Whether you have a newborn baby or a toddler or a baby aged in between, there comes a time in most parent’s lives when you ask yourself if your baby is sleeping too much. Granted, many people arrive at The Baby Sleep Site® because your baby is not sleeping enough, but once you have helped your baby sleep through the night and helped your baby nap better, you may come across a time when you aren’t sure if your baby is sleeping too much or not. On the other hand, there are babies who are naturally good sleepers whose parents may wonder how their baby will learn to sit up, crawl, walk, or talk, if all they do is sleep! What would parenthood be without worry? This article will help you figure out if your baby is sleeping too much.
Before we get started, if you EVER have any questions about the health of your baby, talk to your doctor first and foremost! That is why they are there and don’t worry about being an over-protective parent. Trust your instincts and if you feel like something might be wrong, it does not hurt to ask, but it might hurt not to!
Your Newborn Baby’s Sleep
Newborn babies need to sleep A LOT. If you have read the book, The Happiest Baby on the Block, you know the author, Dr. Karp, believes that babies actually need another trimester in the womb. But if a baby were to stay longer, we’d never be able to give birth to such a large baby. I can’t even imagine! So, if you consider the possibility that this is true, that means the first 2-3 months of your baby’s life is still full of rapid growth. Therefore, your newborn needs a lot of sleep.
Unless your baby literally never wakes up, not even to eat, there is most likely no reason to worry your baby is sleeping too much. In the first few weeks, it’s also very common for you to need to wake your baby every 2-3 hours to ensure he eats, and he may go right back to sleep afterward. Again, talk to your doctor if this goes on too long.
It is very typical for newborns to sleep anywhere from 14 to 18 hours a day, on average. Some newborns need even more sleep and wake for 30 minutes or less at a time and sleep most of the day and night away. If your baby is sleeping too much during the day, but wants to party at night, she most likely has her days and nights confused and you should review our newborn sleep tips.
My biggest tip in this stage is if you have a newborn baby who sleeps a lot, take advantage now because it will change rapidly. If your baby isn’t sleeping as much as other newborns do, your baby is most likely normal, too. There is a wide range of what “normal” is and your baby’s sleep needs are as unique as she is.
Your Baby’s Sleep
Beyond the newborn phase, you may start to worry about your baby’s development, if she sleeps too much. After all, how can she learn to roll or crawl when she is sleeping? What is too much sleep?
When your baby is sleeping 13-15 hours per day, this is within normal ranges for a very long time. If your baby is sleeping less, this may or may not be enough sleep. Depending on your baby’s age, a typical baby will sleep 11-12 hours at night and 2-3 hours during the day. Since averages are just those, your baby may indeed need more like 12 hours at night and 4 hours of sleep during the day. This is unlikely to be a cause for concern.
It is a lot of sleep, but a great 12-hour night sleeper and great long napper is fantastic! There is still enough awake-time to learn all the wonderful skills such as rolling, crawling, walking, and talking. She likely needs more time to process all of it and simply needs more sleep than other babies her age. Watching her behavior when she is up is a good sign everything is okay. Again, enjoy it while it lasts. 🙂
If your 6 month or older baby is sleeping like a newborn, though, hardly up during the day for more than an hour at a time, for example, I believe this would warrant a talk with the doctor. There are medical conditions that can cause the need for too much sleep and you do want to rule them out.
If your baby is napping really well, but waking at night, or sleeping really long at night, but napping very little, this may be one of the 5 times you should wake your baby.
Your Toddler’s Sleep
As your baby grows into a toddler, her sleep needs will decrease, however, long luxurious afternoon naps are very common in toddlers. Some toddlers can sleep 3 hours in the afternoon and still go to sleep by 7 p.m. Not mine, though! 🙂 So, just as it’s normal to have toddlers who can sleep 12 hours at night and take a 3 hour nap, there are also toddlers who sleep 11-12 hours at night and take a 1-2 hour nap. Again, there is a wide range of “normal” and the only time I’d be concerned is if your toddler sleeps so much that she doesn’t have time for a gross motor activity or spending awake time with you where she can learn to communicate and other life skills.
All in all, your instincts will be a good guide as to whether your baby is sleeping too much or not enough. Keep in mind that temporary increases in sleep can also be due to illness or growth spurts, too. If your baby is happy, growing, learning, and thriving, there is likely no cause to be worried she is sleeping too much. Even if your baby or toddler does not hit all his milestones exactly “on time” that doesn’t mean he is not “normal.” Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns whatsoever, but otherwise, enjoy your baby or toddler, and enjoy the downtime if he’s sleeping a lot!
Sahala says
My one month old never get up , and doesnt cry for milk , what should I do? When I make her feed , she sleeps the next minute.
