Guides · Sleep schedule
Newborn Sleep Schedule by Week
A newborn (0–2 months) is not ready for a fixed schedule. Their body clock is still maturing, sleep arrives in 2–4 hour fragments around the clock, and feeding on demand drives the rhythm. What you can use from day one is a loose framework built on wake windows — how long your baby can comfortably stay awake before becoming overtired. This guide gives you the numbers for the whole newborn period, a realistic daily rhythm, and a bedtime routine worth starting in the very first weeks.
Sleep schedule · data from paediatric sleep guidelinesLast updated:
Wake windows, naps and total sleep
Newborn wake windows are measured in minutes, not hours: roughly 45–60 minutes in the first six weeks, stretching to 60–75 minutes by 6–10 weeks and 75–90 minutes as you approach the 2-month mark. Most newborns take 4–5 naps a day plus a short evening catnap, sleeping 14–17 hours across day and night in total. Keep nights dark and boring and days bright and social, and let the wake window — not the clock — tell you when sleep is due.
| Age in the band | Wake window | Naps per day |
|---|---|---|
| 0–6 weeks | 45m–1h | 4–5 |
| 6–10 weeks | 1h–1h 15m | 4–5 |
Sources: NIH Safe to Sleep (NICHD) · American Academy of Pediatrics — HealthyChildren.org
Wake Window Calculator
Enter your baby's age in weeks for today's exact newborn wake window — free, no sign-up.
Open the free calculator →Example daily schedule
Illustrative newborn day — feeds drive the rhythm. Follow wake windows rather than the clock.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | Wake, feed (start of the "day": lights on, normal noise) |
| 8:00–9:30 AM | Nap 1 (bassinet, light room) |
| 9:30 AM | Wake, feed |
| 10:30 AM–12:00 PM | Nap 2 |
| 12:00 PM | Wake, feed |
| 1:00–2:30 PM | Nap 3 |
| 2:30 PM | Wake, feed |
| 3:30–5:00 PM | Nap 4 |
| 5:00 PM | Wake, feed |
| Evening | Cluster feeds + one short catnap (45–60 min) |
| Night | 8–9 hours in 2–3 hour stretches, 3–4 night feeds |
Bedtime routine
A bedtime "routine" at this age is really a short, repeatable sequence of cues. It will not make night sleep consolidate yet — that comes around 6–8 weeks as the body clock matures — but it becomes the signal that does later. Aim for 15–20 minutes, the same order, every night:
- Feed in a dim room — a full feed before the night stretch, with lights low and voices quiet.
- Nappy and pyjamas — keep handling calm and unhurried.
- Swaddle or sleep sack — a clear "sleep time" cue once your baby shows signs of rolling, switch to a sleep sack.
- Dark room + steady sound — blackout if you have it, and a consistent white-noise level.
- Down awake, briefly — lay your baby down drowsy but awake once a day — practice, not perfection.
Common sleep challenges at this age
- Day/night confusion. Newborns often mix up day and night. Expose your baby to bright daylight during the day and keep nights dark, quiet, and boring — this helps their body clock establish within a few weeks.
- Frequent waking. Newborn stomachs are tiny, so they wake to feed every 2–3 hours, including at night. This is normal and not a sleep problem. Wake windows of just 45–60 minutes mean sleep comes frequently.
- Overtiredness. Keeping a newborn awake longer than ~60 minutes releases cortisol and adrenaline, making them harder to settle. Watch for early tired signs — yawning, staring, jerky movements — and start the wind-down before crying.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a newborn be awake between naps?
Usually 45–60 minutes in the first six weeks, including the feed, stretching to 60–75 minutes by 6–10 weeks. That sounds short, but by the time a feed and a nappy change are done, sleep is often due. Stretching well past the window is the most common cause of a baby who fights sleep.
How many naps does a newborn take?
Four to five naps a day plus a short evening catnap is typical, each lasting 45 minutes to 2 hours. Naps happen wherever they happen — crib, pram, or arms. Consistency comes later.
Can you sleep train a newborn?
No. Newborns are too young for formal sleep training, which is not recommended before 4 months. What you can do is establish healthy habits: put your baby down drowsy but awake, distinguish day from night, and respect short wake windows to prevent overtiredness.
Should I wake my newborn to feed?
In the early weeks, most paediatric guidance is to wake for feeds until your baby has regained their birth weight and your pediatrician agrees they can go longer. After that, let one longer night stretch develop on its own — it is usually the first sign night sleep is consolidating.
Can I start a bedtime routine at 1 month?
Yes, and it is the one habit worth starting now: the same short sequence (feed, nappy, sleep sack, dark room, a phrase or song) before the night stretch. It will not change night sleep immediately, but it becomes the cue that does later.
When does a newborn sleep schedule start to form?
A predictable day rhythm usually emerges around 6–8 weeks as circadian rhythm matures. By 3–4 months you can start shaping a more structured schedule — that is when our 3 to 6 month schedule becomes the more useful guide.
Related guides
How Bebblo compares:
Log every sleep and see the next estimate
Start and stop the sleep timer or enter times manually. Bebblo uses those entries and age-based ranges to estimate the next sleep, while keeping recent history on-device. Core tracking is free, offline, and available in 14 languages.
Core tracking is free. No account required.
Scan with your phone camera
This schedule is a general guide based on paediatric sleep consensus, not medical advice. Every baby is different. For persistent sleep problems, breathing pauses during sleep, or anything that worries you, talk to your pediatrician.