Typical newborn sleep totals
Newborns usually sleep between 14 and 17 hours per day, spread over many naps and nighttime wakings. Some may sleep slightly more or less, but frequent short sleep periods are normal in the first weeks.
Patterns to expect:
- Sleep cycles are short (45–60 minutes), so waking to feed and comfort is common.
- Night and day may be confused initially; circadian rhythms develop over several months.
- Sleep amounts gradually consolidate into longer nighttime stretches by 3–6 months for many babies.
When to be concerned
- Extremely low sleep combined with poor feeding or irritability warrants medical attention.
- Excessive sleep accompanied by poor responsiveness or feeding issues should be evaluated.
If you track sleep and feeding and have concerns about sleep length or quality, share patterns with your pediatrician. Most newborn sleep variability resolves as feeding becomes routine and sleep cycles mature.