Janelle Reid says
Hi @Sahala, thanks for writing to us and congratulations on your new baby. My second born was an extremely tired newborn too! Before I answer, would you mind providing me a little more information on what this looks like day to day? Such as, how many times is she eating during the day and night? Does she seem to be gaining weight? I had to undress my son and touch him with a cold cloth to wake him up to feed at certain times because he was soooo sleepy most of the time, I don’t feel like I saw his eyes until closer to 8 weeks. But if your baby is not waking to do a full feed at all and is losing or not gaining weight, then there are certainly tips and tricks you can/should do. If there’s concern that she’s not getting enough be sure to reach out to her doctor as well! But if you can give me a little more info on what your days and nights look like I’ll be happy to send over more specific information.
Lachelle says
Hi I have a question if I should be concerned about my 14 month old sleep schedule. She’s always been good with sleeping which is a plus. Lately she’s been sleeping a little more previously she would go to bed at 8 and wake up around 8 or 9 in the morning and then she would take a 2-hour nap around 11 and then another one hour nap at 4. Now she is going to bed at 8 p.m. and she’s not waking up until 10 a.m. sometimes 11 still going for a nap around 12:30 and she’s sleeping until 4 in the afternoon and we have no problem putting her down for 8 p.m. bedtime. Is this okay? She’s getting total of 15 to 16 hours of sleep a day and she is over a year old.
Janelle Reid says
Hi @Lachelle, thank you for writing to us. Wow, you do have quite the sleeper! At this age, that amount of sleep is likely still nothing to worry about. Of course if she seemed lethargic, or wasn’t hitting milestones she needed that would certainly be something to bring up, but somewhere by 2 years old you’ll likely see some of her sleep needs taper off a bit. Here is a link to a sample schedule for toddler sleep: https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/toddler-schedule/
While her schedule is different, if it’s working for you then no worries, but it’ll just give you an idea for the averages of sleep she’ll need in a 24 hour period as naps and things transition. And as always, if there’s anything worrying you, go with your momma gut and check with her doctor. If she’s happy and thriving during her wake hours, I’d just assume she loves/needs her beauty sleep like many people I know. I hope that helps, let us know if you have any other questions!
Nelly says
hi
My baby is 11months old and has been sleeping recently about 10hrs a night and 4-5hrs a day-is that normal?For e.g. he went to bed at 4pm today, now is 9:30pm and he is still sleeping since then.Should I be concerned?
Neosha says
@Nelly – Thank you for reading and for sharing with us. Worrying if your baby is sleeping too much can be very nerve rattling! We generally expect a baby your son’s age to sleep about 13-15 total hours per day, on average, which it sounds like your little guy is doing. If his sleep schedule works for your family and gets you all the sleep you need, there’s no need to change it. If anything about his sleep gives you concerns for his health, you shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to his healthcare provider for reassurance as well. Hope this helps!
Blessings says
Hi, my 7 days old baby sleep for more than 4 hours without waking up during the day. At she sleeps like 1to 2 hours and wakes up just for feeding and crying and sleep there and then. My concern is the baby okay with this can of sleeping habits
Neosha says
@Blessings – Thank you for reading and congratulations on your new baby girl! Wondering if your baby can sleep too much is definitely common for parents of newborns, so you’re not alone there. Babies your daughter’s age generally sleep most of the day away waking only to feed and get a diaper change. Most babies start becoming much more alert once they’re a couple months older. If you’re worried that your little girl is sleeping too much, overall, you should also check in with her healthcare provider who will take a full look at her medically to ensure she is growing as expected. Hope this helps, Blessings!
Ellie says
Hi there, my little one has always been a good sleeper, she slept through the night for 12hrs from 5 weeks old! We always thought we were super lucky and she would change but she turned 2 at the weekend and goes to bed at 8pm but doesn’t wake up before 10am! We’re starting to worry that when she starts school she won’t be able to cope with the early mornings! I know this isn’t normal as all other toddlers we know are waking their parents up at 5/6/7am! She dropped her daytime nap just before Christmas so maybe that’s it but I just worry it could be something else.
Janelle Reid says
Hi @Ellie, thanks for writing to us. Wow, you do have quite the sleeper! Since she is only just turned 2 and has already dropped her nap, it sounds like she’s getting the amount of sleep she needs in one go, rather than split up between a long night and one nap. I would guess that whenever she starts school there will be an adjustment period, but her schedule is bound to adjust. Just like if we have to wake up super early one day it may throw us off but then we typically go to bed earlier (if we can) and adjust. If you wanted to try to get her napping again you could try waking her earlier and bring it back, but if she’s happy and the schedule is working then definitely choose what’s best for your family for right now. Here is a link to an article with reasons to wake your baby if you are interested: https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/should-you-wake-a-sleeping-baby/
I hope that helps!
