Baby Sleep Routines: What’s Normal (and What’s Not)
If you’ve got a baby, you’ve probably already discovered the cruel trick of parenthood: the second you think you’ve cracked sleep, it all changes again. One week they’re doing a six-hour stretch (you dare to dream!) and the next, you’re back up every 90 minutes wondering if you’ll ever sleep again.
Here’s the truth—baby sleep patterns are messy, unpredictable, and totally different for every little one. What’s “normal”? Almost everything. What’s “not”? Very, very little.
So if you’re exhausted, confused, or secretly convinced your baby missed the memo about sleep—take a breath. You’re not alone.
What Do Baby Sleep Patterns Really Look Like?
Every baby is their own little mystery, but here’s a rough guide that might help you feel less like you’re failing some imaginary sleep exam:
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Newborns (0–3 months): Around 14–17 hours in total, but chopped up into tiny fragments. Day, night—same difference to them.
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3–6 months: Some babies throw you a bone and start giving longer stretches at night. Others… not so much.
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6–12 months: You might get longer blocks—11–12 hours total at night if you’re lucky—but plenty are still up for milk, comfort, or just because they feel like it.
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12–24 months: Toddlers usually switch to one nap, 11–14 hours across the day. And yep, some still stage a 2am rave.
👉 The big takeaway: night waking is a normal part of baby sleep patterns. It doesn’t mean you’ve “created bad habits” or that your baby is broken.
When Should You Worry?
Most quirks are totally fine, but check in with a health professional if your baby:
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Snores heavily or struggles to breathe.
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Is really difficult to wake.
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Seems uncomfortable or in pain every night.
For extra reassurance, The Sleep Foundation has a great breakdown of what is typical at different ages.
Gentle Tips That Actually Help
No silver bullets here (sorry). But these little things can make nights smoother:
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Repeat the same steps. Bath, feed, cuddle, bed—it’s boring, but babies love boring.
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Kill the lights. Darkness cues their body clock.
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Soothing sounds. White noise, lullabies, even a fan—whatever works.
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Chill before bed. A cuddle, baby massage, or quiet story helps them downshift.
How Play Helps Sleep (Yes, Really)
Here’s the bit we see at Adventure Babies all the time: a baby who’s had the chance to wriggle, grab, splash, and explore textures in the day is way more likely to crash later. In fact, loads of parents joke about the “Adventure Babies nap”—that magical snooze their little one falls into after class because they’ve been so busy exploring.
And honestly? Even if your baby naps through half a session, don’t sweat it. Their brains are still hoovering up the benefits. Babies are sneaky like that.
The Bottom Line on Baby Sleep Patterns
Baby sleep patterns are chaotic, unpredictable, and constantly changing. Some nights are smooth sailing, some nights feel like survival mode on repeat. But here’s the thing: yes, it’s normal.
So ditch the guilt, ignore the Instagram-perfect baby who “sleeps through from 8 weeks,” and remember—you’re doing brilliantly. And if you ever need a guaranteed daytime nap (for them, sadly not you), you know where to find us.
💛 Adventure Babies: play hard, nap harder.
