Baby Life

Baby sleep basics: 3 to 6 months

2008-03-07 10:24:19

Typical sleep at this age
At 3 months, most babies sleep a total of 12 to 15 hours a day, including nighttime sleep and naps.

Sleep training opportunity
Typically, by age 3 months or so, babies have started to develop more of a regular sleep/wake pattern and have dropped most of their night feedings.

This doesn't mean you should suddenly impose a rigid sleep program on your 3- or 4-month-old. In fact, your baby may already have developed sleep patterns that fit in well with your family life. But if you'd like to help your baby sleep longer at a stretch and keep more regular hours, now might be a good time to try some type of sleep training.

Keep in mind that every baby is on a unique developmental schedule. Observe how your child reacts to sleep training, and if she doesn't seem ready, slow down and try again in a few weeks.

Sleeping through the night
At some point between 3 and 6 months, most babies are capable of sleeping through the night. We're not talking about eight hours, though. "Through the night" at this age generally means a stretch of five or six hours (though some children will sleep much longer).

This may not sound like much if you're hoping for eight or nine hours of sleep yourself. But it's an important milestone for you as well as your baby, allowing you to get through a few sleep cycles and feel more rested in the morning.

If your baby isn't yet sleeping five or six hours straight, you're not alone. Many babies still wake up more than once at night for feedings in the 3- to 6-month stage. But by 6 months, if not before, your baby's likely to be ready for night weaning, if that's what you choose.

Waking up again
If your baby already sleeps for long periods at night, enjoy it. But babies who've slept through the night for weeks or months may start to wake up again — so don't be surprised if you're suddenly getting up every couple of hours again.

Baby sleep basics: 3 to 6 months