It is common for new parents to sacrifice their sleep during the first months of parenthood. We love staring at our baby’s cute little face anyway. However, there comes a point when we start to yearn for some shuteye and pray that our child learns to sleep through the night.
Parents ask, “When do babies sleep for 12 hours straight?” We will be discussing that in this article and make use of a baby sleep chart as a guide to determine how much sleep babies need depending on their age.
When Do Babies Sleep for 12 Hours Straight?
A newborn baby requires feeding every few hours. Because of that, new parents spend most of their nights awake to feed the baby. But don’t worry, feeding the baby every few hours are only needed until they reach the age of three months. After that, you will only need to feed the baby once or twice at night.
When your baby is six months old, that is the time when they begin to sleep for longer periods at night. Moreover, when they are nine months old, they start to sleep for 12 hours straight. By this time, no more sleepless nights for the new parents!
When do babies start sleeping through the night without feeding?
At the age of 6 months, babies also start sleeping for six to eight hours straight without in-between feeding. And when they reach the age of 9 months, they begin to sleep 11 to 12 hours straight without the interruption of feeding.
So, when do babies start sleeping longer than 3 hours? It’s between the age of 6 months to 9 months.
Baby Sleep Chart by Age: How Much Sleep Do Babies Need?
Photo by Abel Sillano from Pexels
Most newborn babies sleep one to four hours at a time. Whether night or day, infants will wake up from time to time when they are hungry. It is because babies do not have the concept of night and day during the first few months of their life. It will take time for them to learn the difference between night and day.
Commonly, newborn babies need to sleep for 16 to 17 hours per day in a 24-hour period. When they reach the age of four months, they tend to sleep at night for six hours or more. In addition, by this time, most babies sleep twice as long at night as they do during the day.
Your baby will develop more regular sleep patterns by the age of six to eight months. During this time, you still have to feed them at least once at night.
But when they are nine months old, the series of short nights of sleep they used to have will become an uninterrupted longer period of sleep. At this time, most babies can sleep up to 11 to 12 hours straight without waking up because of the need to be fed.
Mums and dads, you can check this baby sleep chart to know how much sleep do babies need depending on their age.
|
|---|
| Age |
Total sleep hours |
Hours of nighttime sleep |
Total hours of daytime sleep |
| New born |
16 hours |
8 to 9 |
8 |
| One month |
15.5 hours |
8 to 9 |
7 |
| Three months |
15 hours |
9 to 10 |
4 to 5 |
| Six months |
14 hours |
10 |
4 |
| Nine months |
14 hours |
11 |
3 |
| One year |
14 hours |
11 |
3 |
| 1.5 years |
13.5 hours |
11 |
2.5 |
| 2 years |
13 hours |
11 |
2 |
Baby sleep chart by age from Stanford Medicine
Factors That Affect the Sleeping Pattern of Babies
Some factors may affect babies’ sleeping patterns. One is the milk they consume. If you are feeding your baby formula milk, it may take longer to digest and may cause changes in their sleeping pattern.
However, according to Medical News Today, whether you feed your baby with formula milk or your breastmilk, they will still sleep for the same amount during the 24 hours.
Another factor that may prevent your baby from sleeping is the room temperature. Babies may struggle to sleep in a room with too hot or too cold temperatures. Moreover, one more factor to observe is an illness. If your baby is feeling sick, it may be difficult for them to have a better sleep.
Furthermore, the most common factor that may affect babies’ sleeping patterns is their growth and development. As they age, their body and senses tend to adjust with growth. That is why it is important to identify that babies’ hunger and sleep requirements differ by their age.
Signs That Your Baby Is Ready to Sleep
It is essential to recognise the signs of sleep readiness to help your baby with their sleeping pattern. You can identify that your baby is sleepy when you notice that they are rubbing their eyes, yawning, fussing, or looking away. You can rock your baby to sleep once you notice these signs. That can help them fall asleep more quickly.
It is also better to teach them how to sleep on their own, and of course, offer comfort whenever they wake up through the night.
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How to Help Your Baby Sleep Better?
Aside from recognising signs that your baby is ready for bedtime, you can also help them have a sound sleep by doing the following:
- Encourage your baby to sleep more at night when they reach the age of two to three months. In cases where your baby wakes up during the night because of hunger or being wet, avoid interactions that may stimulate and awaken them more. You can opt to use dim light when feeding your baby or when changing their diaper.
- Understand your baby’s signal. Once they show signs of sleepiness, put them to sleep.
- You may include bathing, cuddling, singing a lullaby, playing soft music, and a gentle massage as part of your bedtime routine.
- Introduce a security or comfort object such as a stuffed toy, bolster pillow, or blanket when your baby is about one year old. Having these objects can make them comfortable sleeping at night.
- When establishing a bedtime routine, avoid including night feedings.
- Check on your baby if they suddenly cry in the middle of their sleep. They may feel cold, hungry, or wet.
Baby Sleep – When to Worry
It is best to call your baby’s paediatrician if your baby is having difficulty sleeping and shows signs such as:
- Fussiness and irritability that cannot be stopped no matter how you comfort them.
- Difficulty in waking up
- Lack of interest in milk, food, or activity
- Seem to have a breathing problem.
You have to also watch out for sudden infant death syndrome (
SIDS), a condition of a sudden and unexplained death of a baby. It usually happens while the baby is sleeping and then found dead of an unexplainable cause.
Photo by Esma Karagoz from Pexels
Breastfeeding, timely immunisation and
safe sleeping habits can help parents prevent SIDS from happening to their babies. Here are other things that can also help:
- Do not let your baby sleep while on their side or stomach.
- Never leave your baby during tummy time to avoid them from sleeping while on their stomach.
- Talk to your baby’s paediatrician if they have gastroesophageal reflux. Consult first before raising the head of your baby’s crib.
- If you are feeding your baby with formula milk, you can offer them a pacifier and then let them suck it as they sleep. However, do not use a pacifier if you are breastfeeding your baby.
- Do not place your baby on a couch or armchair when they sleep.
- Avoid drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes during and after pregnancy. Keep your baby away from secondhand and thirdhand smoke.
If may seem tiring now, mums and dads. But believe us, soon your baby will be able to sleep on their own and you’ll have your own well-deserved shuteye too. For now, let’s focus on keeping your newborn as safe and as healthy as possible. Do not hesitate to consult your child’s paediatrician about their feeding and sleeping habits.
This article was written by Jobelle Macayan and republished with permission from theAsianparent Philippines.
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information
