In the first few days and months of life, you might wonder why your baby is asleep most of the time. Every child is different. Depending on his or her age, they have different sleep requirements too.

Making sure your child gets enough sleep is important for new parents. There are a certain number of hours a certain age group needs for sleep. Baby sleep is essential for growth and development.

This timeline gives you a general idea of how much sleep your baby needs.

#1. Newborns

Sleep Hours: 17 hours

Most newborns will sleep between two and four hours at a time, paving the way for nursing or feeding in between. At this stage, there is no exact sleeping pattern to expect because they usually feed on demand. The golden rule is to let your little one sleep as much as she wants.

When your baby turns 2 months old, she may sleep for a total of 16 hours but she may be more alert. She may also start to socialize with smiles. By this age, you may be able to sleep longer at night because she may start skipping one feeding to sleep longer. During the day, she may nap for about 3 to 4 times.

#2. 3 To 6 Months

Sleep Hours: 15 hours

By 3 months old, your baby may sleep for about 10 hours at night and 5 to 6 hours during the day divided into three naps.

By about 4 months, your baby may spend more time socializing and playing in the baby jumper. Lastly, by 6 months old, your baby sleep longer in between feedings since she is allowed to consume solid foods already. Moreover, she may sleep for about 10 to 11 hours straight at night already. This means more sleep for mommy!

#3. 6 To 12 Months

Sleep Hours: Average 12 hours

By this time, your baby might be sleeping in her nursery room right now. Some babies, however, have problems with separation anxiety. It’s okay to check on your upset and crying baby but tries not to pick her up. You can soothe her by singing a lullaby or rubbing her back.

You are already training her to be more independent and sleep in her own room. She will eventually get used to this set-up.

#4. 1 to 2 Years Old

Sleep Hours: Average 11 hours

During this stage, your baby becomes more active since she is practicing to walk on her own. Toddlers may have a problem winding down at night – leading to bedtime battles. They may sleep longer at night but you may have a hard time putting them to sleep.

You can try to soothe her with a warm bath, warm milk or story time. She may also have just one nap during the day.

#5. 3 to 5 Years Old

Sleep Hours: Average 10 hours

During your child’s preschool years, she may sleep for about an average of 10 hours a day, which is divided into a small nap during the day and undisrupted sleep at night. You can now have continuous sleep at night by this time.

You may have the same problem when it comes to putting them to sleep. They may have hyperactive spells before bedtime. You might need to let her sleep earlier at night since she’s already attending day care or nursery school. By this time you should already have established a sleep routine for her to follow.

Sleep is very important for both babies and adults. It helps the brain rejuvenate and rest at night. For babies, sleep is essential for growth and development. Moreover, during sleep, the muscles receive oxygen and blood supply for energy to be replenished. Hence, make sure your baby gets enough sleep as much as possible.