How much sleep does my baby actually need?

This guide is general information only and isn't a substitute for medical advice. If you're concerned about your child's health, or they're unwell, please see a doctor.

Sleep needs shift fast in the early years, and comparing your child to someone else's is a fast track to worry. Here are the ranges from Raising Children, an Australian government-funded parenting service. Note the word ranges: healthy children vary, and where your child sits inside the range matters less than whether they wake rested.

The ranges by age

• Newborns: about 14 to 17 hours across a 24-hour day, in short bursts of 2 to 3 hours.
• Babies 2 to 3 months: about 14 to 17 hours across 24 hours.
• Babies 3 to 6 months: about 12 to 15 hours across 24 hours.
• By one year: about 11 to 14 hours across 24 hours, moving towards 2 to 3 daytime sleeps.
• Toddlers (1 to 3 years): about 11 to 14 hours, usually 10 to 12 hours overnight plus 1 to 2 hours in the day.
• Preschoolers (3 to 5 years): about 10 to 13 hours a night, some still with a short day nap.

Total sleep, not just night sleep

These figures are for the whole 24 hours, so day naps count. A baby napping well may need less overnight, and a toddler who has dropped the nap often needs an earlier bedtime to make up the difference. When you're troubleshooting, add up the full day before deciding there's a problem.

How to tell if your child is getting enough

The clock is a guide; your child is the evidence. A well-rested child generally wakes reasonably happy, can get through the day without falling apart at every hurdle, and settles without an epic fight.

Signs they may be short on sleep include crankiness out of proportion to the moment, nodding off in the car most days, early-morning waking, and battling naps or bedtime. If your child sits outside the range but is thriving, that's usually fine. If they're inside the range but clearly struggling, it's worth a closer look at timing and quality.

Remember that these ranges may shift downward steadily, so the amount that suited your baby three months ago may now be too much daytime sleep, which often shows up as bedtime battles or early waking rather than as an obvious daytime problem. When in doubt, adjust the day before the night: protect age-appropriate naps, cap any that run long, then let night sleep find its own level.

Sources

• Raising Children Network, Baby sleep 2 to 12 months
• Raising Children Network, Toddler sleep
• Raising Children Network, Preschooler sleep

Last updated: July 2026. Sources include Red Nose Australia and Raising Children Network where cited above. This guide is general information only. For individual concerns, see your GP or child health nurse.