What 14–17 hours means for a 3-month-old
At 3 months, a baby is at the end of the National Sleep Foundation’s 0–3 month group, which recommends 14 to 17 hours of sleep in 24 hours, including naps. At 4 months the guidance changes to 12–15 hours, so expect your baby’s total to drift down over the next few weeks.
The NSF also lists 11–13 or 18–19 hours as “may be appropriate”. The highlighted row in the table below applies to a 3-month-old.
| Age group | Ages | Recommended | May be appropriate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 0–3 months | 14–17 h | 11–13 or 18–19 h |
| Infant | 4–11 months | 12–15 h | 10–11 or 16–18 h |
| Toddler | 1–2 years | 11–14 h | 9–10 or 15–16 h |
| Preschooler | 3–5 years | 10–13 h | 8–9 or 14 h |
| School-age child | 6–13 years | 9–11 h | 7–8 or 12 h |
| Teenager | 14–17 years | 8–10 h | 7 or 11 h |
| Young adult | 18–25 years | 7–9 h | 6 or 10–11 h |
| Adult | 26–64 years | 7–9 h | 6 or 10 h |
| Older adult | 65+ years | 7–8 h | 5–6 or 9 h |
How sleep is changing at 3 months
Around this age, the body clock starts to follow day and night more closely. Many babies begin to sleep a longer first stretch at night, and daytime sleep starts to fall into several naps rather than constant dozing.
Many parents also notice sleep becoming more unsettled around 3 to 4 months, with more night waking or shorter naps. This is common as sleep patterns mature, and it usually settles with a calm, consistent approach.
Naps at 3 months
Most 3-month-olds still nap several times a day. Naps are often short and uneven, from 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Watch for tired signs such as yawning, staring away, rubbing eyes or fussing, and start settling your baby before they become overtired.
Daylight and normal household noise during daytime naps, and darkness and quiet at night, help your baby’s body clock settle.
Keep sleep safe
Keep following safe sleep advice: on the back for every sleep, a firm flat cot or crib with a fitted sheet, nothing else in the sleep space, and a shared room but not a shared bed for at least the first 6 months.
Swaddling and night feeds
If you swaddle your baby, stop as soon as they show signs of trying to roll over. A swaddled baby who rolls onto their front can’t push up or move their head easily. Many parents switch to a wearable sleeping bag instead.
Night feeds are still normal and expected at 3 months. Keeping them dim, quiet and brief, with no play or bright screens, helps your baby learn that night is for sleeping. Save the chatty, playful time for daytime feeds.
Some babies need more help settling than others. If your baby is very hard to settle most evenings, or you are struggling, speak to your doctor or health visitor for support.
More answers
- How much sleep a newborn needsNearby answer
- How much sleep a 6-month-old needsNearby answer
- How much sleep a 9-month-old needsNearby answer
- Bedtime for a 4 AM wake-upRelated answer
- Bedtime for a 4:15 AM wake-upRelated answer
- Bedtime for a 4:30 AM wake-upRelated answer
- Bedtime for a 4:45 AM wake-upRelated answer
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal for a 3-month-old to wake at night?
Yes. Most 3-month-olds still wake at night, often for feeds. Many start sleeping a longer first stretch at around this age, but full nights without waking usually come later, if at all, in the first year.
How many naps does a 3-month-old need?
Usually several a day, often 3 to 5, of varying length. The total of naps and night sleep matters more than the number of naps.
Why does the recommended amount change at 4 months?
The National Sleep Foundation groups babies as 0–3 months (14–17 hours) and 4–11 months (12–15 hours). Total sleep falls gradually as babies grow, so the change is a guide rather than a sudden switch.
Related calculators
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Sleep debt calculator
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Sources
- Hirshkowitz M, et al. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health, 2015;1(1):40–43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010.
- Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I; Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment. Pediatrics, 2022;150(1):e2022057990. doi:10.1542/peds.2022-057990.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Sleep.
When to seek help
Contact your baby’s doctor or health visitor if they:
- are unusually hard to wake, or too sleepy to feed well;
- have pauses in their breathing, breathe noisily, or seem to struggle to breathe while asleep;
- are feeding much less than usual or have fewer wet nappies (diapers);
- seem unwell, floppy or unusually irritable. If you are worried, get help straight away.