All parents want to know if their baby is growing at a normal rate, and if their patterns of behavior fall within the "normal" range. But, many parents don't know what that range of normalcy is. Below is a description of normal sleeping and eating habits by age. This information is just a guide and your baby may or may not follow these patterns exactly. This information is a compilation of years of research and personal experience, and is under the assumption that s/he was born full-term.
NOTES:
1. In order for an infant to receive the full benefit of a nap, it should be 1.5 - 3 hours in length. Around 4 months of age, some infants will convert their evening nap into a short 45-minute nap.
2. As a general rule of thumb, babies should be eating about an ounce for every hour. For example, if you are on a 3-hour feeding schedule, then your baby should be eating approximately 3 ounces every 3 hours.
Birth - 3 weeks:
* No set sleeping schedule just yet.
* Eating every 2 - 2.5 hours.
* If you are nursing, a full feeding is 10-15 minutes on each side. If you are bottle feeding, this is 2 - 2.5 ounces.
3 - 8 weeks:
* Days and nights should be figured out by now.
* During the day:
- Eating every 2.5 - 3 hours.
- 4 naps (morning, mid-morning, afternoon, early-evening).
* During the night:
- 1 late-night feeding before you go to bed.
- 1 middle-of-the-night feeding.
- Sleeping 4-5 hours on either side of the middle-of-the-night feeding.
* By 8 weeks, your child has the biological, emotional, and developmental ability to self-soothe and put themselves to sleep.
By 12 weeks:
* Eating every 3-3.5 hours during the day.
* 3-4 naps during the day, depending on the feeding schedule.
* Your child now has the biological, emotional, and developmental ability to sleep 8-10 hours at night without eating.
By 4 months:
* Eating every 4 hours during the day.
* 3 naps during the day. Morning and afternoon naps should be 1.5 - 2 hours each, with an early evening nap around 45 minutes - 1 hour.
* 10-12 hours of sleep at night without eating.
By 6 months:
* Eating every 4-5 hours during the day, supplementing with solid foods.
* 3 naps during the day. However, this is around the age when your baby will drop his/her early evening nap.
* 10-12 hours of sleep at night without eating.
By 9 months:
* 2 naps during the day.
* Eating every 5 hours, supplementing with solid foods.
* 11-13 hours of sleep at night without eating.
By 1 year:
* 2 naps during the day.
* 3 nursing/bottle feedings, supplemented with a sippy cup.
* 11-13 hours of sleep at night.
By 18 months:
* Between 16-20 months, transition to 1 nap during the day.
* Bottles should be replaced with sippy cups.
* 11-13 hours of sleep at night.
