3 month old babies need an average of 11 to 12 hours of sleep at night and 3 to 4 hours of sleep during the day. Therefore, 3-month-old babies sleep a total of 14 to 16 hours of sleep a day, on average. Most babies this age take 4 naps a day. With over 10 years of experience, this article will provide you with sample 3-month-old baby sleep schedules, including milk feedings for breastfeeding and formula-feeding babies, solids, naps, and nighttime sleep. As a sleep consultant for over 10 years, I will also share typical sleep habits and tips to get your baby to sleep through the night. Or, you can simply skip to the schedule.
3 Month Old Baby’s Sleep Habits, Development, and Expectations
At 3 months old, your baby is past the newborn stage – quite a milestone! Your baby has been doing a lot of growing and developing in the last 12 weeks, so they, no doubt, look and behave quite differently now than when they were a newborn.
Your baby’s sleep at 3 months old may have started to regulate itself somewhat. For instance, you might notice that your baby is starting to sleep longer stretches at night, and having longer wake windows during the day. This is a great sign, though if that’s not happening, you might not have to worry…yet. Some babies are still waking up quite a bit at this age and can’t stay awake very long between naps. If your baby is waking more frequently than every 3 hours, however, be sure to read below.
Best Bedtime and Total Sleep
Most 3-month-olds need 11-12 hours at night and 3-4 hours of sleep during the day. A typical bedtime at this age is around 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Consequently, 7:00 p.m. is a standard bedtime for babies this age. However, you will want to start your bedtime routine approximately 20 to 30 minutes before you expect your baby to be asleep. A baby falls asleep easiest when they are NOT overtired so keep that in mind.
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Night Feedings at 3 Months Old
Many 3-month-olds are still eating 1-2 times a night and can do one 4-5-hour stretch of sleep without eating. However, breastfeeding babies may still be nursing every 3 hours at night at this age but that will likely change very soon. On the other hand, there are a few formula-feeding babies who eat just once a night or even night-wean this early! All babies are different but 1-2 feedings at night are the average around this age.
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How Many Naps for a 3 Month Old?
Most 3-month-old babies take 4 naps each day totaling 3-4 hours. This is primarily because babies this age can’t stay awake longer than 1-2 hours at a time without getting overtired. Pay attention to their sleepy cues and start soothing them down to sleep just as soon as you start to see them. For example, sleepy cues include yawning, staring off into space, and less activity. If your baby is fussy or crying, they are already overtired!
For many 3-month-olds, some naps are just 30 minutes. This is all normal development at this age as it’s highly unusual for babies to take four 1-hour naps. Typically, a baby will take one longer nap at this age and shorter catnaps for the remainder of the day. As your baby grows and matures, he or she will consolidate sleep and transition to just 3 naps by 5-6 months old.
Keep in mind that most babies, at this age, can’t be on a strict schedule because many babies are still taking shorter naps while their brain matures and they simply can not stay up very long to get to the next scheduled nap-time. It’s likely that your 3 month old’s naps are still on the short side but come frequently and every day will still likely be different. Don’t worry, that will change! Most babies can get down to just 3 naps around 6 months or 7 months old.
When Sleep Gets Worse at 3 Months
If your baby has recently started sleeping worse, you may want to read more about this 2 to 3 month time period in a baby’s life.
While teething could be to blame, keep in mind that one of the biggest sleep challenges families face around 3 to 4 months old is the 4-month sleep regression. During this sleep regression, your baby’s sleep has changed permanently and your baby must learn to get through their sleep cycles. Of course, this is great news that your baby is developing appropriately, and maybe even a bit earlier than expected, but it’s not always good for your baby’s sleep habits!
You May Also Be Interested In…
- 5 Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night (FREE e-Book)
- 4 Month Sleep Regression (which can start around 3 months old)
- Baby Teething and Sleep
- Does E.A.S.Y. Make It Harder?
