Every new parent rejoices when their baby logs an unexpectedly long nap or block of nighttime sleep. (More rest for you, hooray!) Still, the additional snooze time might also leave you wondering or even worrying: Can a baby sleep too much?
Babies, especially newborns, need a lot of sleep. But newborn sleep patterns tend to be short and erratic, and it’s uncommon for them to rest for more than a few hours at a time.
As your baby gets older and her sleep patterns become more regular, you probably know how many hours of daytime and nighttime sleep she typically clocks each day.
Here’s a quick look at exactly how much sleep your newborn or older baby should be getting:
- Newborns 0 to 3 months: 14 to 17 hours of sleep within a 24-hour period, though up to 22 hours is in the realm of normal for preemies. Sleep typically happens in spurts during the day and at night, sometimes lasting only an hour or two at a time.
- Older babies 4 to 12 months: 12 to 16 hours of sleep within a 24-hour period is typical. At least two to three hours of those hours should be daytime naps. Over time, babies gradually start sleeping for longer stretches at night. A 4-month-old might sleep for a six- or eight-hour stretch at night, while a 6-month old can go for 10 or 11 hours. As your baby nears her first birthday, she’ll sleep between 10 and 12 hours at night.
For both age sets, a sleep stretch that's significantly longer than your baby’s norm can seem unusual.
What's more, it can be tough to figure out what to do: Should you wake your baby and risk her being cranky? Or let her sleep and potentially miss a meal or not be tired at bedtime? Here’s what you should know.
Read This Next
Can a baby sleep too much?
Yes, a baby can sleep too much, whether she's a newborn or an older baby. But in general, a newborn who sleeps all day is more of a potential concern than an older baby who's sleeping too much, which typically only happens when she's sick or has had an extra busy day.
Because of their tiny tummy size, newborns need to eat frequently to get the nourishment they need. Even though it can be tempting to let an extra sleepy newborn keep snoozing, if your baby isn’t waking on her own to eat often enough, you'll need to rouse her.
For the first two to three weeks, keep a close eye on the clock and wake your baby when it's time for her to eat. Breastfed babies shouldn’t go longer than two to four hours without eating, while formula-fed babies shouldn’t go longer than three to four hours.
In the case of breastfeeding, letting your newborn sleep for more than two to four hours at a time doesn’t just put her at risk for not getting enough to eat. It can also cause your supply to dip.
You won't have to worry about waking your baby to eat for long though. Once a newborn’s weight gain pattern is established, your pediatrician should give you the green light to wait for overnight feedings until your baby wakes up (which hopefully will mean a little more sleep for you at night!).
Can older babies oversleep during the day? Sometimes. Letting your baby snooze for more than four hours during the day might mean she's less tired at night. That could make it harder to get her to settle down for bed or cause her to wake up extra early in the morning.
But ultimately, every baby's sleep patterns and needs are a little different. Sometimes your little one could just be extra tired from a very busy day, so she might take a longer nap than usual. As long as her night sleep isn’t getting disrupted as a result, occasional extra daytime rest isn’t cause for concern.
It's a different story when your baby is sick. If your baby is sleeping for long stretches and won't wake up to feed, it could be a sign she's coming down with something.
Sleep helps little ones (and adults!) fight off illnesses and get better sooner, so it's perfectly normal for your baby to spend a lot more time snoozing when she has a bug. After all, don’t you want to hang out in bed all day when you don’t feel well? Do take her to get checked out if she's sleeping for six to eight hours at a time when she's just a month or two old.
Should I wake my baby during the day?
Your baby's power naps can feel like a godsend to you, but if she snoozes for too long, you may have to wake her.
Very young babies need to eat frequently to get the nourishment they need. So if your newborn’s sleep schedule doesn’t quite match up, you should wake her if she's slept too long during the day or at night.
Breastfed newborns shouldn’t go more than two to four hours without eating, and formula-fed babies shouldn’t go longer than three to four hours. The rule typically applies to babies 3 weeks and younger who are still establishing a pattern of weight gain. Once your little one is consistently gaining a healthy amount, your pediatrician will likely tell you that it's okay to stop waking her for feedings.
