How many hours should one month old sleep

Sleep and Your 1- to 3-Month-Old (for Parents)

Just when you think that getting more shut-eye is a far-off dream, your baby will begin to sleep longer stretches at night. Baby's sleep cycle is getting closer to yours, and your little one may be feeding less often at night.

But don't assume you'll be hitting the snooze button just yet. At this stage, "sleeping through the night" is considered to be a stretch of only 5 or 6 hours.

How Long Will My Baby Sleep?

Because babies this age are more awake, alert, and aware of their surroundings during daylight hours, they're more likely to be tired at night and sleep. But the range of normal is still very wide.

Infants up to 3 months old should get 14–17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, says the National Sleep Foundation. Many will have settled into a daily sleep routine of 2-3 naps during the day, followed by a longer "sleeping through the night" stretch after a late-night feeding.

How Should Babies Sleep?

The American of Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing for at least the first 6 months or, ideally, until a baby's first birthday. This is when the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) is highest.

Room-sharing is when you place your baby's crib, portable crib, play yard, or bassinet in your own bedroom instead of in a separate room. This keeps baby nearby and helps with feeding, comforting, and monitoring baby at night.

While room-sharing is safe, putting your baby to sleep in bed with you is not. Bed-sharing increases the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths.

Follow these recommendations for a safe sleep environment for your little one:

• Always place your baby on their back to sleep, not on the stomach or side. The rate of SIDS has gone way down since the AAP began recommending this in 1992.
• Use a firm, flat sleep surface. Cover the mattress with a sheet that fits snugly.
• Do not put anything else in the crib or bassinet. Keep plush toys, pillows, blankets, unfitted sheets, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, and bumper pads out of your baby's sleep area.
• To avoid overheating, dress your baby for the room temperature and don't overbundle. Don't cover your baby's head while they're sleeping. Watch for signs of overheating, such as sweating or feeling hot to the touch.
• Keep your baby away from smokers. Secondhand smoke increases the risk of SIDS.
• Offer a pacifier to your baby at sleep time, but don’t force it. If the pacifier falls out during sleep, you don’t have to replace it. If you're breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is firmly established.
• Watch out for other hazards, such as items with cords, ties, or ribbons that can wrap around a baby's neck, and objects with any kind of sharp edge or corner. Look around for things that your baby can touch from a seated or standing position in the crib. Hanging mobiles, wall hangings, pictures, draperies, and window blind cords could be harmful if they are within a baby's reach.
• Don’t let your baby fall asleep on a product that isn’t specifically designed for sleeping babies, such as a sitting device (like a car seat), a feeding pillow (like the Boppy pillow), or an infant lounger (like the Dock-a-Tot, Podster, and Bummzie).
• Don’t use products or devices that claim to lower the risk of SIDS, such as sleep positioners (like wedges or incliners) or monitors that can detect a baby’s heart rate and breathing pattern. No known products can actually do this.
• Don’t use weighted blankets, sleepers, or swaddles on or around your baby.
• Make sure that all sleep surfaces and products you use to help your baby sleep have been approved by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and meet federal safety standards.

Helping Your Baby Sleep

If you haven't already, start a bedtime routine that will be familiar and relaxing for your baby. Bathing, reading, and singing can soothe babies and signal an end to the day. Some babies like to be swaddled (wrapped in a light blanket). This is OK until they start to roll (typically, when they're 3 to 4 months old). Be consistent and your baby will soon associate these steps with sleeping.

If you rock your baby to sleep before bedtime, your little one may expect to be rocked to sleep after nighttime awakenings. Instead, try putting your baby into a crib or bassinet while drowsy but still awake. This way your baby will learn to fall asleep on their own.

Some babies squirm, whine, and even cry a little before falling back to sleep on their own. Unless you think that your baby is hungry or ill, see what happens if you leave your baby alone for a few minutes — they might settle down.

If your baby wakes during the period that you want them to sleep, keep activity to a minimum. Try to keep the lights low and resist the urge to play with or talk to your baby. Change or feed your baby and then return your little one to the crib or bassinet.

If your baby is waking early for a morning feeding, some small changes may allow a slight shift in schedule. You might try waking your baby for the late-night feeding at a time that suits your sleep schedule:

• For instance, if your baby sleeps after a 7 p.m. feeding and wakes up at 2 a.m. to eat, try waking the baby to feed at 11 p.m. Then, put your little one down to sleep until an early-morning feeding at 5 a. m. or 6 a.m.