3 Month Old Baby Feeding
Your baby will likely also start to consolidate feedings by 3 months old. Your baby’s stomach capacity is considerably larger now than it was in the early days and weeks after birth, so your 3-month-old baby will likely be able to go for longer stretches between feedings. Therefore, you may also find that your baby feeds more frequently during the day and is beginning to drop night feedings (although again, if this isn’t the case for you – don’t worry. That’s normal, too!). Do remember, though, that if you are breastfeeding, you’ll want to continue to breastfeed at least every few hours during the day, and your baby will most likely continue to need night feedings at this age too.
If your baby is still waking frequently at 3 months old, you may start to feel like you need to introduce solid food, in order to help your baby sleep. However, keep in mind that starting solids doesn’t usually improve sleep, and 3 months old is still considered too young to begin solid food. Consequently, it’s best to stick exclusively with breastmilk or formula unless your healthcare provider indicates you should do otherwise.
Breast milk or formula should be the primary nutrition for the first year and solids come secondary. Average amounts per day:
• At least 5-7 breastfeeding sessions per day or 2 1/2 ounces of formula for each pound of weight (approx. 20-30 ounces)
• Water is unnecessary (breast milk and formula have plenty of water in them).
For information on starting your baby on solid food, we have a series of blog posts dedicated to the subject. We include recommendations about how and when to start solids, as well as helpful information on food allergies, recommended products, baby-friendly recipes, and more.
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Sample 3 Month Old Sleep Schedules
At 3 months old, keep in mind that a baby can typically stay awake just 1-2 hours TOPS before needing to sleep, again. Most importantly, overtired babies tend to wake more frequently at night and take short naps. Here are two different types of schedules to try:
3 Month Old Baby Sample Sleep Schedule: Play-Eat-Sleep (Good for breastfeeding babies, babies with reflux, babies with smaller stomachs, etc.)
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | Wake and Feed | *Fixed Point |
| 8:30 AM | Feed and Nap | *Fixed Point; 1 1/2 hour Wake Window; ~1-2 hours long |
| 11:30 AM | Feed and Nap | 1 1/2 hour Wake Window; ~30-90 minutes long |
| 2:30 PM | Feed and Nap | 1 1/2 to 2-hour Wake Window; ~30-60 minutes long |
| 5:30 PM | Feed and Catnap | 1 1/2 to 2-hour Wake Window; ~30 minutes long |
| 6:30 PM | Possible Feed (tank up) | |
| 7:30 PM | Start your bedtime routine | |
| 8:00 PM | Feed and Bedtime | *Fixed Point; Max 2-hour Wake Window, ideally |
| 11:00 PM | Dream Feed** | Optional: Done at caretaker’s bedtime so you synch of longest stretch of sleep with yours |
+ 1-3 night feedings
* Consider adding fixed points to your baby’s schedule if you prefer a more predictable schedule. You can read more about this in our article on fixed points in a baby schedule.
** What Is a Dream Feed? Age and How to Do It.
PLEASE NOTE: Breastfed babies often need to eat more often than formula-fed babies so I set these feedings accordingly to maximize nap lengths. If your baby can go 3 hours apart between feedings, you can probably use the sample schedule below instead. You know your baby best!
3 Month Old Baby Sample Sleep Schedule: Eat-Play-Sleep
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | Wake and Feed | *Fixed Point |
| 8:30 AM | Nap | *Fixed Point; 1 1/2-hour Wake Window; 1-2 hours long |
| 10:00 AM | Feed | |
| 12:00 PM | Nap | 1 1/2-hour Wake Window; 1+ hour long |
| 1:00 PM | Feed | |
| 3:00 PM | Nap | 1 1/2 to 2-hour Wake Window; ~30-60 minutes long |
| 4:00 PM | Feed | |
| 5:30 PM | Catnap | 1 1/2 to 2-hour Wake Window; ~30 minutes long |
| 7:00 PM | Small Feed | |
| 7:30 PM | Start your bedtime routine | |
| 8:00 PM | Feed and Bedtime | *Fixed Point; Max 2-hour Wake Window, ideally |
| 11:00 PM | Dream Feed | Optional: Done at caretaker’s bedtime so you synch of longest stretch of sleep with yours |
+ 1 or possibly 2 night feedings
* Consider adding fixed points to your baby’s schedule if you prefer a more predictable schedule. You can read more about this in our article on fixed points in a baby schedule.
