How many naps a 24-hour interval should my babe have?

Most newborns volition sleep for two to four hours at a time, day and night. At this stage, you lot shouldn't expect whatever sort of napping pattern. Merely let your baby sleep equally much as she needs to.

When your babe's 6 to 8 weeks quondam, she's likely to start consolidating her slumber – she'll slumber less often and for longer stretches at a fourth dimension. She'll probably need 2 to 4 naps a day, and perhaps even more.

At iii to 4 months of age, many babies begin to follow a more predictable pattern of daytime slumber. This is a expert time to showtime developing a nap schedule (see our tips, below).

Do your best to give your infant a take a chance to nap at the aforementioned times each twenty-four hours. But keep in mind that his temperament and natural rhythms volition assistance determine how and when he naps. Some babies nap for long stretches every mean solar day and settle hands into a design. Others practise only fine taking shorter naps or napping at less regular times.

By 6 months, your baby volition probably be taking 2 or three naps a day: one in the forenoon, 1 in the early afternoon, and another afterward in the afternoon.

At ix to 12 months, about babies are down to two naps a twenty-four hours, i in the morning and one in the afternoon. And by 18 months, about children requite up their morn nap altogether but keep to snooze in the afternoon. They'll go on with this blueprint until they're 3 or 4 years old, although some don't taper off napping until they are v.

These are typical patterns, but not all babies follow them. Every baby has her ain unique slumber habits. For more data, bank check out our sample baby sleep schedules.

How to beginning scheduling your baby's naps

When your baby'south three to 4 months old, you can piece of work on developing a nap schedule that's compatible with his natural sleep cycles.

Read the signs
Pay attention to your infant's sleep signals. Does he begin to rub his eyes and become fussy midmorning or correct after tiffin? Does he often fall asleep in the motorcar in the early on afternoon? Practice you notice a divergence in his alertness and overall mood when he sleeps for longer or shorter periods?

You might desire to keep a record of your baby's sleep signals and naps for a week or two. This will aid you meet your babe's patterns so you lot tin anticipate naps.

For example, if your infant gets cranky and ready to nap by ten every morning, yous tin can ease him into it before he gets overtired. Get-go 15 to 20 minutes before y'all await his sleep signals to show up – feed, change, and rock him quietly, plough down the lights, and keep your voice low. That way he'due south already on the road to sleep when that tired feeling overtakes him.

Stick to a schedule
Consistency is the goal: Try to schedule your baby'southward naps for roughly the same time every solar day. If yous routinely put your baby down for his afternoon nap at iii one day and correct after lunch the next, your child volition take more problem developing a regular sleep design.

Endeavour to avoid activities that conflict with your baby's nap schedule. If your baby yoga grade happens during naptime, for example, run into if there's one offered at a time when your little one tends to be more alarm.

If your baby is in daycare during the week and has a regular nap schedule when he'south there, follow a similar schedule on the weekends when he'south at home with you.

Get more tips on establishing a successful baby schedule.

Don't stress over interruptions
You lot won't be able to arrange it so your entire household revolves effectually your babe's nap schedule – especially if you lot accept other children. Life events volition interrupt your schedule, and if naps are skipped or delayed from time to time, it isn't a disaster. If y'all have a regular structure that you can rely on, information technology'll be easier to get back on track after the inevitable disruptions.

Figuring out the best nap schedule for your baby will take some trial and error, and it volition change as your child grows and reaches new developmental milestones. You'll need to assess your baby's sleep needs and habits regularly and modify the schedule appropriately.

Developing a nap ritual

A naptime ritual is a good thought, for the same reason it'south recommended at night: It helps your child wind downwardly and signals that the sleep catamenia is approaching, so your baby is prepared to residuum.

Your naptime ritual tin can be shorter and less elaborate than the bedtime ritual: a story, a song, and a cuddle, for case. Once y'all've developed a routine that works for you and that you both enjoy, stick to it as closely as possible.

baby sleeping

Find out how much sleep your child needs at different ages, and when nap patterns will change.

