A newborn sleep guide should explain both normal variability and how to keep useful records. Learn what age-based guidance means, how to log naps and nighttime sleep, and why tracking does not replace safe sleep practices or medical care.
Newborn sleep is spread across the day and night, with frequent waking and feeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics describes newborns as sleeping about 16 to 17 hours daily, often only one or two hours at a time. These are general observations, not a target or a feeding instruction. Follow your clinician's guidance about feeding and waking your baby, especially if there are concerns about weight gain or health.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 12 to 16 hours of sleep per 24 hours, including naps, for infants aged four to twelve months. Its consensus guidance does not set a recommendation for infants younger than four months because sleep varies widely at that age. Do not apply the older-infant range to a newborn, or interpret a single day's total as a diagnosis. Discuss persistent concerns with your pediatrician.
Log the observed start and end of each sleep session, including daytime naps and nighttime sleep. Add brief notes about interruptions when they help explain an entry, and mark uncertain times as estimates. A shared baby sleep log gives caregivers a common reference when handing over care. In Lettora, sleep records sit alongside feeding and diaper logs so you can review the day without searching through separate notes.
Treat a newborn sleep log as an observation tool rather than a strict timetable. Review several days to notice changes and discuss your baby's routine with a healthcare professional when needed. Feeding needs and individual circumstances come before an app-generated suggestion. Avoid assuming that every baby will sleep through the night at a particular age; an app cannot promise when longer stretches of sleep will happen.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends placing babies on their backs for sleep on a firm, flat sleep surface with a fitted sheet, keeping loose bedding and soft objects out of the sleep space. Review its full guidance with everyone who cares for your baby. A sleep tracker is not a breathing monitor and does not make an unsafe sleep environment safe. Contact a healthcare professional promptly if you are concerned about your baby's health.
Sources and further reading
Prepared by Lettora for general education and recordkeeping, not personalized medical advice.
Total
Varies widely
Per session
Often 1–2 hours
The AAP describes newborn sleep as short stretches across day and night. AASM does not set a sleep-duration recommendation for infants under four months.
Total
12–16 hours
Per session
Varies by baby
The AASM recommendation includes all naps and nighttime sleep across 24 hours. It is not a target for each individual sleep session.
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