minutes.... and then he’s up until bedtime. I’ve put him to bed as early as 5 but was afraid it would cause him to wake up earlier so now I’m putting down at 6:00 which feels terrible when he’s been up since 1:30. How do I fix this? His awake times seems to be shifting to a 2-3-4 schedule and I don’t know how to balance it a bit better and lengthen that afternoon nap.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Forgot to add that he’s 9 months and that he has now started waking up crying at night once or twice.... I think bc that last interval before bed is so long and he’s so dead tired by the time he goes to bed.

    ReplyDelete