** What Is a Dream Feed? Age and How to Do It.
Note: This schedule follows the eat-play-sleep routine, however, it is sometimes hard to do at this age when the amount of time between naps is not long enough and your baby wakes too early from his nap because of a feeding.
Help For Your 3 Month Old
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You May Also Be Interested In…
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- Does E.A.S.Y. Make Sleep Harder For Baby?
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Rose says
My baby just turned 3 months old. Up until this point she was sleeping through the whole night. We werent concerned because she is gaining weight very well. Now at exactly 3 months old she is waking 2 to 3 times a night to feed. I’m curious to know if she will revert back to her old sleep ways or of this is the new norm and expect her to improve more and more as she gets older.
Neosha says
@Rose – Thank you for reading and for sharing with us. 3 month old baby sleep can be a bit confusing as your baby is getting more alert and tends to go through a growth spurt at this age – both of which causes sleep changes. During growth spurts, babies do generally have changes in their appetite, which could be what you’re experiencing. 3 months is also quite at the age of the sleep regression in which your baby’s sleep permanently changes. We generally advise that you do your best to not develop any long-term problems managing a short-term habit. Be sure to check in with her healthcare provider for assistance managing her night time feeds as we find that many babies this age do still have feedings during the night while some are able to go without. Hope this helps, Rose. Hang in there!
Theresa says
I am having the exact experience as Rose with my 3 month old. What do you mean when you say “do your best to not develop any long-term problems”? Thanks!
Danielle says
Hi Theresa,
Thanks for reading! I believe Neosha is referring to sleep associations, which can be positive, but which sometimes can turn into a problem down the road. We have an article on them here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/sleep-association/
Hope that helps!
Nataliet says
Hi! Thank you for helpful content.
I need a little advice , I started to use similar routine quite early, at about 6 weeks (when I almost went crazy sleeping 2-4 hrs per day), my boy had problems passing wind and cried ? lot and would wake up screaming, luckily it got better after 8 weeks and now is rarely a problem. My boy, now 3.5, month took the routine – he sleeps 11-12 hrs at night with two night feeds ( usually he goes to bed at 6:30-7 pm and would wake up same time am) , but was terrible at napping, at first he refused to nap at all, it took a lot of effort to convince him to nap for at least an hour per day, he only would nap in a moving pram . Eventually we started to nap in a cot, at first morning nap he would sleep for 45-60 minutes. Then he could sleep 30 mins, or 2 hrs, or 45 mins at a time, in general getting 3 more hrs a day. I was not into forcing him to nap longer if he is wide awake , I know he will sleep at night alright, so if he’s fine napping 35 mins at a time and happy afterwards, I am happy. But my mother in law came to visit and she took him from my hands for a week for about 80% of the time (so we could get sleep and rest). She would take him in her room when he would get up (6:30-7 am) and she would then force him to sleep in her arms for an hour or two at a time, I would often wake up from hearing a lot of crying. I never let him sleep in my arms and frankly he is very independent boy he doesn’t like to be held for a long time , at least for now. She constantly insisted he has to sleep 1-3 hrs at a time, and that 30-45 minutes isn’t enough even if he takes 4-5 naps a day. Long story short week was tricky and I feel like we fell off of our routine, he became fussy and is now crying, resisting nap and sleep every time, even at night – before he was calm while swaddled and fell asleep within seconds. Now he cries for 5-10 minutes till he falls asleep and I have to place pacifier in his mouth to soothe him 5-10 times till he gives up crying and falls asleep. I try to encourage him to nap longer, but he resists. Nothing works – rocking, pacifier, stroking, singing – if he awake after 30-35 minutes he will protest further sleep, if he is still sleepy i can encourage him to sleep another 10-15 minutes, no more. I am confused , it seems he was happier when we had more flexible routine.
But could it be the growth spurt or starting of sleep regression ? Thank you!
