A newborn usually manages wake windows of 30 minutes to 1 hour and takes 6 naps a day, each lasting about 20 minutes to 1 hour. There is no fixed bedtime yet: the evening sleep usually starts somewhere between 5pm and 9pm. Total sleep across 24 hours is typically 14 to 17 hours.
These numbers come from OBubba's own sleep engine for weeks 0 to 3. They are a guide to start from, not a target your baby has to hit.
At a glance
- Wake windows: 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Naps: 6 naps a day
- Nap length: 20 minutes to 1 hour each
- Total day sleep: 4 to 6 hours
- Total sleep in 24 hours: 14 to 17 hours
- Bedtime window: 5pm to 9pm (no fixed bedtime yet)
A sample day
Here is one example of how a day could look, starting with a 7am wake up. It is just one example: babies vary, and so do days.
- 7:00am Wake up for the day, milk feed
- 7:45am Nap 1 (45 minutes), after 45 minutes awake
- 8:30am Awake
- 9:30am Nap 2 (1 hour), after 1 hour awake
- 10:30am Awake
- 11:15am Nap 3 (1 hour), after 45 minutes awake
- 12:15pm Awake
- 1:15pm Nap 4 (1 hour), after 1 hour awake
- 2:15pm Awake
- 3:15pm Nap 5 (45 minutes), after 1 hour awake
- 4:00pm Awake
- 5:00pm Nap 6 (30 minutes), after 1 hour awake
- 5:30pm Awake
- 6:30pm Asleep for the night, after 1 hour awake (bedtime routine starts around 6:00pm)
That adds up to 5 hours of day sleep. Many newborns can only manage the shorter end of the range, nearer 30 to 45 minutes, especially in the first couple of weeks, and that includes the feed and a nappy change. Night time in these weeks is a series of sleeps and feeds rather than one long stretch.
What's changing at this age
In the first few weeks your baby has not yet built a body clock. Sleep arrives in short pieces spread across the whole 24 hours, and feeding sets the rhythm far more than the clock does. That is why there is no fixed bedtime yet: anywhere from early evening to late evening is normal, and it often moves from one night to the next.
Many newborns also have their days and nights a little mixed up, with sleepy afternoons and a lively spell late in the evening. Daylight and normal household noise during the day, and calm, dim, quiet night feeds, gently help the body clock form over the coming weeks.
The awake time itself is tiny. By the time your baby has fed, been changed and had a cuddle, they are often ready to sleep again. That is completely expected at this age.
Common sleep problems and gentle fixes
Only sleeping on you
Contact naps are very common now and a lovely way to get rest into the day. If you would like to try the cot or Moses basket, try one sleep a day there when your baby is drowsy and calm, and keep the others in arms without guilt.
Short naps
Naps of 20 to 30 minutes are normal for newborns. If your baby wakes happy, the nap did its job. If they wake upset, a gentle pat, shush or a quick re-cuddle may help them drift back.
A long, unsettled evening
Many newborns cluster feed and fuss in the evening. Lower the lights, cut the noise and keep things slow. This phase usually eases as the weeks go on.
Days and nights mixed up
Open the curtains for morning feeds, keep daytime sleeps in normal light, and keep night feeds dim and quiet with very little chat.
If things feel hard, you are not doing anything wrong. Small, gentle changes made one at a time, and watched for a few days, are usually kinder for everyone than a big overhaul. Look after yourself too: rest when you can, and lean on the people around you.
How OBubba helps
An age chart can only tell you what is typical. OBubba predicts your baby's next nap and bedtime from their own rhythm, not just the numbers on this page, and adjusts through the day as naps run long or short. After around four days of logging, the guidance becomes personal to your baby.
Find out more about nap prediction and how OBubba works as a gentle sleep consultant app in your pocket.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a newborn be awake between naps?
Typically 30 minutes to 1 hour, including the feed. Many newborns sit at the shorter end in the first weeks.
How many naps does a newborn take?
Around 6 naps across the day is typical in OBubba's data for weeks 0 to 3, each lasting roughly 20 minutes to 1 hour.
Should a newborn have a set bedtime?
Not yet. Bedtime often lands anywhere between 5pm and 9pm and moves around. A predictable bedtime tends to emerge over the next couple of months.
How much sleep does a newborn need in 24 hours?
Usually around 14 to 17 hours in total, spread across the day and night in short stretches.
Safety and a gentle reminder
Every sleep, day and night, should follow safer sleep guidance. See The Lullaby Trust safer sleep advice and NHS: helping your baby to sleep. If your baby was born prematurely, use their corrected age when reading these ranges. The ranges are guides, not targets. If you are worried about your baby's sleep, feeding or health, speak to your health visitor or GP.
Keep reading
- Next month: 1 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Wake Windows and Naps
- Every age on one page: wake windows by age
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