It may take a few nights to establish this routine, but being consistent will improve your chances of success.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

Some infants at this age will start sleeping through the night, but there is a wide range of normal. If you have questions about your baby's sleep, talk with your doctor.

1 Month Old Sleep Schedule

Those first few weeks of caring for your newborn (and yourself) are full of lots of love and learning. So much of your one month old’s day is full of feeding, diapers, and sleep. I’d love to share some common questions that I get at this age and a one month old sleep schedule. 

Parents, when you read this, I want you to really hear my heart. I know that those first weeks can be exhausting. When I talk about a one month old sleep schedule, I want you to know that my motto is “flexible routine, not rigid schedule.” We want to meet your baby right where she is developmentally. So, what does that look like? Let me show you the basics. If you want to see everything step-by-step and with all my best tips, check out my First Five Months Bundle.

What are wake windows for a 1 month old?#

A wake window is the amount of time your baby is awake between one nap and the next. At one month, we begin to see wake windows that are around 50-90 minutes. At 4 weeks, wake windows are going to be closer to 50-70 minutes and by 8 weeks they might be closer to 60-90. Usually, we see that babies have shorter wake windows in the morning and longer wake windows before bedtime. 

At one month old, wake windows are a great guideline, but I want you to watch for sleepy cues. Sleepy cues are the signs your baby uses to communicate that he’s tired, ready for a nap, or overtired. 

What is a sample schedule for a 1 month old?#

Your one month old’s day might look something like this:

Now, this is just an example. This is not a schedule to follow to the minute. Your baby is a human, not a robot, and needs us to be flexible. To see how a day could play out with different nap lengths, wake windows, and feeding intervals check out my blog on Short Naps and Newborns.  

What are developmental milestones for a 1 month old?#

When we talk about milestones, remember that some babies reach them sooner and other babies take a bit longer. Milestones happen in a range, and we aren’t going to compare your sweet baby to the baby next door. If you have any questions about your one month old’s development, please reach out to your pediatrician.

Here are a few things that you might start seeing your newborn do this month:

• Bring his hands to his face

• Begin to track with her eyes moving objects that are 8-12 inches away

• Turn towards familiar voices 

• Briefly hold his head up from a flat surface or from being held

• React to loud noises

• Briefly grasp and hold objects with her hand

How do I play with a 1 month old? #

I know that it can be tricky to add active awake time for your one month old. It can feel like feeding takes up most of that time. I don’t want you to stress. Do you know the best toy for that baby? You! Babies love that face-to-face interaction and can learn so much from you talking, holding, and staring into their sweet little face. I’ve got even more tips for you in my blog on baby play for newborns. 

How do I get my 1 month old to sleep?#

We often think that babies will just sleep when they are tired and that sleep comes naturally to newborns. The truth is that sometimes we have to help newborns be successful little sleepers. My First Five Months Bundle will help you set your days and nights up for success, learn your baby's cues, calm a fussy baby, and so much more. I want you to set a healthy sleep foundation for your baby and love the newborn stage.

What is a good nap for a 1 month old? Can a 1 month old nap too long?#

At one month old, it is common for naps to be anywhere from 20 minutes to 120 minutes. I talk all about newborns and naps in my blog Short Naps and Newborns. 

I know that you’ve probably heard the phrase “never wake a sleeping baby.” But, if your newborn is napping for two hours, we do want to wake them and offer a feeding. Prioritizing daytime calories helps babies to get on track with their days and nights, stay on their growth curve, and start working toward a longer stretch of sleep at night.

How much total sleep should a 1 month old have?#

Rather than worrying about the perfect number of hours, we are going to follow your baby’s lead. Here are a few things to aim for:

• We aren’t going to let any one nap go longer than two hours 

• You’ll want to aim for wake windows around 50-90 minutes. 

• I don’t recommend letting your baby’s night last any longer than 12-12.5 hours.

When is bedtime for a 1 month old?#

I love a bedtime between 7 and 8pm, but some one month olds just do better with a nap around that time and a later bedtime (8-10pm). It's all about finding what works best for your baby. My blog on False Start Bedtimes is a great resource for helping you decide.

Is there a sleep regression at 1 month old?#

When we talk about regressions in baby sleep, what we are really talking about are progressions in development that make sleep tricky for a short period of time. At one month old, your baby is still learning about the world, and while we wouldn’t expect any regressions, I do want you to check out these blogs that can be so helpful in those common struggles the first few months: 

• Day-Night Confusion: When newborns first come home, they can sometimes experience day-night confusion where they want to sleep all day and be up all night. I know that this can be exhausting for new parents, and it doesn’t have to last forever.

