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When Do Babies Start Sleeping Through the Night?
Few questions come up more often during the first year of parenthood than, "When will my baby sleep through the night?" When you're waking several times overnight, even a few uninterrupted hours of sleep can feel like a distant dream.
The reassuring part is that longer stretches of sleep usually develop gradually as babies grow. But there isn't one particular age when every baby suddenly starts sleeping all night. Sleep patterns vary considerably between babies, and waking during the night can remain completely normal throughout the first year.
There is no single age when babies start sleeping through the night. Some babies begin having longer stretches of around 4 to 5 hours at about 3 months, and some may sleep for around 6 hours at a time by 6 months. However, many babies continue waking during the night well beyond this point.
It is also important to remember that "sleeping through the night" does not necessarily mean sleeping for 10 or 12 hours without waking.
When Do Babies Start Sleeping for Longer Stretches?
During the newborn stage, sleep is usually spread across the entire day and night. Newborn babies have small stomachs and need to feed frequently, so sleeping in short stretches is expected.
As babies grow, their sleep gradually begins to become more organised. Their day and night patterns develop, sleep cycles change, and longer periods of sleep often begin to happen overnight.
Sleep tends to happen in short periods across both day and night, with frequent waking for feeding and comfort.
Babies begin developing clearer day and night sleep patterns. Some babies start having longer stretches overnight.
Night-time sleep often becomes longer. Some babies may sleep for stretches of around 6 hours by 6 months.
Most babies have their longest periods of sleep at night, although waking and needing help to resettle is still common.
These are general patterns rather than deadlines. Two healthy babies of exactly the same age can have very different sleep patterns.
The Raising Children Network provides a useful age-by-age overview of how baby sleep develops from 2 to 12 months.
What Does "Sleeping Through the Night" Actually Mean?
This phrase can be surprisingly confusing because different parents, researchers and health resources may use it differently.
For one family, sleeping through might mean their baby sleeps from 7 pm until 6 am without calling out. For another, it might mean a continuous stretch of 5 or 6 hours before the baby wakes for a feed.
Babies also naturally move through sleep cycles and can briefly wake between them. Sometimes they resettle without their parents noticing. At other times, they need feeding, cuddling or help getting comfortable again.
Worth remembering: a baby who wakes during the night is not necessarily a "bad sleeper". Night waking is a normal part of infant sleep, particularly during the first year.
How Much Sleep Do Babies Need?
The amount of sleep babies need changes considerably during their first year, and there is plenty of normal variation between individual babies.
According to the Raising Children Network, babies around 2 to 3 months commonly sleep for approximately 14 to 17 hours across 24 hours. From around 3 to 6 months, many babies sleep approximately 12 to 15 hours across 24 hours. By around one year, total sleep may be closer to 11 to 14 hours.
These totals include daytime naps as well as night-time sleep.
Rather than comparing your baby's sleep with another baby's exact schedule, it can be more useful to look at their overall wellbeing, behaviour and individual sleep cues.
You can read more about typical patterns in the Australian Government-supported Pregnancy, Birth and Baby guide to sleep patterns by age .
Why Do Babies Still Wake During the Night?
Even after your baby begins sleeping for longer stretches, there will probably still be nights when they wake more frequently.
Babies can wake overnight for many different reasons, including:
- hunger or needing a feed
- moving between sleep cycles
- needing comfort or reassurance
- being too warm or too cold
- a wet or uncomfortable nappy
- illness or discomfort
- changes to their normal routine
- new developmental milestones
- separation anxiety as they grow older
For younger babies in particular, waking can simply mean they need feeding, closeness or reassurance. Being comforted by a parent or caregiver is a normal part of infancy.
Sleep also doesn't always improve in a perfectly straight line. Your baby might sleep longer stretches for several weeks and then suddenly start waking more frequently again.
Changes such as learning to roll, crawl or pull themselves up, becoming more aware of their surroundings, or experiencing separation anxiety can temporarily affect sleep and settling.
The Raising Children Network notes that developments such as crawling and pulling to stand can coincide with changes in sleep for babies over 6 months. So if sleep suddenly becomes more unsettled around a major developmental milestone, you are certainly not the only family experiencing it.
When Do Babies Stop Needing Night Feeds?
Sleeping for longer overnight and no longer needing night feeds are not necessarily the same milestone.
Young babies need frequent milk feeds because their stomachs are small and they are growing quickly. As babies get older, some naturally begin going longer between overnight feeds.
