Sleep basics

How Much Sleep Does a Baby Need by Age?

Based on official guidance — updated for 2026

"Is my baby sleeping enough?" is one of the most common questions new parents ask — usually somewhere around 2 AM. The good news is there's a clear, authoritative answer to point to. This guide lays out the recommended amounts of sleep by age, straight from the body that sets the standard.

The official recommendations

The figures most pediatricians refer to come from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), whose recommendations are endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). They cover total sleep per 24 hours, including both naps and nighttime.

*The AASM does not give a specific recommendation for babies under 4 months, because sleep duration and patterns vary so widely at that age.

What about newborns under 4 months?

Since there's no official target for the youngest babies, it helps to know what's typical rather than recommended. Newborns commonly sleep somewhere around 14 to 17 hours across a 24-hour day, but in short, irregular stretches scattered around the clock — not in one long block. It's completely normal for newborn sleep to look chaotic; a more recognizable rhythm usually starts to appear over the first few months.

Why it's a range, not a number

Notice that every age is a range, often spanning four hours. That's intentional. Sleep needs genuinely differ from baby to baby based on individual biology and temperament — one perfectly healthy baby might sit at the low end and another at the high end. The recommendations describe what supports healthy development for most children, not a precise quota each individual baby must hit.

This is why obsessing over a specific number can backfire. A more useful question than "did my baby get exactly X hours?" is "does my baby generally seem rested, and is this consistent over time?"

How naps fit into the total

Because the recommended amount includes naps, daytime and nighttime sleep work together to reach the total. As babies get older and nap less, nighttime sleep grows to compensate. If you're trying to picture how the daytime portion is split up, our guide on how many naps by age walks through the typical progression.

Seeing your baby's real total

Adding up scattered naps and night stretches in your head is genuinely hard. Tracking sleep over a few days shows you your baby's actual 24-hour total against these ranges — which is far more reassuring than guessing.