More applied tips for naps

  • Put your babe to slumber safely by gently placing her on her dorsum on a house mattress and in a space without toys, blankets, or pillows.
  • Pajamas aren't necessary, just make sure your child is dressed in comfortable clothing that'southward neither too light nor too heavy.
  • Playtime correct earlier your baby's nap should be repose. Avoid loud dissonance and stimulating play that could make it hard for your child to settle down and go to slumber.
  • When yous can, put your child down for her nap in the same place she sleeps at night, which she'll associate with going to sleep.
  • If you're going on a trip or y'all know you'll exist abroad from home at naptime, be sure to pack books and anything else your child has come to associate with sleeping. This will assistance you maintain your baby's sleep routine wherever you lot are.
  • Don't wait until your kid is overly tired earlier starting time your going-to-sleep routine. If you practise, your kid may be likewise wound upwardly to sleep well – or even to go to slumber at all. If your child isn't much of a napper, don't blame yourself or your parenting skills – even if your best friend reports that her kid is taking three-hour naps every day. All you can do is offer your child the opportunity to sleep by preparing her and putting her downward on a consistent schedule.
  • Your baby may exist a natural catnapper, consistently napping for less than an hour at a time. Equally long every bit she doesn't seem too tired, fussy, or difficult during waking hours, she's getting the slumber she needs.

Parents' voices

"My 4-month-sometime has finally begun to nap without a fight. For u.s.a., the trick was getting her downwards the second nosotros saw tired signs (rubbing eyes, yawning, restless). Also, sticking to the aforementioned fourth dimension each mean solar day – within an hour at least because sometimes the exact same time isn't doable for Mom and Dad. I take her into her room and rock her for a few minutes while singing a lullaby.This is what we exercise at bedtime at night, so information technology's helped her larn that information technology'southward time to sleep."
—Stacy

"My 10-week-former babe is finally napping well, and it's because of whatI'mdoing differently! I'g now putting her down before she's tired, and information technology's working wonders. I ever waited until she was too tired, and the screaming was unbearable. So we had to walk the floor, rock, bounce, swing, agree her, you name it! It has taken me going in a few times to pop the pacifier dorsum in, but the difference is amazing."
—Anonymous

"An hour or ii after my infant wakes upwardly, he tends to seem tired (lets out little whimpers, may briefly rub his eyes). As presently as I feel information technology coming on, I head to his nursery. I have the swaddle blanket already laid out in a convenient place. I lay him on summit and calmly put the pacifier in his mouth (if he's at-home, he'll take it). As soon as he takes it, I gently wrap the blanket around him, pick him up, and stone him. He may protest for a couple of minutes, but he shortly falls asleep. Works like a dream!"
—Anonymous

"If your 3-month-one-time wakes after 30 to 45 minutes, it doesn't mean he'due south done with his nap – he just hasn't figured out how to get back to slumber subsequently the first stage of the sleep bike. Aid him exercise that and you'll take a more well-rested babe! The 2d stage is much longer – about an 60 minutes and a half for my son. Sometimes I have to go in and pat my baby'due south back and lesser for a few minutes to get him dorsum to sleep. Sometimes I have to permit him cry for a few minutes. And sometimes, finally at present at 5 months, he wakes upward, whimpers, and goes dorsum to sleep all on his own."
—Anonymous

"My daughter, now 4 months old, has always needed to nap on me and would sleep for hours if I held her. One time I put her down, she'd wake right upwards. What I've started doing lately is to put her in her bed and let her cry. I ready the timer for ten minutes. If she's still crying after x minutes, which she e'er is, I pick her up and apologize and burp her. And then I lay her back downwards and set the timer again. Most halfway through the crying, I requite her the pacifier. She goes to slumber and sleeps by herself anywhere from half an hour to three hours."
—Noelia