The first year of your child’s sleep is the most fluid. Sleep needs and stamina change constantly, decreasing the amount of daytime sleep your little ones will get as they grow. Since we love to make your life easy, we have put together this nap guide:
Newborn – 6 weeks old: 4 – 6 naps, lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. Your baby should have periods of 45 minutes to 1.25 hours of awake time before you offer them sleep.
6 weeks – 3 months old: 3-4 naps. At 11 weeks, you should be seeing 3 naps consistently, with awake windows of 1.5 hours by 13 weeks.
3 – 5 months old: Three naps. By 5 months, your baby should be able to be awake for periods of 2.5 hours.
6 – 12 months old: Two naps. At six months old, most babies will transition from 3 naps to 2 naps. Babies who take two naps should have awake windows of at least 3 hours, making them 3.5 to 4 hours by the time they turn 12 months old.
12 months to 3 years old and up: One nap. Children transition to one nap between 12 and 18 months of age, with 14 months being the most common. They will start with wake windows of 5 hours, extending them to six hours as they grow.
Preschoolers: This one is tricky! While most preschoolers are ready to ditch the nap by the time they’re 3 years old, some continue to nap until they start kindergarten, and that’s O.K.! Follow their cues, and don’t rush to stop offering them a nap.
Our team of certified sleep consultants is ready to guide you through all the stages of your child’s sleep.
Baby nap FAQS
How many naps a day are normal?
It depends on your little one’s age! Newborns are sleepy creatures, and can easily get up to 6 hours of daytime sleep. As they grow, you will notice that your little one spends more time awake.
How long should naps be per age?
This also depends on age. Infants younger than 12 weeks old should not skip daytime feeds and will need to be woken up from a nap if it has been three hours since their last feed. Babies 12 weeks and older should be woken up if they have been asleep for two hours.
Why does my baby take short naps?
The number one culprit of short naps is not having independent sleep skills. Other reasons are over-tiredness, under-tiredness, and not having a proper sleep environment. Consider sleep training in Main Line, PA or virtually if your baby is a chronic cat-napper and you are ready for longer breaks.
Should my child take naps in the dark?
Yes! This is key. Darkness is the clearest cue you can give your child’s brain that it’s time to sleep. This will promote the secretion of melatonin, our sleep hormone, resulting in less fuzz and naps that are long and restorative.
