Although babies spend most of their time sleeping, the truth is that they do not sleep many hours at a time because they often wake up to suckle. However, from 6 months on, the baby can sleep almost all night without waking up to eat.
Some babies sleep more than others and may not even wake up for meals, and it may take about 6 months for their baby to set their own circadian rhythm. If the mother suspects that the baby sleeps more than normal, it is best to go to the pediatrician to see if there is a problem.
How many hours should the baby sleep
The time that the baby goes to sleep, depends on the age and the speed of growth:
| Age | Number of hours of sleep per day |
| Newborn | 16 to 20 hours in total |
| 1 month | 16 to 18 hours in total |
| 2 months | 15 to 16 hours in total |
| Four months | 9 to 12 hours per night + two naps during the day of 2 to 3 hours each |
| 6 months | 11 hours per night + two naps during the day of 2 to 3 hours each |
| 9 months | 11 hours per night + two naps during the day of 1 to 2 hours each |
| 1 year | 10 to 11 hours per night + two naps during the day of 1 to 2 hours each |
| 2 years | 11 hours a night + a daytime nap of about 2 hours |
| 3 years | 10 to 11 hours per night + a 2 hour nap during the day |
The number of hours of sleep may vary due to the baby's developing rhythm. Learn more about how long your baby needs sleeping.
Is it normal when the baby sleeps a lot?
The baby may sleep more than normal simply because of its growth rate when the first teeth are being born or in rarer cases due to a disease such as jaundice, infections or following certain medical procedures such as circumcision .
In addition, if the baby is very stimulated during the day, he may become very tired and fall asleep despite being hungry. If the mother realizes that the baby sleeps too much, it must be ensured that the baby does not present any health problem, taking it to the pediatrician.
What to do if your baby sleeps a lot
If your baby does not have any health problems, so you can get the right age-appropriate hours, you can try:
- Take the baby to walk during the day, exposing it to natural light;
- Develop a quiet evening routine, which may include a bath and massage;
- Try to remove some layers of clothing so that it is less hot and wake up when you are hungry;
- Touching the face with a damp cloth or lifting it to belch before moving it to the other breast;
If the baby is gaining weight steadily after a few weeks, but still sleeping a lot, it may just be perfectly normal. The mother should take advantage of this time to catch up on her sleep.