Janelle Reid says
Hi @Nataliet, thank you for writing to us. I’m sorry to hear you had a bit of a struggle with your mother-in-law and now feel things are a bit off. For what it’s worth, catnaps at this age are very normal but soon (between now and probably 6 months on average) his naps will begin to consolidate again like she insisted he needed (which he will eventually, short naps now are still nothing to worry about if he’s getting enough sleep in a 24 hour period). There also is a big sleep regression that hits around 3.5 – 4 months so it could be unrelated. We have several articles about it on our site, here is a link to our main one on the 4 month regression: https://www.babysleepsite.com/how-we-sleep/4-month-old-sleep-regression/
If you need any help working through this sleep regression or getting things back on track, let us know! We have a ton of resources and different options we can happily send your way. Feel free to contact us directly anytime at [email protected] and we will be glad to help you more from there. I hope this helps!
Ruthie O. says
This was extremely helpful -thank you!
-New mom of a 3.5 mo. old
Janelle Reid says
@Ruthie O. Thanks for visiting the Baby Sleep Site! I’m so glad you found the sample schedule helpful.
Jenny says
Hi! My son is turning 4 months in 10 days. Which sleep and feeding schedule do you recommend? The 3 month or 4 month?
Thanks a lot.
Jenny
Debbye @ The Baby Sleep Site says
Hi @Jenny – Thanks for writing to us! Since your little guy is just about 4 months, I would use that as your guide. Feel free to make the schedule your own, and a combination of the two schedules is fine too if he is not quite ready for that 4 month schedule.
Thank you again for visiting today! : )
Leaf says
Our 3,5 months old needs heaving bouncing/rocking/walking to fall asleep at every nap. While I could maintain to begin with, I’m starting to be sore everywhere and I can’t keep it up! And he cries even when rocked. We tried to put him down early enough (1hours half/1hour after his last nap, so he doesn’t get overtired), but more often than not, he requires way too much movement to sleep, and my whole body hurts like hell! I’d like not to let him cry out, but what can I do ? He doesn’t take a pacifier 🙁 . Is it too soon to sleep train ? Probably …
At night, he feeds (now around 7) and sleep, and as we cosleep for now, he feeds and goes back to sleep the whole night until 7am. I’d need some help with that at some point, but I feel that for now, it’s the only way we both get some sleep.
Neosha says
@Leaf – Thank you for reading and for sharing with us. I’m so sorry that your little guy’s day time sleep has gotten so tough. It’s so very common for day sleep to differ drastically from night sleep. It’s generally “never” too early or late to start sleep training but we generally recommend gentle, informal, flexible coaching for young babies like your little guy. Check out this article for some tips – https://www.babysleepsite.com/how-to-get-my-baby-to-sleep/how-to-get-my-14-15-or-16-week-old-to-sleep/ We feel your pain – hang in there, Leaf, and we’ll be here ready for you when you’re ready for that nighttime sleep coaching!
Aubrey says
Leaf,
Something I started doing that has really helped me is putting baby in bassinet while rocking it and holding pacifier in baby’s mouth for about 2 minutes. Then, I leave the room with the door open (Whether he’s fallen asleep within that 2 minutes or not) and go sit down. I set a timer on my phone for 5 minutes. If baby is still crying, I go back in and comfort and soothe him while not taking him out of the bassinet. I put the pacifier back in his mouth and rock and sing to him again for 2 minutes. I then repeat the same thing, until baby has fallen asleep.
At first it was hard, but baby has adjusted. He still wakes about 2 times in the night to be fed, I breastfeed him in the bed with me then put him back into his bassinet when he’s done eating.
My baby used to sleep with me in my bed the whole night, waking up about every hour wanting a feeding. (I think he was doing it as a comfort thing.) When he was a newborn, it helped me get a little more sleep. But now that he’s not a newborn, I feel I lose more sleep/my quality of sleep is worse.
