Ok, the question is often raised, "How much sleep does my child need?" Really, they need a LOT. A lot more than you think! And I have found myself surprised over and over again that they still need a lot even as they get older. There is a saying from Dr. Weissbluth that "Sleep begets sleep". I have found this to be a good motto.
I have listed some sleep totals from my favorite sources. Keep in mind that these are just "averages". So some children will sleep above these amounts and need to. I have found that if I shoot just for "average" in our routine, I may get even less actual sleep (due to life's natural disruptions, nap disruptions, various developmental phases,etc). So I aim for at least average or even more to see how much sleep my child needs. Often you will be surprised, that given the right opportunity and training, how much sleep they need.
At the end I will give further opinion on this.
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HOW MUCH SLEEP DOES YOUR CHILD NEED-FROM THE BABYCENTER WEBSITE
As a new parent, that's probably one of your biggest questions. Below are some general guidelines as to how many hours of sleep the average child requires at various ages. Of course, every child is different — some need up to two hours more or less sleep than others.
| Age | Nighttime Sleep | Daytime Sleep * | Total Sleep |
| 1 month | 8 1/2 | 7 (3) | 15 1/2 |
| 3 months | 10 | 5 (3) | 15 |
| 6 months | 11 | 3 1/4 (2) | 14 1/4 |
| 9 months | 11 | 3 (2) | 14 |
| 12 months | 11 1/4 | 2 1/2 (2) | 13 3/4 |
| 18 months | 11 1/4 | 2 1/4 (1) | 13 1/2 |
| 2 years | 11 | 2 (1) | 13 |
| 3 years | 10 1/2 | 1 1/2 (1) | 12 |
* number of naps in parentheses | |||
Per Babycenter website for preschoolers and older children:
You know your child needs less sleep now than he did when he was a baby, but how much less is still enough? Every child is different — some need more sleep and some less — but here are general guidelines for how many hours of sleep a child needs on average each day.
| Age | Nighttime sleep | Daytime sleep | Average total sleep |
| 2 years | 10.5 to 12.5 hours | 1 to 3 hours (1 nap) | 11.5 to 15.5 hours |
| 3 years | 10.5 to 12.5 hours | 1 to 3 hours (1 nap) | 11 to 14 hours |
| 4 years | 10 to 12 hours | 0 to 2.5 hours (1 or no nap) | 10 to 13 hours |
| 5 years | 10 to 12 hours | 0 to 2.5 hours (1 or no nap) | 10 to 12.5 hours |
| 6 years | 10 to 11.5 hours | none | 10 to 11.5 hours |
| 7 years | 9.5 to 11.5 hours | none | 9.5 to 11.5 hours |
| 8 years | 9.5 to 11.5 hours | none | 9.5 to 11.5 hours |
| * Note: The two sets of numbers don't always add up because children who take longer naps tend to sleep fewer hours at night, and vice versa. | |||
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TYPICAL AMOUNTS OF DAY & NIGHT SLEEP FROM BABYWHISPERER WEBSITE:
Keep in mind that the following is an average - some babies need a little more sleep, and some will need less sleep. You cannot fit a baby into a clock. A baby's temperament, amongst other things, can influence their sleep requirements, as can milestones, teething etc. The most important thing is to watch for your baby's tired cues.
Age/milestones Sleep needed per day Typical patterns
Newborn 16-20 hours Nap 1-2 hours in every three;
Dont have control over 5-6 hours at night#
anything except their
eyes
1-3 months 15-18 hours, until 3naps,1.5 hours each + catnap;
More alert and aware 18 months of age 8 hours at night#
of surroundings; able
to move head
4-6 months Two naps, 2-3 hours each OR;
Gaining mobility 3 naps; 2 2hr naps & 1 45min catnap 10-12 hours at night
6-8 months Two naps 1-2 hours each;
More mobility; able to 10-12 hours at night
sit and crawl
9 months old 2 naps of 1.5 hours each;
11-12 hours at night
1 year old 2 naps, 1 hr +1 of 1.25-1.5 hrs
11.5hrs at night
The transition to one nap usually occurs in the 12-18 month range
18 months old 1 nap - 2 hrs
11.5hrs at night
2 years old 1 nap - 1.5hrs
11.5hrs at night
3 years old 1 nap - 1.25hrs
10.75hrs at night
Daytime naps usually stop by the age of 4
4 years old no more naps!!
11.5hrs at night
5 years old 11 hrs at night
6 years old 10.75 hours at night
# - This is the longest stretch of night sleep that could be expected before waking for a night feed, and not all the sleep the baby will get at night. Especially in the early days, babies will wake more often for feeding.
Short naps - some babies have biorhythms that make them short nappers. Things to ask:
* have naps ever been longer than 45 minutes or so?
* is he cranky during the day?
* is he sleeping well at night?
If your answers are no, no, and yes, then you probably have a short napper on your hands, and will have to adjust your EASY routine to reflect that. You can read a real life example in the BWSAYP book on p. 215.
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From Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (Dr. Weissbluth)
Newborn: 16-17 hours
4 months: 15 hours
**4-11 months: 14.25 hours
1 year: 14 hours
2 years: 13 hours
3 years: 12.5 hours
4 years: 12.25 hours
5 years: 11.25 hours
6 years: 11.25 hours
7 years: 11.25 hours
8 years: 11 hours
9 years: 10.5 hours
10 years: 10.25 hours
11 years: 10.25 hours
12 years: 10 hours
13 years: 9.5 hours
14 years: 9 hours
15 years: 8.75 hours
16 years: 9.25 hours
**The amount of sleep shown here is the fiftieth percentile rather than the average per the chart in the book. When averages are listed in this book, they are usually a bit higher than this percentile.
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In general, I find the Babywhisperer average until 18 months to be quite accurate. However I differ from that point on, more in the older children. I have found from personal experience (mine and other moms, and also the forums on the Babywhisperer site) that a lot of the toddlers and preschoolers are overtired. I do not believe that cutting the nap down is the best thing at those ages and those naps are quite short for those ages. As children get older they are often involved in more things and structured activities (preschool, various classes,etc). They get more stimulation (both physical and mental) and really require daytime rest to stay at their optimal best.
I find the Babycenter info to be a bit low, especially the first year.
In general, remember these are averages and I think a lot of children do not get the rest they need. There are other sources of information out there but I found a lot so low that I didn't even post them because I think they really are misleading as those children cannot be well-rested. The bottom line is to look at YOUR child and how they are acting. Are they seeming well-rested? Are they generally happy? (And a warning sign is that some children get hyper/silly and that is actually a sign of overtired, not the other way).
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