Newborns sleep 14–17 hours a day, but rarely more than 4 hours at a stretch. Here’s what to expect — and what’s normal — for the first three months.
Weeks 0–2: pure chaos (and that’s OK)
No day/night rhythm. Feeds every 2–3 hours, often more. Sleep happens in 30-min to 3-hour blocks, distributed evenly across 24 hours. Don’t try to "fix" the schedule — there isn’t one yet.
Newborns spend up to 50% of sleep in REM (active sleep) — twice the adult percentage. This is critical for brain development.
Weeks 2–6: longest stretch emerges
One slightly longer stretch (4–5 hours) usually appears — often, frustratingly, during the day. Use light cues: bright + active in the day, dim + quiet + boring at night.
Weeks 6–12: circadian rhythm forms
Melatonin production begins around 8–12 weeks. The longest stretch shifts to nighttime. Many babies start to consolidate to 5–6 hour stretches.
Time to introduce a simple bedtime routine: bath → feed → song → bed. Routines work as early as 6 weeks.
What’s NOT normal — call your pediatrician
- Sleeping more than 19 hours/day consistently
- Difficulty waking for feeds
- Color change, breathing pauses >20 sec, or grunting with each breath
- Persistent inconsolable crying >3 hours/day