Important: Every baby is different. Minute-by-minute tables found online are not fixed medical limits. Age, development, illness, feeding and the quality of the previous sleep can all change the timing.
Watch your baby before watching the clock
Yawning, staring, slower movement, loss of interest or fussiness can accompany a need for sleep. Crying is often a later sign. Look for several cues together rather than relying on one behaviour.
The pattern changes with age
Newborn sleep may occur in short, irregular periods. During the first year, awake periods generally become longer, the number of naps decreases and night sleep becomes more distinct. This does not happen in the same week for every baby.
Consider total daily sleep
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 12–16 hours of sleep per 24 hours, including naps, for babies aged 4–12 months, and 11–14 hours for children aged 1–2 years. Because normal variation is wide in babies under four months, it does not recommend one duration range.
Keep a simple three-day record
Record waking, feeding, naps and night sleep for three days. Compare the times when your baby settles most easily and what changed on more difficult days. This gives you a more personal starting point than a general online chart.
Adjust the plan when needed
The next sleep may arrive sooner after a short nap, or the awake period may be longer after a restorative sleep. Temporary differences are common during illness, teething, travel and developmental changes.
When should you seek support?
Contact a health professional if your baby cannot be woken for feeds, is unusually sleepy, has difficulty breathing, or a sudden change in sleep is accompanied by signs of illness.