According to Pregnancy, Birth and Baby , waking overnight for feeding and comfort is common during a baby's first year. Their guidance notes that breastfed babies may continue needing overnight feeds until around 12 months, while some bottle-fed babies may stop night feeding from around 6 months.
As babies grow and begin eating solid foods alongside breastmilk or formula, their overall feeding routine continues to change. This does not necessarily mean night feeds will disappear immediately, as every baby's feeding and sleep needs develop differently.
Every baby's feeding needs are different. There is no need to rush to remove night feeds simply because another baby of the same age has stopped them. If you're unsure whether your baby still needs overnight feeds, speak with your GP, maternal and child health nurse or another qualified health professional.
Simple Ways to Support Healthy Baby Sleep
You cannot force a baby to sleep through the night, but you can gradually create an environment and routine that supports healthy sleep as their natural sleep patterns develop.
Learn Your Baby's Tired Signs
Babies often give clues that they're ready for sleep. These can include yawning, rubbing their eyes, becoming fussy, losing interest in play or having difficulty focusing.
Settling your baby when they are tired rather than waiting until they become very overtired may make bedtime easier.
Create a Simple Bedtime Routine
A bedtime routine does not need to be complicated. The important part is creating a calm and reasonably predictable transition from daytime activity to sleep.
A routine might include:
- a bath or wash
- changing into sleepwear
- a feed
- a quiet story
- a cuddle
- a lullaby or quiet time
- settling your baby into their safe sleep space
Keep Overnight Interactions Calm
If your baby wakes for a feed overnight, keeping the environment quiet and low in stimulation can make it easier for them to return to sleep afterwards.
Respond to Your Baby's Individual Cues
There is no single settling method that works for every family. Some babies need more hands-on reassurance than others, particularly when they are very young.
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby's responsive settling guide explains several gentle approaches based on responding to your baby's tired signs and comfort needs.
What If My Baby Is Still Waking Frequently?
It can be frustrating when you hear that somebody else's baby is "sleeping through" while yours is still waking several times each night.
But frequent waking does not automatically mean something is wrong.
Raising Children Network notes that many babies between 6 and 12 months still wake during the night and need an adult to help them settle again. Some babies can wake several times in a night.
Your baby's sleep may also temporarily change because of development, illness, feeding needs, separation anxiety or changes to their normal environment.
If your baby seems otherwise healthy and content, their sleep pattern might simply be different from another baby's. If you're worried, however, there is no need to wait for the problem to become severe before asking a health professional for advice.
Safe Sleep Advice for Australian Parents
However long your baby sleeps, creating a safe sleep environment is more important than trying to encourage longer stretches of sleep.
Red Nose Australia provides evidence-based safe sleeping recommendations for babies aged 0 to 12 months.
Key Red Nose Safe Sleep Recommendations
Always place your baby on their back for sleep.
Make sure your baby's face and head remain uncovered during sleep.
Keep your baby's environment smoke-free before and after birth.
Use a safe cot and firm, flat mattress and keep loose or soft objects out of the sleep space.
Red Nose recommends baby's own safe sleep space in the parent or caregiver's room for the first 6 months.
Breastfeeding is included among Red Nose Australia's safe sleep recommendations.
In particular, avoid placing pillows, cot bumpers, toys, sheepskins or other loose soft items in your baby's sleep space. Red Nose recommends a safe cot or bassinet with a firm, flat sleep surface.
Safe sleep recommendations can change as evidence develops, so it is worth checking the current advice directly with Red Nose rather than relying on older advice from friends, relatives or social media.
When Should You Speak to a Healthcare Professional?
Baby sleep varies enormously, but you should feel comfortable asking for professional advice whenever you're concerned about your baby's sleep, feeding, breathing, health or development.
It can also be worth seeking support if sleep difficulties are having a significant effect on you or your family.
You can speak with your GP, paediatrician, midwife or maternal and child health nurse. Australian parents can also visit Pregnancy, Birth and Baby for trusted information and support.
Every Baby Finds Their Own Sleep Rhythm
So, when do babies start sleeping through the night? The most accurate answer is that there isn't one age that applies to every baby.
Some babies begin sleeping for longer stretches within their first few months. By around 6 months, many are having their longest sleep at night, but waking for feeding, comfort or help settling can still be completely normal.
Rather than viewing sleeping through the night as a milestone your baby must reach by a certain date, it can be more helpful to watch how their sleep gradually develops over time.
Longer nights often come gradually, and a few unsettled nights along the way do not mean your baby's sleep has gone backwards.
References & Further Reading
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