- Newborns typically sleep 16–20 hours per day, with short sleep cycles spread throughout a 24-hour period.
- Around 4–5 months, infants begin sleep consolidation, often achieving longer nighttime stretches of 4–5 hours.
- As children grow, total sleep needs decrease, but by 12–15 months, many benefit from about 12 hours of overnight sleep plus daytime naps.
- Around 18 months, most toddlers naturally transition to one midday nap lasting a couple of hours.
- Maintaining a nap routine through preschool age is encouraged, as late-day irritability often signals that a child still needs daytime sleep.
How Much Sleep Does Your Baby Need?
Sleep needs change rapidly in early childhood, but consistent nighttime sleep and age-appropriate naps support healthy development and better moods.
Geraldine Rubin, MD, Pediatrics
