Baby Naps: How Much Daytime Sleep Babies Need by Age
Written by:
Nicky Barker
Pediatric Sleep Science Expert
Reviewed by:
Amanda Snedden
Specialist in Pediatric Sleep Patterns
Daytime sleep plays a crucial role in your baby’s overall sleep routine. While many parents focus on night sleep, baby naps and daytime sleep patterns have a huge impact on how well a baby sleeps overnight.
If a baby has too much daytime sleep, they may struggle to settle at night or wake frequently overnight. On the other hand, too little daytime sleep can lead to overtiredness, short naps, bedtime battles and early morning waking.
Finding the right balance between awake windows, nap length and total daytime sleep is one of the most important parts of establishing healthy sleep patterns in babies.
Baby Nap Quick Summary
- Babies need different amounts of daytime sleep depending on their age
- Too much daytime sleep can lead to bedtime struggles and night waking
- Too little daytime sleep can cause overtiredness and short naps
- Awake windows help determine when babies are ready to sleep
- Most babies transition from 3 naps to 2 naps between 6–8 months
In this Baby Naps Guide we explain:
- Baby Nap Schedule by Age
- Why Awake Windows Are Important for Baby Naps
- How Much Daytime Sleep Does a Baby Need?
- How Many Naps Should a Baby Have?
- Why Your Baby May Not Be Sleeping During the Day?
- Signs Your Baby May Be Getting Too Much Daytime Sleep?
- Should You Wake Your Baby From Naps?
- What If Your Baby Doesn't Nap for Long?
- Key Takeaways about Baby Naps
Naps can be hard to get right
Our sleep app takes the guesswork out of your little one's day with 'Sleep o Rhythm' - a tool that responsively adjusts your baby’s nap rhythms, supporting their naps through transitions, regressions and development shifts.
Get Naps Sorted the Easy Way
Baby Nap Schedule by Age
Baby nap patterns change rapidly during the first year. As babies grow, they gradually transition from several short naps to fewer, longer naps.
Most babies follow a pattern similar to this:
• Newborns (0–2 months): 3–4 naps per day
• 3–4 months: around 3 naps per day
• 5–7 months: transitioning from 3 naps to 2 naps
• 8–12 months: typically 2 naps per day
• 12–18 months: usually 1 midday nap
For a detailed breakdown of sleep schedules and awake windows by age, see our complete Baby Sleep Schedule Guide.
Why Awake Windows Are Important for Baby Naps
Awake times, also called wake windows, refer to the period of time your baby stays awake between each sleep.
These awake windows include feeding, play, interaction and winding down before the next sleep.
If a baby’s awake time is too short, they simply will not be tired enough to sleep well. This can lead to:
• difficulty settling for naps
• short naps
• resistance at bedtime
Something we see very regularly is parents assuming their baby is overtired, when in fact their baby is actually undertired.
I know this feeling well. With my second baby, I knew very little about awake windows. I was determined to stop him becoming overtired, so I was constantly trying to put him down for naps too early.
Every nap became a struggle. I felt frustrated and convinced something was wrong.
Looking back now, the answer was simple. He just wasn’t tired yet.
Once I understood the importance of appropriate awake windows, naps became much easier and sleep improved dramatically.
It’s also important to remember that awake windows change rapidly during the first few months.
A newborn can usually stay awake for around 45–60 minutes, yet by around 3 months old many babies can stay awake closer to two hours.
Parents often forget to gradually extend awake windows as babies grow, which can suddenly lead to nap resistance.
At the same time, keeping a baby awake too long between sleeps can cause overtiredness. When this happens, the body produces cortisol, a stress hormone that makes it harder for babies to settle and stay asleep.
That is why finding the right balance between awake windows and naps is so important.
Feeling lost and unsure what to try next with sleep?
No more worrying about whether your child is getting enough sleep. Our smart sleep app does the hard work for you, allowing you to focus on enjoying precious moments with your little one. Our adaptive sleep technology will ensure your little one's sleep patterns are always spot on.
Let our app handle sleep for you
How Much Daytime Sleep Does a Baby Need?