• Is your newborn feeding every hour and not sleeping?: When your baby is snacking all day, it can make nights tricky. We really want to be responsive to hunger cues and aim for feedings about every 2-3 hours throughout the day to help your baby get good, full feedings instead of snacking.

• Active Sleep and Newborns: Newborns can be really active in their sleep. Sometimes we can be unintentionally waking our babies. We see them moving or even making noise and assume that they are awake, while they are actually sleeping. 

Can my 1 month old sleep with a pacifier?#

Absolutely! The benefits of pacifiers are huge, and they can be such a great tool to help your baby sleep well. My blog on newborns sleeping with pacifiers covers everything you need to know from your concerns about breastfeeding and pacifiers to how to introduce them and even what to do if your baby becomes overly dependent on the pacifier for sleep.

Should I swaddle my 1 month old? #

Swaddling can be so helpful for babies. It mimics that warm, secure feeling that they had in the womb. I've compiled the research that shows that swaddling is safe and beneficial for newborns in this blog on Should I Swaddle My Baby?. It's important to note that it's time to stop swaddling when your baby shows signs of rolling (for most babies, that isn't happening this month).

What should my 1 month old wear for sleep?#

That depends on the temperature of your home and your climate. Overheating can be dangerous, and cold babies just don’t sleep well. We want your one month old to be at a comfortable temperature. The layers will depend on the temperature in your house. For some, a diaper and a swaddle is enough; for others, a diaper, onesie, and a swaddle is perfect; and for colder homes, perhaps a diaper, footie pajamas, and then a swaddle is just right. My blog on how to dress your baby for comfortable sleep goes into even more detail for you.  

What is a bedtime routine for a 1 month old?#

It’s never too early to start a bedtime routine. Even before your baby can recognize the routine, there is value in the calming impact of a bedtime routine. This sets the tone for everyone going into bedtime and avoids overstimulating your baby. For babies who experience the witching hour, this can be such a great tool. Bedtime routines don’t have to be complicated, so don’t feel like you need to add a lot of steps. A simple bedtime routine at one month old can be as easy as changing a diaper, lotion, pajamas, sing a lullaby, swaddle, lay down in the crib or bassinet. 

When do babies start sleeping through the night?#

I know that you want to hear a specific age for when babies start sleeping through the night. But, the truth is that it is different for every baby. Once your pediatrician has given you the clearance to no longer wake your baby for night feeds, the longest stretch that we want to see is their age in weeks plus one hour. So, for a 4 week old, we wouldn’t want their longest stretch to go any longer than 5 hours. Now, I want you to work closely with your pediatrician. Some babies DO need to get in those nighttime calories and be awakened much sooner.

Please know, you don’t have to do this alone. My newborn class will provide you with the tools you need to set your days and nights up for success, read your baby’s cues, work towards those longer stretches of night sleep, and love the newborn stage.

Children's Clinical Medical Center of Chita

Sadly, pediatricians are increasingly stating the fact that modern children do not get enough sleep. And the lack of sleep in a child is much more dangerous than the lack of sleep in an adult. Children who sleep significantly less than normal grow more slowly and develop worse than their peers. This is easily explained.

First, growth hormones are produced during sleep.

Secondly, a good sound sleep contributes to a better memorization of previously received information.

Thirdly, general weakness due to lack of sleep makes it difficult to fully assimilate information.

In addition, the immune system is weakened in children with little sleep and the likelihood of developing diseases of the cardiovascular system increases. Sleep-deprived children become nervous, absent-minded, fussy. This applies to all children regardless of their age: both babies and teenagers should sleep well.

Parents are obligated to provide their child with adequate and healthy sleep.

For children, as for adults, the normal amount of sleep is individual. Some kids sleep more, some less. The figures given by doctors are an average. In general, they should strive for. These figures reflect the total amount of sleep per day, that is, taking into account both night sleep and daytime sleep.

- Newborn baby sleeps an average of 18-22 hours a day.
- Baby from 1 to 3 months old sleeps 18-20 hours.
- A 3-4 month old baby can sleep 17-18 hours.
- A 5-6 month old baby must sleep at least 16 hours.
- Baby 7 to 12 months old sleeps 14 to 16 hours a day.
- A child from 1 to 1.5 years old must sleep at least 10-11 hours at night and 3-4 hours during the day. In general, at least 14 hours a day.
- A child from one and a half to 2 years old must sleep at least 10-11 hours at night and 2-3 hours during the day. In general, at least 13 hours a day.
- Child 2 to 3 years old must sleep at least 10-11 hours at night and 2-2.5 hours during the day. In general, at least 12.5 hours a day.
- Children 3-4 years old should sleep at least 10 hours at night and 2 hours during the day. In general, at least 12 hours a day.
- Children 5 to 7 years of age should sleep at least 9-10 hours at night and 1.5-2 hours during the day. In general, at least 10.5-11 hours a day.
- Pupils of elementary school may not sleep during the day. At night, they should sleep at least 9 hours, preferably 10 hours.
- Adolescent needs at least 9 hours of sleep per night.
- high school students should sleep an average of 8 hours per night.

