Baby sleep is a bit of an enigma, we know they need sleep (and lot’s of it!) but figuring out just how much at what age and stage isn’t an exact science.

But, there’s been enough research to help guide us so we know what baby sleep patterns to expect, even though every baby is different. These general guidelines help us feel less like we’re flying blind with our baby’s wake and sleep times and how often they should be napping.

Baby Sleep Stages

Babies need sleep. It helps them grow and hit their developmental milestones, but just like us the amount of sleep each baby needs can vary. So just keep in mind that some babies may sleep more, or less, during any of these ages and stages.

From those sleepy newborn days right through to busy toddlerhood, here’s a look at your baby’s sleep needs.

These little creatures need some time to adjust to their new world, which is full of sights and sounds that are all a rude shock after the warmth, comfort and relative quiet of the womb.

While newborns need lots of sleep, they also need to feed regularly, have their nappies changed often and spend a little time learning about their new environment. They’re busy little bees! Newborns will accumulate their sleep throughout the day and night, and these may be short naps or longer stretches. But generally they will start off with two to three hour sleeps, which will gradually increase in length as they get older.

The amount of total sleep in a 24 hour period will vary from each baby, but in general the majority of babies get somewhere between 14 and 17 hours of sleep in every 24 hours.

Just remember that newborns need to wake often for feeding, because their tummies are so small. They may stay awake for a bit, or go back to sleep, completely milk drunk! As your newborn reaches the one month mark, they may start waking less frequently and sleeping longer at night.

By the time your little one is reaching the three-month mark, they may be having longer stretches of up to five hours at night. However, they will usually still be waking at least once a night.

The world has become such an interesting place! There’s so much to see and learn, and you’ve probably noticed that your baby is spending longer stretches of time awake.

By this age a baby’s sleep patterns start to mimic our own. For instance, they don’t go straight into a heavy, REM sleep. Their sleep cycle now starts with a light sleep (where loud or sudden noises can wake them easily), before heading into a deep sleep.

In this age bracket, most babies sleep between 12 to 15 hours in a 24 hour period, usually with two or three naps during the day, stretching up to two hours. Their night sleeping may be getting longer as well, with some periods of sleep lasting up to six hours by the time they hit their half-year birthday. But don’t be surprised if they’re still waking at least once at night.

From around six-months-old babies will still be sleeping a total of around 13 hours a day – with the majority of that (11 or so hours) at night.

Naps usually get dropped during the age period, but most tots will still be having a couple of day sleeps, of between 30 minutes and two hours. Now that their tummies stay full for longer, you may also find your baby isn’t waking as much at night (fingers crossed!).

Most babies at this age are ready for their long night sleep between 6pm and 10pm, but it’s really common for them to still wake a few times overnight and need some help getting back to sleep.

Once babies head towards their first birthday and into toddlerhood, their sleep patterns are generally pretty settled and they are sleeping well. They may still be having one or two naps each day, but will sleep the most at night.

At around 12 months old, babies are usually sleeping somewhere between eight and 12 hours at night, with the possibility of some waking.

 A baby sleep secret weapon

Settling a baby to sleep is all about routine. Babies thrive on knowing what’s coming next and setting up a soothing pre-sleep routine is not only helpful to a great night’s rest or reviving nap, it’s a great way to connect with your little one.

A sleep routine can include anything from a bath, story and massage, to the use of a sleep aid, like Glow Dreaming. Loved by so many Australian parents, it’s a sleep wonder that helps create the perfect atmosphere for a restful and restorative night or nap.

Glow Dreaming uses a combination of five highly-researched features to lull babies and toddlers into the Land of Nod in a peaceful and calm way. The Red LED Light Therapy uses the same technology that NASA uses to help astronauts get to sleep. The Pink Noise has been developed in conjunction with the world’s best sound engineer, while the Humidifier helps ease breathing and prevent snoring.

And finally the Aromatherapy, used with Glow Dreaming’s medicinal grade essential oil is designed to help relax your child’s body, so they fall asleep on a cloud. With more than 200,000 families sleeping well thanks to their Glow Dreaming, it’s little wonder that it’s been awarded Product Review’s number one sleeping aid.

(Sources: Pregnancy, Birth & Baby, Parenting Science, Raising Children Network)

Mouths of Mums is proudly partnering with Glow Dreaming to bring you this article. Glow Dreaming is a sleep aid designed especially for children. It brings together a unique combination of science and natural therapies that have been proven to help induce sleep. Glow Dreaming brings sleep to those that need it most.