Here’s how much sleep your baby actually needs

As a gentle sleep coach for babies, I’ve seen countless parents struggle with baby sleep advice that doesn’t seem to fit their child.
From pregnancy onwards, parents are bombarded with advice around sleep routines focused on what I consider to be the biggest misconception in the world of baby sleep: that there is a one-size-fits-all sleep schedule for babies at certain ages.
Many parents are told that following strict, age-appropriate awake times will result in a perfectly sleeping baby. If only it were that simple!
The truth is, babies are individuals with varying needs and temperaments, which significantly impact their sleep patterns.
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In 2015, a panel of 18 specialists from leading organizations reviewed over 300 publications to update official sleep recommendations. Their findings, published in the Sleep Health Journal, provide average sleep durations for different age groups:
Importantly, the panel noted sleep needs could vary by up to two hours on either side of these averages. This means there can be up to an eight-hour variation in sleep needs within each age bracket.
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Given this wide range of normal sleep needs, it’s clear that a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work. Trying to force your child into a prescribed schedule can lead to stress and overwhelm for parents, wasted time trying to settle a baby who isn’t tired and nighttime sleep issues like split nights, early rising or frequent waking.
I tell the parents that I work with that we can’t force low sleep needs children to need more sleep, just as we can’t make high sleep needs children happy with less. Neither end of the spectrum is better than the other – sleep needs just are what they are for individual babies.
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So where to from here? How do you determine your baby’s unique sleep needs? Here are my top tips:
Instead of following generic schedules, keep a basic sleep diary for a few days. Baby monitors like the CuboAi Smart Baby Monitor can be incredibly helpful here, as they can provide sleep reports without pushing generic awake time recommendations. This data can give you valuable insights into your baby’s unique patterns.
Are they happy and thriving with their current sleep patterns? If so, they’re likely getting the sleep they need, even if it doesn’t match a standard schedule. I also advise paying attention to how your baby wakes up, both from naps and during the night.
Do they wake really calm, content and seem ‘wide awake’ perhaps even taking a long time to resettle? This could be a clue they need a little more sleep pressure by reducing the duration of day sleeps or stretching to longer awake times.
Do they wake extremely upset and dysregulated? While this can be attributed to many things, one cause could be too much sleep pressure and supporting longer naps and shorter awake times may help!
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Your baby might have lower sleep needs if:
For these babies, consider basing naps and bedtimes on their actual needs, not a generic schedule. Experiment with more awake time or reduced day sleep.
On the flip side, your baby might need more sleep if:
For these babies, try taking a few days of fully assisted naps (in cars, prams, carriers, etc.) and adjusting the sleep environment to encourage longer daytime sleeps could be helpful.
To make sure there are no other factors at play, you’ll want to ensure good sleep hygiene and rule out any environmental factors that might be making sleep tricky, such as temperature.
The CuboAi’s Smart Temp, a medical-grade thermal sensor you can clip onto your baby, measures your baby’s body temperature so you can be confident you don’t need to make any changes here as we know that a baby who is too hot or too cold may wake more frequently.
The monitor will also notify you of any temperature and humidity changes in the room and send alerts straight to your phone while your baby sleeps.
Remember, you’re the expert on your baby. While technology can provide valuable data, ultimately, you know your baby best. Trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to deviate from “standard” advice if it’s not working for your family.
In conclusion, understanding your baby’s unique sleep needs is a journey. It requires observation, patience, and a willingness to adapt. With these tips and the support of tools, like the CuboAi Smart Baby Monitor, you can navigate this journey with confidence, ensuring your baby gets the sleep they need to thrive.
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