Nested Bean contributor Rachel Turner has helped many families overcome sleep hurdles with their babies. She is a Certified Sleep Sense™ Consultant, Owner of Hello Sleep, and author of this article. You’ve read that at 3 months, your baby’s finally in a regular sleep routine. But many parents I’ve coached feel like they’re backsliding. Let’s do a deep dive—and get you back on track. Your 3 month old's sleep schedule: What’s happening?Many parents settle into a more predictable sleeping pattern with the 3 month sleep schedule—a big improvement since the 2 month mark. Fewer naps. Fewer night feedings. Longer sleeps (from 10pm to 6am, on average). Add in a few 1½-hour naps, and your baby should now be experiencing about 14 to 16 hours a day of total sleep. But at 3+ months, new issues can crop up that throw everything off: sleep regression. Restless sleep at this age can be caused by cognitive and physical developmental milestones—like becoming more aware if their surroundings, teething, Or (wait for it)—a combination. And sometimes, it’s all happening just as you’re going back to work after parental leave. Is it normal?For babies? Yes. For their parents? Not so much. Knowing what to expect at the 3 month mark is the best way to stay ahead of sleep setba What to expect—and how to be readyCheck out these common parent challenges—then see the solutions at a glance. Amount of SleepA common question I get from parents is: How much sleep does a 3 month old need? Every child is different, but at the 3 month old stage a general rule of thumb is 15-17 hours in 24 hours. How to be ready: Plan your sleep schedule, during the day and at night, and take advantage of resources like our sample 3 month old sleep schedule below! About 5 hours of total sleep during the day (3-5, 1-3 hour naps per day) and 10-12 hours at night should do the trick. Negative sleep associationsLearning to sleep independently can be hard for babies; being placed alone in a crib, out of your arms, some babies start to make negative associations with bedtime. Fitful sleep3-month-old babies start needing fewer night feedings; four feedings may be too many, by this point, and can make babies restless sleepers. How to be ready: Start reducing the number of late-night feedings by making sure your baby gets enough to eat all day long, and slowly stretching the time between night-time feedings. Zen Sleepwear can help you maximize sleep between feedings.
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Time | Notes | |
Wakeup | Between 6-7 AM | Wake, feed, then play (in that order) |
Nap #1 | 1.25 to 1.5 hours after wakeup time | 1-3 hours long |
Nap #2 | 1.5 hours after last nap | 1-3 hours long |
Nap #3 | 1.5 hours after last nap | 1-3 hours long |
Nap #4 | 1.5 hours after last nap | 1-3 hours long |
Nap #5 (optional) | 1.5 hours after last nap | This nap can be shortened to 30 minutes to an hour long - don't let baby sleep past 6:30 PM. |
Start Bedtime Routine | Between 7-7:30 PM | Incorporate a full feed and Zen Sleepwear into your bedtime routine |
Bedtime | Between 7:30-8 PM | Put baby in the crib drowsy, but awake |
Sleeping through the night at 3 months
If you’re an especially lucky parent, your baby may actually start sleeping through the night at 3 months old. Of course, that may not mean the civilized 8-9 hour stretch you were hoping for. Most 3 month old babies will sleep about 5 hours at a time. But if your little one isn’t yet sleeping through at 3 months, don’t worry—it won’t be long now.
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Common questions about 3-month-old sleep schedules
What time should a 3-month-old go to bed?
A baby’s bedtime almost always depends on the amount and duration of daytime naps. But a common bedtime for a 3-month-old sleep schedule is 7p.m.
How many naps should there be in a 3-month-old sleep schedule?
A 3-month-old baby generally sleeps between 12-17 hours per day. About 8-12 hours of their sleep schedule happens overnight, and the rest is made up through daytime naps. And the ideal number of naps for a 3-month-old baby is 3-4 naps per day.
How much daytime sleep should a 3-month-old get?
As previously mentioned, the ideal number of naps for a 3-month-old sleep schedule is 3-4 naps per day. Those naps normally span anywhere from 1-2 hours each.
How much sleep does a 3-month old need?
5 hours of daytime sleep (3-5 naps a day) and 10-12 hours of nighttime sleep.
How long should my 3-month-old nap?
At 3 months old your baby should be taking 3-5 naps per day, each 1 to 3 hours long—with the exception of the last nap of the day which should not go past 6:30, so you may need to cut that nap short.
My 3-month-old is sleeping a lot—especially at naptime. Is this okay?
An average 3 month old should be getting 5 hours of daytime sleep. If you think your little one is sleeping too much, start tracking their nap times for a couple days to see how much they are actually getting!
Can I start sleep training at 3 months?
You can start teaching healthy sleep habits as young as newborns. Sleep training could start once your little one is gaining good weight and on a healthy growth curve per your doctor. Be sure to talk to your doctor about their weight gain and if they could make it through the night without a night feed.
Should I wake my 3-month-old baby to feed at night? Should I feed about 4x a night if I'm breastfeeding?
If your little one is having 6 - 7 good feeds per day, during daylight hours then you can usually see three “night feeds”. Make sure to also check in at each wellness doctor visit to make sure your little one is on a good growth curve.
My baby is almost 4 months. What should his 4-month feeding schedule be?
Overall, at 4 months your baby should be getting 4 hours of daytime sleep with 3-4 naps and 10-12 hours at night. Here's a sample schedule:
Between 6:00am - 7:00 am: Wake up,
feed, play (in that order)
Feed #1: 10-60 mins after wake-up (depending on last feed right)
1.5 –1.75 hour after wake-up: Begin Nap #1 (do not start this before 7:30am)
Feed #2: at least 10 mins after she wakes from nap
1.75-2 hours after wake-up from Nap 1: Begin Nap #2
Feed #3: at least 10 mins after she wakes from nap
1.75-2 hours after wake-up from Nap 2: Begin Nap
#3
Feed #4: at least 10 mins after she wakes from nap
1.75-2 hours after wake-up from Nap 3: Possible Nap #4 (do not let her sleep past 5:30 p.m. this nap should be short, buggy/car/sling is okay)
Feed #5: at least 10 mins after she wakes from nap 4 or a full feeding at 5:30 p.m.
6:30pm – 7:00pm: Begin bedtime routine
Feed #6: Full feed in the bedtime routine Between 7:00pm – 7:30pm: End
bedtime routine and into crib awake
If a nap ended after 3:30pm, do not try for another nap, plan on starting the bedtime routine at 6:00pm and into the crib at 6:30pm (this doesn’t mean she can’t sleep past 3:30pm, it is simply that I find it can be hard to fit it in and then still have a smooth bedtime).
When do babies start to self-soothe?
Babies can learn to self soothe at a young age, even before 3 months old! Use a Nested Bean Zen Swaddle to help comfort your little one as they sleep. The Zen Swaddle is gently weighted to help babies sleep longer and more peacefully!
Why should I follow an EAT-PLAY-SLEEP pattern?
Eat. Play. Sleep. Eat. Play. Sleep.
This is the perfect pattern.
Being consistent with this pattern throughout the day will help establish a routine for your child to know what is coming next. Children thrive off of routines! Not to mention, it also avoids an eat-sleep association that allows your child to learn to fall asleep independently and not rely on always nursing or having a bottle in order to fall asleep!
What's the typical bedtime routine for a 3-month-old baby?
Bottle feed (be sure they stay awake for this entire feed and it’s a good feed), bath, diaper change. Then into the Zen Swaddle or Zen Sack for story time and cuddles, before kisses goodnight and putting baby into their sleep area.
Other Sleep Resources
Mayo Clinic: Toddler Health
Healthychildren.Org:
Sleep
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