Newborn Sleep Schedules By Week, Newborn Sleep Patterns, and Tips for Better Sleep!

Newborns need 14 to 17 hours of sleep a day (8 hours during the day and 8 at night) but can’t stay awake longer than 1 to 2 hours at a time and newborn sleep patterns change rapidly. If newborns generally eat, poop, and sleep around the clock in the early days, what does a newborn’s sleep schedule look like? This post shares sample newborn sleep schedules by week, information about your newborn’s sleep patterns, and tips to help get your newborn sleeping.

You can peruse all the newborn sleep schedules by scrolling down or using the quick links below. In addition, you may also want to bookmark this page for future use or get more comprehensive sample schedules and sleep schedule guidance in our e-book, Essential Keys to Your Newborn’s Sleep.

1 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: A 1-week old will sleep upwards of 16-18+ hours in a day, but babies this age tend to sleep in “chunks” of 2 hours at a time and will need to eat that often. It is important to feed 1-week-old babies often to ensure proper weight gain and, if you’re breastfeeding, it helps establish your milk supply. So, even if your baby wants to sleep longer than 2 hours, you will need to wake him or her to feed. It’s very likely your baby will go right back to sleep after a feeding and diaper change quite a bit of the time. Or, at least, it might feel that way.

Another thing to keep in mind is that your baby’s “night sleep” will not be very long just yet. In fact, late bedtimes are common at these younger ages and many newborns mix up day and night. This means if they are awake at all, they are awake at night when you are sleeping and then sleep in very long stretches during the day. Understandably, you may be wishing they would sleep that long at night. If so, you will want to consider correcting your newborn’s day/night confusion if they don’t correct it themselves in the next week or so.

Your 1-week-old’s newborn sleep schedule will not be set to a clock, but rather, you should feed your baby on demand and put your baby to sleep when they show sleepy signs. Babies this age, can barely stay awake every 45 minutes, usually, and eat every two hours. They have very short wake windows. Here’s a bit of how your day might look but it will vary quite a bit, baby to baby as well as day-to-day, and some naps will likely be longer than others:

A newborn’s sleep patterns are a bit repetitive, but I promise things will get more interesting as your baby gets older. 😉

You May Also Be Interested In…

• 10 Things to do Before and After You Have a Baby
• 6 Reasons Your Newborn Is Not Sleeping
• Newborn Day/Night Confusion
• How Long Do Newborns Sleep?

2 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: A 2-week-old doesn’t differ too much from a 1-week-old in that your baby will sleep most of the day, approximately 16 hours, on average. But, again, the sleep is broken into “chunks” where some naps will be longer than others. If your baby still has day/night confusion, you may want to start trying to keep them awake for at least 45 minutes multiple times a day and avoid naps longer than 3 hours.

If your baby will only sleep when in your arms or chest, then the days may be challenging unless you have help at home. However, if your baby is sleeping in a bedside bassinet you may have more time on your hands than you thought you would after having a baby! If that’s the case, be sure to rest up for the coming weeks. 😉 Here’s a bit how your day might look but it will vary quite a bit, baby to baby as well as day to day, and some of you newborn’s naps will likely be longer than others:

3 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: At 3 weeks old, your newborn baby may begin to stay awake a bit longer during the day up to one hour or so but still will need to sleep about 16 hours in a 24-hour period. Unfortunately, he or she may also begin to become a bit fussier, in general. This is normal as babies sometimes have a hard time adjusting to the outside world. Their central nervous system is maturing and developing.

Talk to your baby’s doctor or healthcare provider to make sure you no longer need to wake your baby to feed. If your baby is gaining weight well, your doctor may allow him or her to sleep in longer stretches during the day and at night. In addition, sometimes babies still feed frequently during the day at this age but then have at least one longer stretch at night. Although a strict newborn sleep schedule is still not common, your day may look a little something like this:

Again, which naps are longer will vary from baby to baby and maybe even day-to-day for the same baby.

4 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 1 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: At 4 weeks old / 1 month old, your newborn baby will still need ~14-16 hours of sleep per day and will likely begin staying awake a bit more during the day. Sleep schedules are still relatively loose and vary day-to-day though some babies are getting into more predictable sleep patterns.

Thankfully, some 4 week old newborns start to have one or two longer stretches of sleep at night. Talk to your baby’s doctor or healthcare provider to make sure you no longer need to wake your baby to feed. If your baby is gaining weight well, your doctor may allow him or her to sleep in longer stretches during the day and at night and it will be glorious! If you are struggling to put your baby to sleep, be sure to read How to Get Your Newborn to Sleep at Night: 7 Steps.

