How many naps a day does a baby need?

It takes a while for newborns to develop a sleep schedule because they need to develop their circadian rhythms. During the first month, babies will spend around 16 hours a day sleeping. This will usually happen in the form of three- or four-hour naps evenly spaced between feedings. After a newborn has been awake for one to two hours, he or she will need to sleep again.

As babies get older, nap times typically become more predictable. For example:

• Ages 4 months to 1 year. After the newborn period, your baby will likely nap at least twice a day — once in the morning and once in the early afternoon. Some babies also need a late-afternoon nap. You might aim to have your baby nap at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Let your baby nap for as long as he or she wants, unless your baby has difficulty falling asleep at night. If your baby is taking a third nap in the late afternoon, try to eliminate that nap around age 9 months. This will help your baby be ready for an earlier bedtime.
• Age 1 year and older. When your baby is around 10 months to age 1, he or she will likely drop the morning nap. During this transition, consider moving up your baby's nap time and bedtime by a half-hour to help him or her adjust. Most children continue taking an afternoon nap of one to two hours in length until about age 3. After this age, nap length tends to shorten.

Remember, however, that every baby is different and baby nap schedules can vary.