Baby Sleep Schedule

Taking care of a newborn is exhausting work, but a baby sleep schedule can help make things easier – for you and your little one! At Angel Kids Pediatrics, with multiple locations in Jacksonville and St. Johns, Florida, the team of expert pediatricians regularly works with the parents of infants and toddlers to establish baby sleep schedules. Call the nearest office to request baby sleep schedule training today or request an appointment online. 

What is a baby sleep schedule?

A baby sleep schedule is a bedtime routine for your infant or toddler. 

Creating a baby sleep schedule at an early age helps your baby sleep through the night and take better naps. It can also improve your quality of life as a parent, by giving you more time to rest or do things you love.

At what age should parents consider establishing a sleep schedule for babies?

Some parents put their babies on a sleep schedule right after birth, but that isn’t necessary.

The Angel Kids Pediatrics team recommends being flexible with your newborn, especially during the first six months. Babies need to eat and sleep multiple times throughout the day. You don’t want to create a schedule until your baby can stay awake for two to three hours at a time.

Do baby sleep schedules vary by age?

Yes. At Angel Kids Pediatrics, the team develops sleep schedules based on each child’s age. Every sleep schedule is unique, but the team follows some basic guidelines as listed below:

Newborn sleep schedule

Newborns sleep between 14-17 hours per day, on average, so it can be hard to establish a true bedtime before your child’s between 8-12 weeks old. 

The Angel Kids Pediatrics team recommends putting your newborn to bed around 9 or 10 pm at the same time as you. Otherwise, they may wake you up in the middle of the night.

Baby sleep schedule

Babies between the ages of 4-10 months need an average of 14 hours of sleep per day. Ideally, 11-12 of those hours should be at night with the other 2-3 serving as naps during the day. 

After a discussion of your lifestyle and feeding habits, the Angel Kids Pediatrics team can recommend a sleep schedule that aligns with your child's needs.

Toddler sleep schedule

Toddlers need an average of between 13-14 hours of sleep per day. After 18 months, many parents make the transition to one nap per day, before eventually weaning off of naps entirely. 

Since every child has different needs, the team always makes custom recommendations.

What are the benefits of a baby sleep schedule?

Baby sleep schedules offer various benefits for babies and parents alike. Sleep schedules:

• Help babies fall asleep faster
• Help babies stay asleep longer
• Help parents sleep through the night
• Improve the parent-child bond
• Result in better sleep quality

Schedule an evaluation by contacting 904-224-KIDS (5437) today or booking online.