Looking for a good sleep schedule for your 3 month old? Get wake windows, nap lengths, feeds, and bedtime for your baby with this sample 3 month old sleep schedule.
For me, 3 months old is a great time to get in a more established routine and sleep schedule with your little one.
Around 3 months, your baby’s circadian rhythm is established and they’ve worked out their day night confusion.
They’ve also “woken up” a bit and can handle more awake time, although they are still very sleepy.
Keep reading to see how much sleep your 3 month old needs, when bedtime should be, and how nap time fits into their day.
How Much Sleep Does A 3-Month Old Need?
Your 3 month old needs between 14 to 17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period.
This includes anywhere between 3.5 to 5 hours of daytime sleep during naps, as well as 11 to 12 hours at night.
Remember, at this age sleep begets sleep. If your little one is struggling to go down at bed time, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve slept too much during the day. In fact, the opposite may be true.
What Are Wake Windows for a 3 Month Old?
At 3 months old, your baby can stay awake for about 90 minutes in between naps.
This 1.5-hours is usually the sweet spot for babies from about 11 to 14 weeks old.
Now is also a great time to start a nap routine and baby sleep schedule with your little one. Something short and sweet that will cue to your baby’s brain that sleep is coming!
How Many Naps Should A 3 Month Old Take?
Your 3 month old should take between 4 to 5 naps during the day.
Contact naps or naps where you babywear are still common and helpful at this age.
How Long Should A 3 Month Old Nap During the Day?
It’s not uncommon for your 3 month old to only nap for 30 minutes at a time, though some babies may nap up to 90 minutes.
A 90-minute wake window and 90-minute nap would put your baby on a perfect 3-hour feeding routine.
If your baby needs to eat more frequently, your naps may be up to 60 minutes.
What Time Should A 3 Month Old Go To Bed?
Around this time, you can start keeping a more consistent bedtime. Aim for bedtime to be between 7 and 8 p.m.
Keep your baby’s wake windows in mind with bedtime as well.
Your baby can stay awake for about 75 to 90 minutes at a time, so make bedtime 75 to 90 minutes after they wake up from their last nap.
How Many Hours Should A 3 Month Old Be Sleeping at Night?
Most 3 month olds need between 11 to 12 hours of sleep at night.
That isn’t usually uninterrupted sleep though. It’s normal for your baby to still have a night feeding or two at this age.
Sometimes families tell me that their babies aren’t able to get that much sleep at night because it’s taking them too long to fall asleep at bedtime.
If that’s your issue, consider shortening your baby’s last nap of the day to a catnap (45-60 minutes).
On the flip side, some babies’ night sleep is cut short because they are waking up too early in the morning.
If that’s your baby’s problem, you may need to make some adjustments to their nursery, wean off of a sleep prop, and double-check their wake windows.
What is A Good Sleep Routine for A 3 Month Old Baby?
If you haven’t started following an eat play sleep routine, now is the time to start.
Eat play sleep or eat wake sleep means you separate your baby’s feeding times from their nap times, so you aren’t feeding your baby to sleep.
This can be tricky, but can also be a little easier to do around 3 months old now that your baby isn’t constantly falling asleep at the breast or bottle like in his newborn days!
Many babies (and mamas) have learned the ropes of breastfeeding and babies can be more efficient at emptying mom’s breast milk while feeding.
Feeding time time may decrease slightly in breast and bottle fed babies, simply because babies are quicker at it.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 3 Month Old Sleep Schedule
Should A 3 Month Old Have A Schedule?
Those early newborn days are for cuddles and getting used to being a new mom. For me it was way to stressful worrying about a schedule when my daughter was only a few weeks old.
But around 3 months of age, babies start waking up a little more. Many babies establish a feeding pattern or routine and some moms aren’t as worried about their milk supply or if baby is getting enough to eat. (Many moms still worry or struggle for many months though too!).
If you are a person who likes to plan and have an idea of how your day will go, then I think having your baby on a relaxed schedule is a good idea. Just remember that he is still a baby and won’t always confine to clocks or papered lists.
Is There A 3 Month Old Sleep Regression?
While there isn’t a typical sleep regression at 3 months old, you’re approaching one. The 4-month sleep regression might even come for your family a little bit early.
Your baby’s sleep cycle will actually change sometime between 3.5 to 5 months, to more closely resemble an adult sleep pattern. And unfortunately, this change often causes a sleep regression.
Instead of the deep sleep of a newborn (where babies typically sleep through all sorts of noise and bright lights), babies begin to move to a sleep pattern that moves between cycles of deep and light sleep.
Adults are adept at weaving these cycles together, but babies might wake more frequently as their body moves between cycles.
How Often Should A 3 Month Old Be Waking at Night?
There can be a big range of how many times a 3 month old wakes up at night.
Some of it is based on the sleep habits you’ve established and some of it can just be pure luck.
Around this age, you might see that your baby is starting to sleep for longer stretches at night and taking in fewer night feeds.
A big part of this change is your baby’s improved daytime alertness and growing digestive systems. They are able to stay more alert for a full feed during the day, filling their tummies more easily and taking in more calories.
Full tummies make for better and longer sleep.
That means your baby may not wake as often during the night due to hunger. In fact, many 3 month olds will only need to wake up once or twice at night.
If your 3 month old is still waking three or four times at night, that’s perfectly okay. Each baby develops a bit differently.
Can You Sleep Train A 3 Month Old?
Three months old is still a bit too young to begin a sleep training method like The Chair Method or Ferber Method. However, there are things you can be doing now to support independent sleep habits and prepare for sleep training soon.
One of the best things you can do for your baby’s sleep is to separate feedings from sleep. Now is a great age to begin making adjustments so you can stop nursing them to sleep, if you’re still doing so.
To begin some of the more formal sleep training methods, I recommend you wait until about 4 months old. Before that point, many babies still need to feed in the middle of the night.
What Skills is My 3 Month Old Learning that Could Affect Sleep?
Around 3 months old, many babies start working on their first big developmental milestone—start rolling from their back to their tummy.
This new skill can introduce new sleep problems, so make sure you’re prepared for when your baby is rolling in their sleep.
Give them lots of practice for rolling and tummy time during the day and make sure to stop swaddling at the first signs that your baby can roll over.
