How Long Should Newborns Sleep?

by Camilla Rae, Full Circle Sleep

Photo: Natalie Broders

Don't worry, you're not the first parent to be Googling about your baby's sleep in the middle of the night or wondering this after what feels like the 20th nap in one day. Newborns sleep a lot! On average newborns and young infants sleep a total of 14-17 hours during a 24-hour period. That sleep is usually spread across 4-6 hours during the day and 10-12 hours throughout the night.

Here are some of the important things to consider during the 4th Trimester — the first 12 weeks of the postpartum journey — when it comes to sleep:

Wake Windows

Typically for the first 12 weeks of life, wake windows will range from 45-90 minutes. This is not a hard and fast rule. The younger a baby is the shorter that wake window tends to be — sometimes the wake window is just long enough for a feeding session (15-20 minutes long). As babies grow and settle into life outside of the womb they will developmentally have more capacity to be alert and awake for longer stretches.

Photo: Simone Berkas

Sleepy Cues

Every baby is different. Babies who are breastfed tend to sleep longer than those who are formula fed because breast milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that helps to regulate the brain's serotonin levels and promote calmness and relaxation. So not every sleepy cue will manifest itself in your baby. But these are pretty standard things to keep an eye out for:

• Timing of when your baby falls asleep

• Your baby is zoning out / staring quietly

• Your baby is rubbing their eyes

• Your baby is pulling on their ears

• Your baby starts yawning

• Your baby is stretching or getting comfier

• Your baby starts turning their head side to side

• Your baby's eyebrows get red

Naps

For the first three months of life, babies will average 4-6 hours of daytime sleep in a 24 hr period spread over four to six naps.

The optimal amount of rest per nap should be close to 1 hour and 15 minutes. This is the length of time required for babies to get restorative sleep. Do all that you can to extend your baby's sleep sessions to at least 1 hour — this could be wearing baby (no, this won't spoil baby), contact napping (this is good for body regulation, milk production, and bonding), giving them movement (in a stroller, on a walk, on a ball, on a car ride), or passing baby around to the next adult or caregiver who hasn't had their fill when you are done holding the little one).

Overnight Sleep

A newborn baby can sleep for 11-12 hours at night. This of course is not continuous uninterrupted sleep. Babies will still typically wake every 2-4 hours needing to be fed.

Sleep Shaping

At Full Circle Sleep we don't like to do any formal sleep training until babies are 5 to 6 months old. This is because, on average, babies need time to make some large developmental leaps that are conducive to sleeping longer and more consolidated stretches — like learning to roll and strengthening their core enough to manage equilibrium shifts gracefully. But until your baby is more physically agile we recommend sleep shaping. Sleep shaping is the concept of setting your whole family up for healthy sleep habits and optimal sleep hygiene.

There are 4 basic steps to sleep shaping that you can begin implementing from day one:

Photo: Simone Berkas

1. Determine a bedtime.

   • The best way to determine when bedtime should be is to count back from your ideal wake-up.

     • Be realistic. Your days of sleeping in until noon are over.

   • Once you've determined your wake-up time count back 10-12 hours earlier and know that this time is when your baby should be sleeping (not going to bed)

     • For example: if your ideal wake-up is 8 am, your baby should be asleep at 10 pm at the latest.

2. Set a bedtime routine.

   • A bedtime routine is a very personal thing that varies from family to family.

   • Keep the routine to 15-20 minutes.

     • A simple routine might look like this:

       1. Diaper change

       2. PJs

       3. White noise on

       4. Low light

       5. Feeding session

       6. Cuddles in the dark

3. Hold your baby until they are asleep and then place them down on their back to sleep.

   • Don't rush the transfer too early in the sleep cycle.

   • Babies can be in a deep deep sleep when you put them down.

     • We are just practicing sleeping independently.

   • Know that it's okay to keep holding your little one close.

     • It's good for your little one's development.

4. When wake-ups happen keep interactions low energy, lowly lit, and quiet.

   • We are setting the vibe of cool, calm, and collected.

   • Keep everyone remaining in that ooey-gooey state of relaxation and sleepiness.

As with most things, early intervention can stave off less desirable outcomes (like sleep deprivation) so we always recommend that you anticipate pairing your postpartum doula care with a free sleep shaping consultation with Full Circle Sleep. Feel free to reach out anytime prenatally or during your 4th Trimester to learn more about how you can set your family up for restful nights.

Camilla Rae is the co-founder of Full Circle Sleep. As a birth doula, postpartum doula, newborn care specialist, and certified lactation counselor, she brings years of experience and insights to her work with families. Full Circle Sleep offers a discount to Bridgetown Baby families! Learn more and get sleep support here.