Just when a pattern starts to feel familiar, your baby’s sleep may change again. Some stretches get longer; other nights involve more waking. Here is what the guidance says about the first year, with a few things you can try along the way.
Birth to around 3 months
Sleep happens across both day and night. Your baby needs frequent feeds and may sleep in short or longer bursts. During the day, open the curtains and use your usual voices. At night, keep feeds and changes quieter, with low lighting.
Broken sleep is hard on adults too. If someone can help, ask them to take a turn with changing or settling so you can rest.
Around 3 to 6 months
Some babies begin sleeping for longer stretches, while others continue to wake often. A short, familiar bedtime routine can help with settling. It could be a wash, a cuddle and a song; choose something that works for your household.
Around 6 to 12 months
Night feeding needs vary. Hunger, teething and illness can disturb sleep, even after a run of easier nights. If you are unsure about reducing night feeds, ask your care team about your baby’s feeding and growth.
WHO recommends 12 to 16 hours of sleep across 24 hours for babies aged 4 to 11 months, including naps. This is a health recommendation, not a prediction of your baby’s pattern. Ask for advice if sleep, feeding or daytime alertness worries you.
What about sleep regressions?
“Regression” is often used for a run of more difficult nights. The sources here do not give a reliable week-by-week calendar for every baby. You can respond to hunger, discomfort and tiredness without having to give the change a name.
Speak with your health visitor or doctor if sleep is affecting feeding, health, safety or your ability to cope. Tell them what nights are like for you as well as for your baby.
Safer sleep: UK guidance
- Place your baby on their back on a firm, flat mattress in a clear cot.
- Keep pillows, duvets, cot bumpers, soft toys and loose bedding away from their sleep space.
- Keep their cot in the same room as you for every sleep for at least the first 6 months.
- Never sleep with your baby on a sofa or chair.
Read the full NHS safer-sleep advice, including when bed sharing is unsafe. If your baby was born early, the NHS advises following safer-sleep guidance for a year from their due date. Follow your care team’s advice and the guidance where you live.