The amount of daytime sleep babies need changes quickly during the first year of life.
Younger babies need more total sleep and usually take more naps, while older babies gradually consolidate their sleep into fewer naps.
Most babies sleep around 11–12 hours overnight, with the remaining sleep occurring during the day.
Below is a general guide to how much daytime sleep babies need by age.
| Age | Daytime cumulative nap hours |
| 2-3 weeks | 5 ½ hours across 3 naps |
| 3-5 weeks | 5 to 5 ½ hours across 3 naps |
| 5-7 weeks | 4 ½ to 5 hours across 3 naps |
| 7-9 weeks | 4 to 4 ½ hours across 3 naps |
| 9-12 weeks | 4 hours across 3 naps |
| 3-4 months | 3 ½ to 4 hours across 3 naps |
| 4-6 months | 3 to 3 ½ hours across 3 naps |
| 6-8 months | 2 ½ to 3 hours across 2-3 naps (nap transition) |
| 8-10 months | 2 ½ hours across 2 naps |
| 10-12 months | 2 to 2 ½ hours across 2 naps |
If you want to know exactly when and how long your baby's naps should be and the ideal nap schedule to aim for, our Little Ones Sleep App has all the answers. Within our app, you'll find age-appropriate sleep schedules that evolve as your baby grows, to ensure that they continue to sleep well, both day and night.
How Many Naps Should a Baby Have?
Once you have the awake windows right, the next piece of the puzzle is how those naps are structured during the day.
The right balance of nap length and total daytime sleep helps ensure babies are well rested and ready for night sleep.
Most babies follow a pattern similar to this:
• Newborns to 4 months: around 3 naps per day
• 6 to 8 months: transitioning from 3 naps to 2 naps
• 8 to 12 months: typically 2 naps per day
As babies grow, naps gradually consolidate into longer, more restorative sleeps.
From a biological perspective, it is particularly beneficial for babies and toddlers to have a longer consolidated nap around the middle of the day.
Humans naturally experience a dip in energy between 12pm and 2pm, which is why we recommend a longer lunch nap, as it is often the most restorative sleep of the day.
Why Your Baby May Not Be Sleeping During the Day
If your baby is not sleeping well during the day, there are several possible reasons.
Common causes include:
Awake windows that are too short
If a baby hasn’t been awake long enough, they may simply not feel ready to sleep yet.
Awake windows that are too long
Keeping a baby awake too long can cause overtiredness, making it harder for them to settle.
Sleep environment
A bright room, noise or too much stimulation can make it harder for babies to fall asleep.
Developmental changes
Periods such as the 4 month sleep regression can temporarily disrupt naps.
Overtiredness
If naps earlier in the day were missed or too short, babies may struggle with later naps.
Looking at the whole 24 hour sleep pattern, including night sleep, naps and awake windows, often reveals the cause.
Signs Your Baby May Be Getting Too Much Daytime Sleep
While daytime sleep is essential, too much daytime sleep can sometimes disrupt night sleep.
Signs your baby may be sleeping too much during the day include:
• difficulty settling at bedtime
• frequent night waking
• early morning waking
• very long morning naps
• resistance to afternoon naps
If your baby regularly shows these signs, gently capping naps or adjusting awake windows can help restore balance between day sleep and night sleep.
Should You Wake Your Baby From Naps?
Many parents wonder whether they should wake their baby from naps.
While newborns' sleep is pretty disorganised, older babies can benefit from gently waking from naps in order to maintain a balanced sleep schedule.
Although it may feel counterintuitive to wake a sleeping baby, it can sometimes prevent sleep disruptions later in the day.
Waking your baby from naps may be helpful if:
• your baby is having too much daytime sleep, which can lead to bedtime resistance and night waking
• your baby sleeps too long during the morning nap, which can shorten the important midday nap
• your baby naps too late or too long in the afternoon, making bedtime and overnight difficult
I always hold to the mantra “it is better for you to wake your baby in the day, rather than your baby wake you in the night”!
Sleep can be so confusingIs it a regression? A leap? Teething? An illness? Our smart sleep app takes out the guesswork so you always know what is going on and how to respond.