Breastfed babies sometimes feed more frequently than formula-fed babies at this age. For example, my son was breastfed and couldn’t go longer than 2 to 2 1/2 hours during the day before he needed to eat again while some formula-fed babies start to go 3 hours between feedings. Also, cluster feeding and evening fussiness may become more common around this age. Here is a common 4 week old/1 month old sleep pattern and schedule:

As you can see, you may have one fewer night feeding and longer stretches of sleep (hopefully!)

5 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: A 5-week-old will still need ~14-16 hours of sleep a day and can’t stay awake much longer than an hour. Some babies need more time to be able to stay awake longer, but 1 to 1 1/2 hours is typical. All babies develop at their own pace so if your baby is still sleeping almost the entire day, as long as your doctor isn’t concerned, it’s likely just fine. On the other hand, if your baby is staying awake a lot more during the day, this is also normal. In other words, newborn sleep patterns change rapidly! Your baby will begin to stay awake more and more throughout the day as they can handle more stimulation.

Newborn sleep cycles are around 30-40 minutes so if your baby is waking up mid-way through the nap, that’s why. Unfortunately, we start to see this become problematic in the coming weeks. Be sure you are still swaddling your baby to help keep them asleep. If their moro reflex wakes them during a sleep cycle, remaining swaddled can help them drift back to sleep.

Here is what a 5-week-old newborn sleep schedule may look like, but again, it could vary quite a bit and you should still be putting your baby down based on his or her sleepy cues:

6 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: 6 week old babies typically need ~14-16 hours of sleep a day and will likely start gravitating toward a 4-5-nap nap schedule. The first nap is typically the first to organize and lengthen to become a more predictable nap. If your baby is fussy, this is typically the age when fussiness peaks. Your baby may be going through their 6-week growth spurt and will become a lot more social. Evening fussiness is still very common at this age and bedtimes often get a bit earlier but I still recommend avoiding bedtimes that are TOO early since babies this age don’t sleep 11-12 hours just yet. We start to see newborns fight sleep around this age and the upcoming weeks.

Here’s what a 6-week-old baby sleep schedule may look like:

7 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns are emerging and possibly becoming more predictable. 7-week-old newborn will still need ~14-16 hours of sleep each day and his or her schedule will likely look very similar to a 6-week-old’s. Your baby may begin to move bedtime earlier and drop one of their cluster feedings in the evening. Evening fussiness typically is going away around this age, though if your baby needs a couple more weeks, that would be within norms, too. Don’t worry! Your baby won’t likely remain so fussy unless he or she doesn’t get the sleep he or she needs. If you have any concerns, be sure to talk to your doctor and ensure proper weight gain is occurring. Here is a common daily routine and 7 week newborn sleep schedule:

A schedule is beginning to emerge! If your baby is sleeping a single 5-hour stretch, congratulations! This is considered “sleeping through the night.” Of course, you may not be sleeping all night just yet. Some babies, especially formula-fed babies, might be sleeping in even longer stretches at night. Some babies have increased their bottle sizes during the day while others haven’t. The key is that they are eating enough in a 24-hour period. Breastfed babies may still be eating three times a night.

8 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 2 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: By 8 weeks old/2 months old, many babies are sleeping longer at night and we start to see earlier and earlier bedtimes as your baby lengthens nighttime sleep to 11-12 hours and they nap 3-4 hours during the day, on average. They still need ~14-16 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. However, if your baby still has a later bedtime, that isn’t too uncommon. Until your baby is sleeping 11-12 hours at night, you really don’t want an 8 PM or earlier bedtime else you will have to start your day WAY too early! In addition, your baby may have been eating just 1-2 times a night but once they lengthen their nighttime sleep, this might mean a night feeding creeps back in, temporarily.

Some parents stop swaddling around this age because baby is rolling which can become problematic for sleep. This can lead to more night-waking and shorter naps. In addition, there is commonly an 8-week growth spurt to keep in mind. This is a common age when parents begin to think about sleep training their newborn.

Here is what your 8-week-old’s schedule may look similar to:

Please note: Not all babies, especially breastfed babies, can transition to just two night feedings by this age, especially if they are in bed for 12 hours. Some babies are still getting three night feedings and that would be within averages.

9 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

At 9 weeks old, your baby will need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 hours during the day broken into 3-4 naps for a total of ~14-16 hours a day. This will be true for several more weeks. Your 9-week old’s newborn sleep schedule won’t likely look too different than your 8-week schedule. The frequency of schedule changes starts to slow down a bit as we approach 16 weeks. Here is a sample 9-week old sleep schedule, though as always, babies vary a lot:

Please note: Not all babies, especially breastfed babies, can transition to just two night feedings by this age, especially if they are in bed 12 hours. Some babies are still getting three night feedings and that would be within averages.