In order for the child to get enough sleep, it is necessary to follow the regimen and put him to bed at the same time. This is especially true for night sleep. Make it a rule to put the child to bed, for example, at 21 o'clock. And never deviate from this rule. Let there be guests in the house, let the child become interested in the game, let the parents have things to do - everything should be postponed for the sake of the child's sleep. If he gets used to going to bed at the same time, nothing will prevent him from relaxing in time and wanting to sleep. No game will seem more attractive to him than a fresh warm bed and a cozy pillow.

2. Preparation for sleep, relaxation, rituals.

In order for the child to fall asleep easily and quickly, already an hour or two before bedtime, he must be in a calm atmosphere. Noisy games, difficult puzzles, intellectual tasks, homework preparation, computer games, watching noisy long movies and cartoons, listening to loud music, etc. - all this should end an hour or two before going to bed. The kid at this time can calmly play with toys or listen to a fairy tale read by his mother. An older child can read by himself, chat with his parents, watch a calm movie. Yes, and not so much time will be left for quiet leisure, because direct preparation for sleep will require a lot of time. It is necessary to take a shower, brush your teeth, straighten the bed, change into pajamas, drink some water, etc. The same actions performed day after day before going to bed become a kind of ritual, the performance of which also helps the child tune in to sleep. And this, in turn, contributes to faster and deeper falling asleep and, as a result, better rest. If, for example, a few sips of water before bedtime suddenly become a habit, do not try to wean your child from it. Let this be your ritual helper. If a child is used to parents reading a fairy tale to him, then he needs to read, regardless of employment.

3. Lightness in the stomach.

The last meal should be 2 hours before bedtime (this does not apply to infants and children who are breastfed). Shortly before bedtime, a child can drink a cup of tea with 1-2 cookies or a glass of kefir, but not with a high-calorie sandwich. Firstly, with ease in the body falls asleep more soundly. Secondly, dense high-calorie snacks before bedtime are bad for the stomach.

4. Comfortable atmosphere in the room.

The room must be well ventilated before putting the child to bed. If the room is dry, after airing it is worth turning on the humidifier and bringing the humidity level to an acceptable level. When the child goes to bed, you need to turn off the light, you can leave a dim nightlight if the baby asks for it. In no case should children be put to bed with the TV turned on or a flickering computer monitor. However, it is impossible to turn on the TV, the overhead light and the sound of the computer speakers even after the child falls asleep. Light noises and light may not wake him up, but they will make the child's sleep superficial, because of this, the body will not get proper rest. If this happens consistently, the child will show signs of sleep deprivation. That is, he seems to be sleeping as much as necessary, but still does not get enough sleep. The reason is the lack of conditions. The room where the child sleeps should be fresh, dark and quiet.

Sleep is very important for a child's normal growth and brain development, and regular lack of sleep can lead to serious illnesses. Create the conditions for your baby to fall asleep and carefully make sure that nothing interferes with his full sleep.

from 0 to 6 months

from 0 to 3 months

Typical sleep at this age

at this age, the newborn sleeps quite a lot - from about 17 to 18 hours in a day for the first few weeks and 15 hours a day by three months.

Children almost never sleep more than three or four hours at a time, day or night. This means that you will not be able to sleep for many hours in a row either. You will have to get up at night to feed and change your baby; during the day you will play with it. While some babies sleep through the night as early as 8 weeks old, many babies don't get that far until they are 5 or 6 months old. You will help your child achieve this result sooner by instilling good sleep habits in him from the very beginning.

How to develop healthy sleep habits?

Here's what you can do at this age to help your baby develop proper sleep habits:

Study your baby's signs of fatigue. If you don't put him to bed longer than this time, he will be overtired and won't be able to sleep well. Watch until you notice that the child is becoming sleepy. Does he rub his eyes, tug at his ear, do faint dark circles appear under his eyes? If you observe these or any other signs of drowsiness, send him straight to the crib. Soon you will become so familiar with your baby's daily rhythms and behaviors that you will develop a sixth sense and instinctively know when he is ready for bed.