Our Sleep App does the hard work for you
What If Your Baby Doesn't Nap for Long?
Short naps, often called catnapping, are very common in babies over 3 or 4 months old.
At this age babies often sleep for just one sleep cycle, around 30–45 minutes.
This can be part of normal development and is often seen around the 4 month sleep regression.
While some babies still meet their total nap hours through several short naps, they may miss out on the deeper restorative sleep that comes with longer naps.
This can lead to a buildup of sleep debt, which may cause:
• frequent night waking
• early morning waking
• difficulty settling at bedtime
Helping your baby learn to self settle between sleep cycles can sometimes help extend naps.
Some babies are naturally better day sleepers than others.
My youngest was like this. She could happily nap most of the day and then stay awake half the night.
But with two older children and a busy household, that routine did not work for us.
Keeping her nap routine balanced and managing her daytime sleep helped ensure she slept much better overnight.
Finding that balance is often the key to better sleep for the whole family.
Key Takeaways about Baby Naps
Daytime sleep and night sleep work together. When babies get the right balance of awake windows, nap length and total daytime sleep, they are much more likely to settle easily and sleep well overnight.
Understanding how baby naps change with age can help you adjust your baby’s sleep routine as they grow and avoid common nap struggles.
To take the guesswork out for you, we have designed our age-appropriate sleep methods around the ideal nap times and awake times to make sure your baby is getting the perfect sleep combination, allowing them (and you!) to get a whole lot more sleep. Imagine that!
Baby Naps FAQs
Should I wake my baby from a nap?
Sometimes waking your baby can help protect their sleep schedule. If a nap is running very long or too late in the day, waking your baby may help prevent bedtime struggles or night waking.
Why is my baby not sleeping during the day?
Babies may resist naps if they are not tired enough, overtired, overstimulated or experiencing developmental changes such as a sleep regression.
How many naps should a baby take?
Newborns usually take around three naps a day. By 6 to 8 months babies typically transition to two naps, and by toddlerhood most children take one midday nap.
How long should baby naps be?
Nap length varies with age, but most babies need 2–4 hours of daytime sleep spread across several naps during the first year.
___________
Bibliography
Horváth, Klára, and Kim Plunkett. “Frequent daytime naps predict vocabulary growth in early childhood.” Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines vol. 57,9 (2016): 1008-17.
de Weerth, C., R.H. Zijl, and J.K. Buitelaar. Development of cortisol circadian rhythm in infancy. Early Hum Dev. 73(1-2): p. 39-52. 2003.
Gunnar, M.R. and B. Donzella. Social regulation of the cortisol levels in early human development. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 27(1-2): p. 199-220. 2002.
Middlemiss, W., D.A. Granger, W.A. Goldberg, and L. Nathans. Asynchrony of mother-infant hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity following extinction of infant crying responses induced during the transition to sleep. Early Hum Dev. 88(4): p. 227-32. 2012.
Scher, A., W.A. Hall, A. Zaidman-Zait, and J. Weinberg. Sleep quality, cortisol levels, and behavioral regulation in toddlers. Dev Psychobiol. 52(1): p. 44-53. 2010.
Abulizi, Xian et al. “Temperament in infancy and behavioral and emotional problems at age 5.5: The EDEN mother-child cohort.” PloS one vol. 12,2 e0171971. 15 Feb. 2017,
Galland, Barbara C et al. “Anticipatory guidance to prevent infant sleep problems within a randomised controlled trial: infant, maternal and partner outcomes at 6 months of age.” BMJ open vol. 7,5 e014908. 2 Jun. 2017, doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014908
Mindell, J. A., Leichman, E. S., Composto, J. , Lee, C. , Bhullar, B. and Walters, R. M. (2016), Development of infant and toddler sleep patterns: real‐world data from a mobile application. J Sleep Res, 25: 508-516.
Molfese, Victoria J et al. “Relations Between Toddler Sleep Characteristics, Sleep Problems, and Temperament.” Developmental neuropsychology vol. 40,3 (2015): 138-54.
