Is My Baby's Sleep Pattern Normal?
What to Expect Month by Month
Sleep. It may seem, to many new moms and dads, to be the one thing all new parents are supposed to strive for, and yet the rules seem to change a lot. One day, your baby naps like a dream; the next day, they're battling bedtime as if it were a contact sport. If you've ever Googled "is it normal for my baby to wake up every hour?" bleary-eyed and heavy-hearted, take comfort: You're not in this alone. Sleep confusion is among the most universal (and most googled) predicaments of early parenting, and it's not because you're doing it wrong. It's because baby sleep doesn't work in a straight line. It expands and contracts, just like your little one does.
This is a guide that meets you where you are: You're probably rocking a newborn at 2 a.m., wondering perhaps if they'll ever learn the difference between night and day. Or perhaps you're running after a cruising 10 month old who has, all the sudden, decided sleep is negotiable. We'll break it down, month by month, and offer some perspective on what's normal, what might feel difficult and how gently to reinforce healthful sleep rhythms, without pressure or perfection. Take a breath, mama — let's focus on the actual, ever-changing journey of your baby's sleep and how you can figure out the right path for you.
🌙 The Newborn Stage (0-2 MONTHS): Small Dreamers, Big Needs
Welcome to the fourth trimester — when your baby's sleep is less controlled by schedules and more by survival instincts. They're still getting used to the world out of the womb, and their nervous systems are still developing. Just prepare yourself for lots of little wake-ups, and a few short sleep windows — after all, their little tummies need feeding multiple times a night.
💤 What's Normal:
- 14 to 17 hours (including naps) of sleep in a 24-hour period
- 2-4 hour time frames of sleep, both day and night
- No clear intervals of day or night
- Plenty of squirming, grunting, and loud sleep (it's what's known as "active sleep," and it's completely normal)
✨ Gentle Tips:
- Do not try to put together a schedule. Just focus on feeding, comforting and skin-to-skin.
- Expose your baby to natural light during the day, and keep things quiet and dark at night, to encourage him to develop a day/night rhythm.
- Give contact naps a whirl if that's what helps your baby settle. You are not "spoiling" baby — you're giving them what they want.
"In these early weeks, rest is not always sleep — it is rocking, holding, being still. Let your pace soften."
🌗 2–4 Months: Patterns Emerge & First Signs of Schedule
At about this age, you may begin to notice longer night stretches and more predictability. The answer is because your baby's circadian rhythm is beginning to form. Having trouble seeing this change or still feel a little jumpy? Don't worry, this is a transition time.
💤 What's Normal:
- 14–16 hours total sleep
- 3-5 a day where they sleep for 30-90 mins at a time
- 4–6 hour overnight block may develop
- Potential signs of sleep regression at the end of this range
✨ Gentle Tips:
- Start implementing a calming wind-down routine: Dim the lights, put on soft music, a feed, lots of cuddles.
- Prevent overtiredness — when you see sleepy signs such as yawning, eye-rubbing, or daydreaming, go take a nap.
- Swaddling and white noise may continue to provide assistance getting your little one to sleep, for example.
"It's important to get creative in this tender time and lean into rhythms, not rigid routines. Use your baby's cues as the road map."
🌕 4–6 Months: Sleep Regression, Growth Spurts & Self-Soothing
That's when many parents get thrown a curveball: the 4-month sleep regression. The sleep cycles develop, so that babies are now cycling through light and deep sleep more closely resembling adults. Sadly, that can result in more night wake-ups and nap resistance.
💤 What's Normal:
- 12–15 hours total sleep
- 3–4 naps per day
- Night wakings may increase
- More movement-rolling, kicking, jerking themselves awake
✨ Gentle Tips:
- Do not change your bedtime routine even if it is for short sleep.
- Wait a minute before rescuing your baby—they're likely transitioning between sleep cycles.
- Switch from swaddle to sleep sack when baby is rolling.
"Regressions are not setbacks — they're signs of growth. Be patient with the process. This too shall pass."
🌘 6–9 Months: Nighttime Sleep is Expanding, Naps Are Changing
This can be a sweet spot for sleep — a lot of babies start to consolidate nighttime sleep, and naps become more predictable. But bumps can be caused by teething, illness and separation anxiety.
💤 What's Normal:
- 11–14 hours of total sleep
- 2–3 naps per day
- Segments of 6-8 hours of sleep at night
- May rouse to "check in" with you
✨ Gentle Tips:
- Give additional daytime cuddles to alleviate nighttime anxiety.
- Stimulate Daytime activity to maintain sounder night time sleep.
- Avoid introducing new sleep crutches if there are regressions — the key is consistency.
"You are the constant in all this change. Trust that even in the middle of the night your presence is enough."
🌑 9–12 Months: Cognitive Leaps & Crib Strike
At this age, babies are busy little scientists — and sometimes, they'd rather do just about anything else besides sleep. Well, standing, babbling, cruising, ooh la la! This developmental leap may signal even more restlessness at bedtime.
💤 What's Normal:
- 11–14 hours of total sleep
- 1–2 naps
- Resistance to Naps/Sleeping (child will most likely grow out of this)
- Rest disturbed by strong movement
✨ Gentle Tips:
- Keep up familiar routines — they provide grounding in the midst of chaos.
- Practice their new skills (such as standing or crawling) during the day to reduce practice at night.
- Be consistent, but flexible. Sleep usually gets worse before it gets better.
"It's ok to be frustrated. Rest when you can. You're not spoiling your baby by being close — you are filling a need."
🌒 12–18 Months: Big Feelings, One Nap, and Toddler Sleep Drama
You may find your toddler attempting to give up naps before they are developmentally ready, or turning bedtime into a performance. Around 15 months, many children stop taking two naps a day, although not all of them are ready.
💤 What's Normal:
- 11–14 hours total
- One nap lasting 1.5–2.5 hours
- Bedtime pushback or new fears
- Waking due to separation anxiety or milestones
✨ Gentle Tips:
- Give your toddler a sense of control by providing simple choices: "Do you want two books or three?"
- Follow a visual bedtime chart or a humming sound you follow every night.
- Be firm — gentle limits can be as loving as cuddles.
"As independence ramps up, bedtime battles also come to life. You're actually not alone in this dance. Keep showing up. They know you love them, even if they resist."
🌠 Conclusion: Sleep is Like a Road Trip
Not every night is going to be smooth sailing on the highway, and it's unlikely you will get to wherever you're headed without making multiple stops along the way.
When it comes to baby sleep, there is no one-size-fits-all. It develops over it, with turns and jumps and pauses and increments. Do know that you and your baby are not broken. If sleep is lousy, that doesn't reflect your parenting; it simply reflects the story.
No matter whether your baby is waking hourly or sleeping through the night, you're doing a beautiful job. Rest will look different in each season. What it comes down to is not how perfect you do something, it's how present you are, how you tune into things and how you treat yourself along the way.
Mantra to keep close:
We rest when we can. We breathe through the chaos. We drift up, little by little.
You're not alone, mama. And yes—rest will come. 💛