It’s been a long day at the hospital. Your new baby is probably snuggling up to you for her first small sleeps and she’ll be at it for a while.
I never realized how much skin-to skin contact with my baby mattered. When it’s time for bed and she feels distressed, we spend some time touching, reassuring, and she quickly calms down.
Germaine, Mom of Amos, 3 months
How Many Hours Do Newborns Sleep
During the first few weeks, newborns are recommended to sleep1 between 14-17 hours a day, however 11-19 hours of sleep per day may be appropriate. They would typically sleep in 3-4 hour stretches. Make sure they sleep safely and peacefully by:
- Placing baby to sleep on her back on a firm surface.
- Keeping extras like pillows, stuffed animals, and comforters out of the crib.
- Sleeping near baby but not in the same bed.
- Maintaining room temperature at the low to mid-twenties Celsius (around 22 ºC) or around 70F.
Manual sleep tracking can be very demanding, especially for exhausted parents, and that’s why we developed the Lumi Smart Sleep System. Co-created with pediatricians and designed for babies 0-16 months, it combines effortless sleep tracking with expert sleep coaching to get your baby’s sleep on track, right from the start. It covers a variety of sleep training methods so you can choose the one that fits your parenting style.
Mom Tips
- Help your baby to learn the difference between night and day by keeping their sleeping environment dark while sleeping and bright while they’re awake.
- Always feed and change baby's diaper right before bed.
- Newborns spend so much time on their backs sleeping so it is important to give them plenty of time on their tummies, or in an upright position when they are awake.
- Avoid unnecessary wake-ups by choosing a diaper that's comfortable and gives lasting dryness, like Lumi by Pampers diapers that are designed with the same comfort and protection as Pampers Swaddlers, the #1 choice of hospitals. Using the Lumi Smart Sleep System, you will also be able automatically track your baby’s sleep and get alerts if your baby’s diaper is wet.
- Your newborn will need to eat approximately every three hours, around the clock. But don't worry, over time she will learn to go longer between feeds and sleep longer overnight (with a few naps during the day).
Sleep in Your Baby's First Year
Here is a rough guide to sleep by age based on the National Sleep Foundation’s recommendation1:
- Newborn (0-3 months): 14-17 hours per day are recommended, 11-19 hours may be appropriate .
- 4 Months (4-11 months): 12-15 hours per day are recommended, 10-18 hours may be appropriate.
- 1 Year (1-2 years): 11-14 hours per day are recommended, 9-16 hours may be appropriate.