I’d recommend making some gradual changes here and there, and eventually he will get the hang of it.
sadia says
hi, i am following the above breastfeeding schedule for my 3.5 month old and its working wonders except that he is not able to stay up as late as 9pm. i was earlier following 7.30 to 7.30 and it was working fine except that feeding schedule within that was not working for my baby and had terribly affected my milk supply so my question is how do i fit all those feeds in the above schedule in a 7am to 7pm schedule
Danielle says
Hi Sadia,
Thank you for visiting The Baby Sleep Site! I’m glad to hear our schedule has been helpful for you! Most babies this age are still waking 1-3 times overnight to eat, so you can just do the last feed on the schedule whenever she wakes up to eat at night. If you are having trouble with supply, you can also check in with a lactation consultant, since they could provide more specific advice. The International Lactation Consultant Association is a great resource if you need to find a provider: https://www.ilca.org/why-ibclc/falc
I hope this helps – good luck!
Lina says
Hi
I was confused to see 2 hour intervals for feeding. The baby whisperer and moms on call promote the 3 hour routine. Can you explain further?
Thanks
Danielle says
Hi Lina,
Thanks for using The Baby Sleep Site as a resource! We do differ in our recommendations because one of the most common reasons for excessive night waking for all babies and toddlers is that they aren’t getting enough to eat during the day, and become more hungry at night. We recommend feeding more often during the day so that when your baby wakes at night, it’s easier for you to tell if it’s “really” hunger or not. I hope this helps!
Hannah anger says
Hi, I was exclusively breastfeeding bub until 8 weeks, but due to bub not gaining weight I was told by my midwife to give a breastfeed then bottle of 200mls at every feed, bub has since gained the weight needed and is now 3 months.. and is excelling
Was wondering if yous could help me out with a schedule to help or ways to reduce how much formula bub has but still sustain her..
Just wondering if shes getting too much formula is comparison to breast.
And what to do and how to go about it, third bubba but first I’ve been able to feed this long.. just dont want to give up breeding. thankyou heaps
Hannah anger says
Breastfeeding ***
Danielle says
Hi Hannah,
Thank you for using The Baby Sleep Site as a resource, and congratulations on being able to keep breastfeeding! Since we are not medical professionals, we aren’t able to make recommendations about feeding, but I had a similar issue with my first child and was able to see a lactation consultant, and that helped immensely. You can ask your pediatrician or midwife to recommend one, or check out the website for the International Lactation Consultant Association to find a provider near you: https://www.ilca.org/why-ibclc/falc
Good luck!
Amanda says
I have 3 month old twins who are breastfed. Their fixed points (give or take 15-30mins) of the day are the 7am wake up, 6:30 eat, 7pm bedtime, 9:30 dream feed. They still only want to be awake around an hour at a time, but wake 2 hours after a feeding almost like clockwork. I’m struggling with what to do since they don’t necessarily seem to be hungry, but I’m tryibg to stick to sleep-eat-wake. Keeping them on the same schedule throws in another factor. I can’t soothe both of them through the sleep cycle transition, so I’m at a loss. Any thoughts?
Danielle says
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for using The Baby Sleep Site as a resource! I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling with so much with your 3 month-olds’ schedules. Although some families use sleep-eat-play very successfully, we usually don’t recommend for young babies, since they do tend to need to eat more often during the day than that schedule allows. We have an article on it here with more info: https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/babywise-eat-play-sleep-schedule/
I hope this helps!
Virginie says
Hi! Is is possible to experience the 4month old sleep regression at 3months ? Baby was doing stretches of 3hours in average per night…but now she wakes up every 1.5hrs or so…I thought it was the growth but she doesn’t want to be nursee at all time….She needs my help to go back to sleep each time…It started exactly a week ago when she turned 3months…
Danielle says
Hi Virginie,
Thank you for using The Baby Sleep Site as a resource! We do occasionally bump into babies who seem to be experiencing the regression early, so it is possible. Sometimes, the excessive waking is due to something different though, like a scheduling issue, not napping enough during the day, not feeding enough, etc. We usually recommend taking a hard look at the schedule and routine and making sure everything is where it’s supposed to be. Once she turns 4 months-old, you can also start sleep coaching, if you wish. I hope this helps!