3 Month Old Sleep Schedule
Three months old is such an exciting time for you and your baby! In this article, I’ll share a sample 3 month old nap schedule, tips for implementing the nap schedule, and a few developmental milestones that you can expect around 3 months old. Some of these can impact sleep. As a certified pediatric sleep consultant and also a mom of four kids (with #5 on the way), I’ll share what has worked great for me personally and also the schedule and tips I use with my clients.
3 Month Old SLeep Schedule
3 month old sleep schedule
Typical Baby Sleep Needs And Wake Windows at 3 Months Old
While each individual baby is different, it’s very helpful to know what you can likely expect for a 3 month old baby based on their age and development. Here are some guidelines for sleep needs at 3 months old.
Most 3 month old babies need between 15.5 and 18 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. This includes both overnight sleep and daytime naps.
Most 3 month old babies have a maximum wake time (also sometimes called a “wake window”) of about 75-90 minutes. Once they are awake for that length of time, they will become fussy and overtired if they do not go to sleep.
Tip: the maximum wake time is measured from the end of one period of sleep to the start of the next (ex: end of 1st nap to beginning of 2nd nap). You may notice the wake windows are shorter in the morning and longer later in the day. You may also notice they are shorter as baby approaches 3 months and then lengthen out as baby nears 4 months old.
Most 3 month old babies have 4 or 5 naps at this age. The total maximum nap time per day can vary a lot at this age but should be no more than 5 hours, since we’re ultimately trying to get baby to consolidate sleep overnight.
It’s expected that baby’s naps at this age vary quite a bit, so don’t feel pressure to follow an exact schedule based only on the clock. More on this below.
A Note On The 4 Month Sleep Regression
There is a major change to baby’s sleep cycles that occurs around 4 months of age that can disrupt sleep. This is often referred to as the “4 Month Sleep Regression”. Your 3 month old baby could start displaying signs of the 4 month sleep regression, and it’s important to know what it is and what you can be doing about it. Yes, there are things you can be doing now to prevent the major sleep disruption that sometimes comes with this biological change!
This topic is so important that I’ve written an entire in-depth article on what it is and how to navigate it. You can read that here.
3 Month Old Sample Sleep Schedule
Here is what a typical daily schedule, including both overnight sleep and naps, may look like for a 3 month old baby. Keep in mind the schedule can vary depending on the family’s schedule (ex: preferred morning wake time). You can adjust the specific times of this schedule to meet your needs. Be sure to look at the tips below to help you and your baby with great sleep at 3 months old.
7:00am - morning wake up
8:15am - nap #1
11:00am - nap #2
2:00pm - nap #3
4:30pm - nap #4
7:30pm - bedtime
Importantly, the schedule for a 3 month old baby can very from day to day—it’s critical that you focus not just on the clock but also on cues for sleepiness and hunger, wake windows, and your baby’s nap lengths that specific day. The schedule above is something you should use as an example rather than something you try to follow exactly.
How To Implement Your 3 Month Old Sleep Schedule
To customize your schedule for you and your baby, I recommend deciding first what time you want to start your baby’s day. You can then build the rest of the schedule based on the preferred morning wake time. The example above uses 7am, however, you can set the morning wake time to whatever works best for your family.
The timing of the final nap of the day is important. You want to be sure it is not too late in the day, even if this means waking your baby up from their last nap. You want to ensure that the final wake window between the end of the last nap and baby’s bedtime is around 90 minutes. This will ensure your baby has enough sleep pressure to fall asleep quickly at bedtime.
Short naps can still be common at 3 months old, so if your baby’s naps are shorter, they may need 5 naps per day in order to get their total recommended sleep within a 24 hour period. As baby gets older, daytime naps will continue consolidating into fewer naps that are longer. There can still be quite a bit of variability at 3 months old.
Life (and sleep!) can still be a bit unpredictable at 3 months old, especially once baby starts going through the 4 month sleep regression. Be sure to follow wake windows, watch for cues for tiredness and hunger, and adjust the schedule based on your baby’s naps that day. A flexible mindset and approach to baby sleep at 3 months is incredibly important!
3 months old is a great age to implement a bedtime routine. This can be very short and simple. Baby will start to be able to recognize patterns and will benefit from the consistency and familiarity of a bedtime routine. This will help prepare them for good sleep and will become a positive sleep association.
Baby Development at 3 Months Old
It’s important to understand a few of the key developmental milestones that baby is going through at 3 months old. These are incredibly exciting to see as parents, and as you’ve undoubtedly learned by now, the constant change and development can bring new joys and challenges each day. Some of these milestones impact their sleep. It’s also important to remember that babies develop at different paces, so you may see some of these, all of these, or none of these yet in your 3 month old. Every baby develops on their own timeline! Here are some milestones you may see around 3 months old:
Social Smiling: this is one of my absolute favorite milestones in babies of any age—there’s something amazing about that very first social smile! Around 3 months, you likely have seen your baby’s very first social smile, and you may be seeing it more frequently as baby continues to develop their ability to connect with their caregivers through recognizing their voice or face.
Gross Motor Development: your baby may start working on rolling around this time! The first rolls often come during tummy time when baby begins rolling from their belly to their back. Baby will also begin to show other signs of motor development such as being able to open and close their hands as well as try to grab at (not always successfully!) nearby toys or objects.
Wishing you and your 3 month old baby sweet dreams!
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