3 month old sleep schedule
At 3 months, most babies take 4 naps with wake windows of 1 h 30 min to 2 h, and need 12–16 h of sleep in 24 hours.
- Wake window
- 1 h 30 min – 2 h
- Naps a day
- 4
- Total sleep / 24 h
- 12–16 h
- Daytime sleep (sample)
- about 3 h
Days start to take shape: about 4 naps, wake windows of 1½–2 hours and a bedtime that can drift earlier as night sleep lengthens.
An earlier bedtime (often 7–8 pm) tends to emerge now. Watch for sleepy cues rather than holding off until a fixed time.
Night Nap Awake
- 7:00 amWake up, feed
- 8:30 amNap 1 · about 50 min
- 10:57 amNap 2 · about 50 min
- 1:31 pmNap 3 · about 50 min
- 4:12 pmNap 4 · about 30 min
- 6:42 pmBedtime (start routine 20–30 min before)
Make it fit your baby
This schedule is built from the middle of the wake-window range for this age, with windows that lengthen through the day. If your baby fights naps, try stretching each window by 10–15 minutes; if they melt down before naps, shorten them. For a schedule from your baby's exact age, a sleep pressure clock and an AI helper for specific problems, use the baby sleep schedule calculator.
Feeding and sleep go together: see the 3-month-old feeding schedule for how much milk to expect at this age.
Safe sleep: the AAP recommends placing babies on their back on a firm, flat, empty surface, in the parents' room for at least the first 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a 3-month-old stay awake between naps?
A typical wake window at this age is 1 h 30 min to 2 h, with the shortest window in the morning and the longest before bed. Watch sleepy cues (staring, eye rubbing, yawning, fussing) rather than the clock alone.
How many naps does a 3-month-old take?
Usually 4 naps a day. Days start to take shape: about 4 naps, wake windows of 1½–2 hours and a bedtime that can drift earlier as night sleep lengthens.
How much sleep does a 3-month-old need?
About 12–16 h in 24 hours, including naps. There is no official recommendation under 4 months because sleep varies so much; this range is typical.
What time should a 3-month-old go to bed?
Counted from a 7:00 am wake-up, the sample schedule below lands bedtime at about 6:42 pm. Enter your baby's actual wake-up time to shift the whole day.
Sources: Paruthi S et al., AASM consensus on recommended sleep for pediatric populations (2016), endorsed by the AAP; AAP safe sleep policy statement (2022); HealthyChildren.org. Wake windows are typical ranges compiled from paediatric sleep guidance, not rules.