10 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your 10-week-old baby is likely starting to move bedtime a bit earlier if they haven’t done so already. It’s even more likely he or she is in bed 11-12 hours at night, now. 10-week-olds need an average of 14-16 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period and will likely be taking 3-4 naps a day, at this point. Here is a sample 10 week old newborn sleep schedule:

Please note: Not all babies, especially breastfed babies, can transition to just two night feedings by this age, especially if they are in bed 12 hours. Some babies are still getting three night feedings and that would be within averages.

11 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

11-week-old babies still need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 naps, but the average total sleep tends to drop a bit at this age to ~14-15 hours. As we approach 3 months old, your baby is likely staying awake a bit more during the day and some naps may be starting to shorten. This is a common age to start putting baby in the crib for naps. Here is what a day in the life of an 11-week-old might look like:

Please note: Not all babies, especially breastfed babies, can transition to just two night feedings by this age, especially if they are in bed 12 hours. Some babies are still getting three night feedings and that would be within averages.

12 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 3 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your newborn’s sleep patterns have likely changed significantly from a few weeks ago. 12-week-olds (or 3-month-olds) are starting to approach the time when we start to see newborn sleep problems if you haven’t seen them up to this point. Naps sometimes get shorter and it may be harder to stick to your schedule or eat-play-sleep routine. Your baby still needs 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 hours during the day, but the total average sleep is right around 14 hours. Of course, by definition, some babies will need more and some will need less. If your baby needs less, developing a 3-month-old schedule is usually more difficult. Ideally, you’d keep your baby awake no longer than two hours at a time otherwise, your 3 month old might be very fussy.

Here is what a typical 12 week old sleep schedule looks like, though not always predictable just yet:

13 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your 13-week-old’s sleep schedule won’t be too different than a 12-week-old’s in that not much changes. Of course, as your baby gets older, he or she will be able to stay awake for progressively longer periods of time. Most babies this age will stay awake 1-2 hours at a time, with the first stretch being one of the shortest. However, not all babies this age have 4 naps. Typically, those who take longer naps will have fewer naps, so it depends on whether your baby has started developing a consistent morning nap, yet. Your baby’s central nervous system is maturing and your newborn’s sleep is organizing. Here is a sample 13-week-old’s sleep schedule:

14 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

At 14 weeks old, your baby still needs 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 3-4 hours during the day. Some babies are transitioning to 3 naps around this age, though not all, depending on how long they can stay awake between sleep periods. Most babies still need to sleep within 1-2 hours of being awake. And, if they are sleeping 12 hours at night, they may not need quite as much sleep during the day. Schedules are still coming together except for regular or predictable babies who naturally gravitate toward a schedule. Here is what your schedule might look like if your baby takes a longer midday nap:

15 Week Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

Your 15-week-old will not sleep too differently than 14 weeks old. While not too much changes week-to-week, babies change a lot from week 1 to 16. Most importantly, keep in mind that all babies develop at a different pace. For instance, a 15-week old could look more like a 12-week-old or a 16-week-old and both would be “normal.” Not all babies will organize their sleep at the exact same time. Babies tend to be more predictable after they transition from 3 to 2 naps, but other nap transitions and schedule changes aren’t quite as predictable. Here is what some 15-week-old’s schedule looks like if they can’t stay awake very long between sleep periods and don’t take super long naps:

16 Week Old Sleep Schedule / 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Development, and Sleep Patterns

16 weeks is the last that we consider a “newborn.” Your baby should be awake a lot more during the day and developing some personality! By this age, I knew my son was very spirited and persistent, and I had challenges in my future! He did end up inspiring an entire website after all. 😉

At 16 weeks old or 4 months, the main sleep problem we see is the famous 4 Month Sleep Regression. Babies tend to wake up frequently at night and take short naps after this regression begins. However, keep in mind that this can occur as early as 12 weeks old or as late as 5 months old once sleep cycles change. Some babies will go back to sleeping well while others will need more help learning how to sleep in longer stretches at night and take longer naps.

If you haven’t already, this is often when visitors download our free e-Book, 5 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night or consider sleep training.

Here is what a sleep schedule for your 16 week old might look like:

I hope this post gives you some ideas about an appropriate newborn sleep schedule for your baby and about your baby’s sleep patterns. But, keep in mind that all babies are unique and some are more predictable and easy-going than others. Spirited babies tend to be more challenging when it comes to sleep schedules. Take heart that all babies do eventually get into a rhythm, though not all are predictable to the clock. You’ll get to know your baby and his or her unique needs.

What is your newborn’s sleep schedule?

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