Rousing a sleeping newborn to eat can sometimes be tough, though. You’ll have an easier time if you wake your little one during a light, REM stage of sleep, when her arms or legs are moving, her facial expressions are changing or her eyes are fluttering.
Since you’ve gone to the trouble of interrupting your newborn’s nap, do what you can to get her to take a full feeding. If despite your best attempts your baby isn’t interested in more than a nibble, it’s okay to let her doze back off. But if you’re having trouble getting in two full feedings in a row, let your pediatrician know.
There’s no need to worry about waking your older baby for a meal. But in general, it’s wise to cap her daytime sleep to no more than four hours. Napping more than that could make it harder for her to settle in at bedtime or cause her to wake extra early in the morning.
The exception to the rule is when your baby is sick. It’s normal for your little one to need more rest when her body is fighting off a virus, so don’t feel too much pressure to stick rigidly to her usual schedule.
If your sick baby needs to go in for a nap earlier or naps longer than normal, it’s fine to let her. Still, it’s worth waking her if she naps longer than three or four hours at a time, since longer stretches could interrupt her nighttime sleep.
If it seems like waking her will make it hard for her to make it to bedtime, you can always put her to bed earlier or offer a short late afternoon catnap.
Other times you should wake your sick baby if she's napping for more than three or four hours: If she has a fever, is vomiting or has diarrhea, or isn’t eating or drinking well, wake her to check her temperature and offer fluids or food to help stave off dehydration.
You should also wake her if she’s breathing harder or faster than usual, so you can check on her.
When to see the doctor
Occasionally having to wake your newborn or older baby isn’t something to worry about on its own. We all need a little more rest sometimes, so enjoy the extra downtime and keep your eye on the clock (or set an alarm!) to know when you definitely need to wake her.
Chronic sleepiness, though, can sometimes be a cause for concern. If your newborn is regularly sleeping for more than 17 hours a day and it's interfering with her ability to eat at least eight times per day, you should let your pediatrician know. Frequently missing meals could hurt her weight gain and growth.
For newborns or older babies, you should also call the doctor if the sleepiness coincides with other symptoms, like:
- Extreme lethargy or listlessness after you wake her, or trouble waking her
- Signs of dehydration, like fewer wet diapers, darker colored urine, tearless crying or cracked lips
- Extreme fussiness or irritability after you wake her
- For newborns, being uninterested in eating after waking
- Being unresponsive when you try to wake her
An occasional long nap isn’t something to worry about as long as your baby rouses easily and seems like her normal self when you wake her. Just wake your sleeping beauty after the three- or four-hour mark. That’ll ensure that your newborn gets all her feedings in, and that your older baby’s night sleep isn't disrupted. For sick babies, waking during the day after three or four hours also gives you an opportunity to check on them and offer fluids as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I be concerned about baby sleeping too much?
If your newborn is sleeping so much that she isn't waking to eat every two to four hours, talk to your pediatrician. When your newborn is 3 weeks old or younger, you'll typically need to wake her regularly to eat if she doesn't wake up on her own. For all babies, call your doctor if sleepiness occurs with other concerning symptoms, like trouble waking up, extreme fussiness when awake or signs of dehydration.
What happens if my baby gets too much sleep?
If your baby gets too much sleep during naps, it may cause problems with nighttime sleep. Babies who aren't tired at bedtime may have trouble falling asleep, have frequent wakings at night or wake up very early the next day.
Should I let my newborn sleep all day?
Wake your baby every 2 to 4 hours to give her plenty of opportunities to eat. Your newborn does need 14 to 17 hours of sleep per day, which means there isn't much awake time between naps. It can feel like she's sleeping all day when she isn't eating.
How long is too long for a baby to sleep?
In general, wake your sleeping baby if a daytime nap goes longer than 3 or 4 hours. Newborns need to wake about every two to four hours to eat. Older babies can have trouble sleeping well at night if they sleep too much during the day. It's normal for your baby to need more sleep when she's sick, but wake her every 3 to 4 hours during the day to check on her and make sure she stays hydrated.
Yes 
No 
Trending On What to Expect
