How much sleep does my baby actually need?

Between 12 and 17 hours a day depending on age. Newborns sleep the most, in the shortest chunks. By 12 months most babies are around 13 to 14 hours total, with roughly 11 of those at night.

What is a wake window?

A wake window is the time your baby is awake between sleeps, including the feed, the play and the nappy change. Too short and your baby is not ready to sleep. Too long and they are overtired.

When should bedtime be?

For most babies between 3 and 12 months, between 6:30pm and 7:30pm. Earlier is fine on a tough sleep day. Later usually backfires.

How is the Helper different from ChatGPT?

The Helper is trained on The Two: Twin Guide and built specifically for babies 0 to 12 months. You get age-appropriate routines in plain mum-voice, not hedged, generic answers that send you to your GP for everything.

Is the Helper safe to follow?

The Helper gives general guidance based on age-appropriate sleep practices. It is not a substitute for your GP or child health nurse. For specific health concerns, always check with a professional.

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Babies sleep between 12 and 17 hours a day depending on age. Newborns drift around the clock in 40 minute chunks. By 12 months most babies are on two naps and around 11 hours overnight. Everything in between is the work of those first 12 months.

Sleep By Age, At A Glance

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Sleep By Age, At A Glance *

    
      
          Age
          Total daily sleep
          Naps
          Wake windows
          Overnight
        

      
          Newborn (0 to 8 weeks)
          14 to 17 hours
          4 to 6
          45 to 60 minutes
          Feeds every 2 to 4 hours
        

          2 to 3 months
          14 to 16 hours
          3 to 4
          60 to 105 minutes
          1 to 2 feeds
        

          4 to 5 months
          13 to 15 hours
          3
          90 to 120 minutes
          1 feed
        

          6 to 8 months
          13 to 14 hours
          2 to 3
          2 to 3 hours
          0 to 1 feeds
        

          9 to 11 months
          12 to 14 hours
          2
          3 to 3.5 hours
          0 feeds for most
        

          12 months
          12 to 14 hours
          2 (heading to 1)
          3 to 4 hours
          0 feeds
        

    
  

Age	Total daily sleep	Naps	Wake windows	Overnight
Newborn (0 to 8 weeks)	14 to 17 hours	4 to 6	45 to 60 minutes	Feeds every 2 to 4 hours
2 to 3 months	14 to 16 hours	3 to 4	60 to 105 minutes	1 to 2 feeds
4 to 5 months	13 to 15 hours	3	90 to 120 minutes	1 feed
6 to 8 months	13 to 14 hours	2 to 3	2 to 3 hours	0 to 1 feeds
9 to 11 months	12 to 14 hours	2	3 to 3.5 hours	0 feeds for most
12 months	12 to 14 hours	2 (heading to 1)	3 to 4 hours	0 feeds

For a brief summary, see the schedule. For a tailored version specific to your baby's age, wake time, and current routine, use the Sleep Schedule Helper

Here is what a 3 month schedule looks like in the Helper. The three month mark is where rhythm starts to settle and bedtimes move earlier. Your version is built around your baby's actual wake time. This one assumes a 7am start.

What A Real Schedule Looks Like

    
          Time
          What is happening
        
          7:00am
          Wake and feed.
        
          8:30am
          Nap one (1 to 1.5 hours).
        
          10:00am
          Wake and feed.
        
          11:30am
          Nap two (1 to 2 hours).
        
          1:30pm
          Wake and feed.
        
          3:00pm
          Nap three (45 to 60 minutes).
        
          5:30pm
          Optional catnap if needed.
        
          6:30pm
          Bath, feed, dim the room.
        
          7:00pm
          Bedtime.
        
          Overnight
          One feed for most babies, around 2am to 4am.

Time	What is happening
7:00am	Wake and feed.
8:30am	Nap one (1 to 1.5 hours).
10:00am	Wake and feed.
11:30am	Nap two (1 to 2 hours).
1:30pm	Wake and feed.
3:00pm	Nap three (45 to 60 minutes).
5:30pm	Optional catnap if needed.
6:30pm	Bath, feed, dim the room.
7:00pm	Bedtime.
Overnight	One feed for most babies, around 2am to 4am.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Between 12 and 17 hours a day depending on age. Newborns sleep the most, in the shortest chunks. By 12 months most babies are around 13 to 14 hours total, with roughly 11 of those at night. See the table above for the age-by-age detail.
A wake window is the time your baby is awake between sleeps, including the feed, the play and the nappy change. Too short and your baby is not ready to sleep. Too long and they are overtired. The wake windows in the table are the typical range for each age.
For most babies between 3 and 12 months, between 6:30pm and 7:30pm. Earlier is fine on a tough sleep day.

The Helper is trained on The Two: Sleep Guide and built specifically for babies 0 to 12 months. You get age-appropriate routines in simple and easy to understand formats.
We offer flexible pricing based on project type and complexity. After an initial conversation, we’ll provide a transparent quote with no hidden costs.
The Helper gives general guidance based on age-appropriate sleep practices. It is not a substitute for your GP or child health nurse. For specific health concerns, always check with a professional.

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