As a new parent there are so many questions wandering around in your mind all the time. Comparing yourself to other parents can be good, but it can also result in a lot of confusion and loss of self-confidence. When the topic turns to sleeping patterns, it is not much of a help to compare with other families, as sleeping patterns can vary quite a lot. The need for sleep varies all the time, and thus the sleeping patterns change. The need for sleep is less the older the child grows.
Sleeping patterns for babies
According to an American survey, 70% of all 3-months-old babies sleep all night. This sounds like a very high number, which will most probably be quite frustrating for those mothers who are up 2-3 times every night. However, it is important to be aware that "all night" actually refers to 5 hours, when talking about babies. Up until 6 months of age, a breast-fed baby will need feeding during the night, which in most cases will be at least once between 12-06. But most children change their sleeping pattern now and then, so even if they sleep 5-6 hours in the night at 3 months of age, they might wake up more often after they are 6 months old. Every second child between 6-12 months has periods with a lot of wake-ups during the night. One out of 10 children does not experience a full night (5-6 hours) of sleep during the first year. And 25% of all 2-year-olds wake their parents up one or more times during the night.
So, indeed it varies a lot, and a baby will change its sleeping pattern many times during the first years. However, you can use the following numbers as only a guideline of sleep:
0-3 months: 16-22 hours of sleep. The baby will sleep 1-3 hours between meals. Some babies sleep a little longer in the night, but it is not uncommon that they don't sleep more than 3.
3-6 months: 14-20 hours of sleep. Sleeps 3-4 times during the day. Sleeps more hours in the night, but still needs a meal in the night.
6-12 months: 13-16 hours. Gets the most sleep during the night, but sleeps 2-3 times during day time. The baby can usually be awake 4-5 hours without sleep.
1-2 years: 13-14 hours. Still needs a nap during day time but sleeps mostly at night.
2-3 years: 11-12 hours. Some need a nap during the day, others get their need for sleep covered during the night.
These are only guidelines so you can easily find that your child varies from the above. There is nothing wrong with that but if your baby suddenly sleeps very little or wakes up much too often, you should go to your doctor or physician. Very frequent wake ups can be caused by ear problems, so do not hesitate to visit your doctor.
