Newborn Sleep Schedule
Newborns sleep in short stretches around the clock and don’t follow a schedule yet. Wake windows are very short — often under an hour, including a feed and a nappy change.
Newborn at a glance
| Wake windows | 35m – 1h |
|---|---|
| Naps per day | 4–8 |
| Typical bedtime | 8:30 pm – 11:00 pm |
| Total sleep per 24 hours | 14–17 hours * |
Sample newborn schedule
Based on a 7:00 am wake-up. Use the calculator above for your own times.
| Time | Event | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 am | Wake up | |
| 7:48 am – 8:48 am | Nap 1 | 1h (after 48m awake) |
| 9:36 am – 10:36 am | Nap 2 | 1h (after 48m awake) |
| 11:24 am – 12:24 pm | Nap 3 | 1h (after 48m awake) |
| 1:12 pm – 2:12 pm | Nap 4 | 1h (after 48m awake) |
| 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Nap 5 | 1h (after 48m awake) |
| 4:48 pm – 5:48 pm | Nap 6 | 1h (after 48m awake) |
| 6:36 pm – 7:36 pm | Nap 7 | 1h (after 48m awake) |
| 8:30 pm | Bedtime | after 54m awake |
What to know at this age
- Feed on demand and follow your midwife, health visitor or pediatrician on how often to feed.
- Day–night confusion is common. Keep days light with normal noise, and nights dim and quiet.
- Because wake windows are short, a newborn can be ready to sleep again soon after a feed.
Common questions
Should I put my newborn on a schedule?
Not a strict one. Use the times as a rough rhythm and follow your baby’s hunger and sleepy cues.
How long should a newborn stay awake?
Commonly 35–60 minutes at a time, including feeding.
Schedules by age
- Newborn (0–4 weeks)
- 1 month
- 2 months
- 3 months
- 4 months
- 5 months
- 6 months
- 7 months
- 8 months
- 9 months
- 10 months
- 11 months
- 12–14 months
- 15–17 months
- 18–23 months
- 2 years
* Total sleep ranges: National Sleep Foundation (0–3 months). Wake windows and nap counts are typical ranges; every child is different.