3-month-old sleep schedule: Naps, bedtime and tips
A complete guide to your three-month-old’s sleep schedule, including how much sleep they need, what a typical day looks like, and tips for encouraging healthy sleep habits.
Three months in, you might feel like you’ve got some of the basics of parenting a newborn in place. But when it comes to sleep, you might still be in the dark. Should your baby be in a routine by now? Is waking every two hours still normal? What should a three-month-old sleep schedule look like?
If you're searching for tips on how to settle your baby at night, or just hoping for a few more hours' sleep, our expert-backed guide to three-month-old baby sleep has you covered.
We asked Theresa Ross, a sleep therapist and clinical nurse specialist in paediatric sleep services at Evelina Children's hospital, about how much sleep a three-month-old needs, what a typical schedule looks like, and tips to support healthy sleep habits.
How much sleep does my baby need?
“Sleep is important for the rapid physical growth that occurs during this stage and throughout childhood,” Theresa says.
“It's essential for brain development. It has been suggested that large amount of REM sleep experienced by infants is important for the processing of all the new information they are encountering.”
To get all these benefits, three-month-old babies need about 15 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period.
The NHS says that at 3-6 months old, babies begin to need fewer night feeds and so might be able to sleep for longer periods at night — some babies might sleep for five to eight hours at night.
Naps at 3 months: How many and how long?
Every baby’s sleep needs are different. While some babies’ sleep habits will be changing at three months old, some may still be sleeping like they did as newborns.
“Typically, a three-month-old will take three to four naps during the day, totalling about four to five hours,” Theresa says.
Babies who sleep for shorter periods during the day will need more naps, while babies who can easily bank an hour or more of sleep at a time may take fewer naps to reach the 15-hour mark.
What should a 3-month-old sleep schedule look like?
An ideal sleep schedule for a three-month-old includes sleeping for 10-11 hours at night as well as three to four naps during the day.
During the day, two shorter morning naps, one longer nap in the early afternoon, and possibly a brief afternoon nap around 3pm is usual for three-month-olds.
A three-month-old’s bedtime depends on when they had their last nap. They generally need three to four hours to get tired enough to settle easily.
“Late naps can lead to later bedtimes. For instance, if your baby takes a 60-minute nap around 3pm, you might want to start their bedtime routine around 7:30 or 8 pm,” Theresa says.
“There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer, but many families find that bedtimes between 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm work well,” she says.
Creating a soothing bedtime routine
Sticking to a simple bedtime routine can help teach your baby that it’s time for sleep.
“Use your child’s sleep cues to give you an idea of when they are tired and start your routine 30 mins beforehand. Putting a child to bed too early when they are not tired can lead to difficulties in settling,” Theresa says.
To signal that it’s bedtime, she recommends giving your baby a relaxing bath, lasting five to ten minutes. Or try spending some quiet time talking, singing, or reading to your baby, or giving them a gentle massage in low lighting for five minutes — this is also great for bonding.
Then, “place your baby in the cot while they are drowsy but still awake to encourage self-soothing,” Theresa says.
“If you feed your baby just before bed, they may fall asleep during feeding. If this happens, gently wake them up so they are drowsy but awake when laid down in the cot, helping them learn to self-soothe.”
Theresa says that a realistic bedtime routine for a three-month-old is “simple, not rushed, not longer than 40 minutes, easy for other caregivers to follow, and fits into your schedule.”
“Three months is early in your child's life, and you are only introducing a routine. You will gradually work out what is best for you and your child. A simple manageable bedtime routine will be easy to adapt to your child as they grow,” Theresa says.
Tips to help your 3-month-old sleep better
Theresa has six tips to help establish a three-month-old sleep schedule:
- Learn when your baby shows signs that they are tired, and plan to start a bedtime routine when they give you cues such as:
- Rubbing their eyes or ears
- Snuggling into you
- Avoiding stimulating objects
- Becoming fussy or grizzly
- Staring off into space
- Find a suitable place for your baby to sleep. Moving them from a bedside crib to a cot in your room at three months may be easier than waiting until they become more aware of their surroundings.
- Optimise your baby’s sleep environment. Aim for a bedroom temperature of around 18-19 degrees Celsius. Ensure the sleep environment is safe, using the NHS’s safe sleep advice. Using a baby monitor can also be helpful.
- Establish a bedtime routine using the tips above.
- During the day, give your baby plenty of exposure to natural daylight by keeping curtains open and taking walks outside.
- Provide lots of cuddles and interactions during wakeful periods.
Common sleep challenges at 3 months
Three-month-olds might wake up more frequently due to hunger as they have growth spurts, or as they become more aware of their surroundings and find it harder to get back to sleep.
Mums can also feel stressed about bedtime due to post-natal depression or low mood exacerbated by a lack of sleep.
“If you think you are experiencing low mood or anxiety, it’s important to speak to your GP or health visitor for advice and support,” Theresa says. “Ask your partner and family members to help with childcare responsibilities, either during the day or night so you can catch up on sleep.”