If you’re anticipating becoming a new parent, or if you have recently become a new parent, then the chances are that you have many questions about your baby’s sleep requirements. How will you know if they’re sleeping too little or too much?

Sleep is crucial for any baby’s cognitive development. They are in a period of rapid change, and getting the right amount of sleep is very important for their balanced growth, both physically and psychologically. So we’ve compiled this information, informed by experts, to guide you on how much sleep your infant needs up to the age of 1 year.

But first, let’s take a look at how to read the signs of your baby’s tiredness.

How can I tell when my baby is tired?

Sometimes there will be indications that your baby wants to sleep. To ensure that your baby is sleeping when their body needs to rest, it is important to listen to the following signs, which typically signify that your baby is tired:

Yawning.

Rubbing their eyes.

Pulling at its ears.

Crying.

Frowning.

Closing their fists.

Now that you know how to tell when your baby is tired, how can you ensure that your baby is getting the right amount of sleep?

How much sleep does my baby need in their first year?

From birth to three months

In their first 3 months, your baby will sleep roughly 14–17 hours in a 24-hour day. Typically, this is in the form of multiple short periods of sleep, scattered throughout the day and night. Your 0–3 month-old baby will wake regularly for feeding and diaper changes, and yes, unfortunately, that includes any time during the day or night!

If your baby is sleeping more or less than this amount, there is no need to panic. There is significant variance among babies’ sleep patterns in their first 3 months, so your baby doesn’t need to match the average.

Between three and six months

At the age of 3–6 months, your baby’s sleep requirements should begin to reduce to around 12–15 hours per day. At around this time, they will be able to go longer without feeding, so the individual periods of sleep will be longer.

In some cases, this will be the age at which a baby starts to sleep throughout the duration of the night. However, if your baby is still waking every night at this age, don’t worry; this is perfectly normal too!

Six months to a year

As your baby reaches the age of 6–12 months, their circadian rhythm will become stronger. This means that they will do more of their sleeping during the night and less during the day, therefore conforming to a more familiar sleeping pattern. At this age, your baby will wake for feeds and nappy changes less often. However, it is still normal for them to wake up regularly during the night. Growing pains, teething, and illness are common reasons.

Once your infant is one year old, it is reasonable to expect that they will sleep through the night. From this point on, their sleep cycle will become increasingly similar to your own, but it is still quite normal for them to wake up at night sometimes.

How much sleep does my infant need?

On Unii’s Baby Sleep Journey, we look at how much rest your baby needs in its first year.