Kaleigha says
my daughter is 9 month and has a regular sleep schedule but since she’s getting older she’s sleeping a lot longer at night and sometimes 1-2 naps during the day- last night she slept 15 hours. 9 pm to 12 pm and I had to go in her room and wake her up. Is that normal?
Janelle Reid says
Hi @Kaleigha, thanks for writing to us, I’m happy to help. When you say, “… she’s sleeping a lot longer at night and sometimes 1-2 naps during the day…” does that mean that she is sometimes only napping once or twice and the other days she’s not napping (perhaps because she’s sleeping so much at night)? Just trying to clarify on that. If she isn’t napping consistently, that could be the reason for the super long night time stretches. Here is a link to an article about times to wake your baby that may help: https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/should-you-wake-a-sleeping-baby/ The article doesn’t specifically say your situation, but you may be able to adjust it accordingly to get your daughter on a schedule that works better for your family and her!
If she is napping too, it could be a growth spurt but if it was to be a super regular thing that she is sleeping that much, I’d check in with her doctor to make sure she is gaining weight and having enough time to work on her motor skills and development with all the sleeping time, just to ensure they don’t think there’s cause for concern.
I hope this helps!
Chelsea says
My baby is now 10 days old and probably sleeps 18 to 20 hours a day. He will wake up to eat but often falls back asleep. Has been up for 2 to 3 hours at a time but not often. Is this reason for a concern?
Debbye @ The Baby Sleep Site says
Hi @Chelsea – Thank you for writing, and congrats on your new arrival!! Many newborns do tend to sleep at a lot, and there is a wide range of normal too! If you are concerned that your little guy is sleeping too much, please do check in with his pediatrician, since they know him best!
Good luck!
Sara Johanyak says
My 8 month old is sleeping all through out the night, but hes also taking too many naps. I keep him up as long as possible until he starts crying. He did just pop another tooth through and he may be going through a growth spurt. He rarely ever cries. Hes always smiling and playing. I’m just worried he sleeps too much. He doesn’t seem sick or anything. He takes about 4 naps a day and sleeps throughout the night. His naps are usually around an 1 each.
Neosha says
@Sara – Thank you for reading and for sharing with us! We’re sorry to hear that you’ve been having a tough time with sleep lately! Every baby is so uniquely different from the other that we don’t like to generalize or make general statements about what works for all babies because nothing does! In saying that, we do often see many babies this age sleeping daily for ~3 hours per day plus 11-12 hours at night (you don’t mention how long he sleeps there). If he’s sleeping a bit more or less, it could just who he is and may not be a problem until it’s a problem. If you’re very concerned about how much he’s sleeping, please run this through or by his healthcare provider as well to rule out any medical issues. Hang in there, Sara!
Shannon says
Hello, my son is 2 years old. During the week I work and he goes to daycare. We wake up at 6:30 AM and he is usually pretty cranky. According to his daycare he usually only naps for 1-2 hours and his bedtime is 8:30 PM. On the weekends I do not wake him up at 6:30 AM and he will sleep through most of the morning. It is Sunday and right now he is still asleep at 10:40 AM. My son sleeps in his own room, in a crib with a sound machine and I have blackout curtains so it won’t be so bright. I would not be surprised if my son slept until Noon if I don’t wake him up. Please help!
Neosha says
@Shannon – Thank you for reading and for sharing with us! Aw, your little guy sounds pretty tired. It’s not uncommon for adults and children alike to catch up on lost sleep on the weekend. Before having kids, I definitely did! 🙂 And my kiddos nowadays definitely catch up whenever they’ve had an eventful or tiring week! In the absence of more details, we can’t really say if what he’s doing sounds “off” but if you’re concerned there could be a medical reason that he sleeps so long on the weekend, please reach out to his healthcare provider. Hang in there, Shannon!
Jen says
Hello, I think my 3 month old baby might be sleeping too much? He wakes up around 6:30, sleeps 8-9:30, 10:30-11:30, 12:30-3:30, 5:30-6:30, and then goes down at 8 and usually only wakes up once to eat (some time around 3:30). I usually have to wake him up from most naps or he will sleep for even longer stretches. He is happy and active most of his waking time, but gets sleepy/fussy after being awake for 1-2 hrs. Thank you for your help!
Debbye @ The Baby Sleep Site says
Hi @Jen – Thanks for writing, and congrats on having a good little sleeper! It is typical for a baby at three months to need to sleep after only 1-2 hours of awake time. Check out our recommend schedule here:
https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/3-month-old-baby-sleep-and-feeding-schedule/
He is still getting about 16 hours of sleep over the course of the day and night, which is average! He may just be a little higher on the “sleep needs scale” than some other babies are, which is okay, but if you are at all concerned that he is sleeping too much and missing out on any awake time learning, feel free to check with your doctor for peace of mind and more info specific to your baby’s growth and development!