Newborns should get 14–17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, says the National Sleep Foundation. Some newborns may sleep up to 18–19 hours a day. Newborns wake every couple of hours to eat. Breastfed babies feed often, about every 2–3 hours.
Generally, newborns sleep a total of about 8 to 9 hours in the daytime and a total of about 8 hours at night. But because they have a small stomach, they must wake every few hours to eat. Most babies don't start sleeping through the night (6 to 8 hours) until at least 3 months of age.
Newborns can sleep anywhere from 16-22 hours per day, broken up by feeding, so any sleep within this range should be expected. Your baby may fluctuate on how much sleep she gets, especially if she is experiencing a growth spurt and is feeding more frequently.
Yes, a baby can sleep too much, whether she's a newborn or an older baby. But in general, a newborn who sleeps all day is more of a potential concern than an older baby who's sleeping too much, which typically only happens when she's sick or has had an extra busy day.
A baby occasionally sleeping for longer than usual is not a cause for concern unless there are other symptoms. In general, it is uncommon for a newborn to consistently sleep through feedings or to sleep for longer than 19 hours per day unless they are ill or are having feeding difficulties.
During daylight hours, keep things stimulating and active for your baby. Play with them a lot. Try to keep them awake after they feed, although don't worry if they conk out for a nap. When it's dark, become a more low-key parent for your baby.
Listlessness or Lethargy
Lethargy may be a sign of infection or other conditions such as low blood sugar. Talk with your baby's doctor if your infant becomes lethargic or isn't as active.
As a guide, many babies sleep 14-20 hours a day in the first weeks. By 3 months many are settled into a pattern of longer sleep times – perhaps 4 to 5 hours at night. When a baby sleeps about 5 hours straight, this is considered 'sleeping through the night'.
Newborns should only be awake for 1.5 to 2 hours at a time during the day, but make sure that she plays during the day. Sing to her, play with her, talk with her and show her around her new environment. Rather than forcing her to stay awake, provide stimulation so she won't want to go to sleep.
It's completely normal (and developmentally appropriate) for naps to be anywhere between 20-120 minutes during those first few months. If your newborn is still sleeping at 2 hours, I would encourage you to wake them in order to make sure your baby is getting the full feedings and active awake time they need.
Newborns may sleep between 10 and 18 hours a day. They stay awake only 1 to 3 hours at a time. Signs that your baby is becoming sleepy include: Crying.
Don't be afraid to move – move your baby around and burp her to keep her alert. If she seems drowsy, remove the bottle or gently unlatch her and change positions to rouse her. You can also gently blow air on her cheeks or forehead (avoid blowing air directly into her face), stroke her bare feet or change her nappy.
For the first few days you may need to wake them to feed if they are still sleeping by 3 hours from the last day feeding and 4 hours at night. If baby still won't eat, allow baby to sleep another hour and try again to wake and feed them.
Lethargic or listless babies appear to have little or no energy. They are drowsy or sluggish. They may also sleep longer than usual. They may be hard to wake for feedings and even when awake, are not alert or attentive to sounds and visual cues.
What makes a baby sleepy? Recovering from birth: In the first few days, some babies are sleepy or uninterested in feeding. It's especially true for small babies, after a difficult labour or birth, or if you received drugs for pain relief during labour. Jaundice or an infection may make a baby sleepy.
Your baby feels unusually hot (fever), cold or floppy. Your baby cries in an unusual way or for an unusually long time or seems to be in pain. You notice any bleeding from the nose or any bruising. Your baby keeps refusing feeds or continues to vomit up feeds.
Be expected to sleep a large portion of the day – about 16 - 20 hours. Raise their heads slightly. When your baby is awake, give him or her supervised time on his or her tummy so he or she can develop upper body muscles. Focus and begin to make eye contact with you.
If your newborn sleeps like a vampire all day and is up all night long, or if she's exhibiting other common infant sleep patterns like frequent night wakings, restless sleeping or early waking, it's all completely normal. Her sleep patterns will evolve as she grows.
Your baby will need about 9 to 18 hours of sleep until they are 3 months old. The average they will sleep is about 14.5 hours.
The amount of sleep an infant gets at any one stretch of time is mostly ruled by hunger. Newborns will wake up and want to be fed about every three to four hours at first. Do not let your newborn sleep longer than five hours at a time in the first five to six weeks.
Overfeeding the little one can lead to sleep disturbances. If your baby has poor sleep habits and is waking often, it may be time to look at how much they have been eating.