3 week old sleep schedule: Bedtime and nap schedule

By now you’ve surely noticed that newborn sleep is pretty chaotic. Your 3 week old may take a 20-minute nap, stay awake for an hour, then snooze for two hours during their next sleep period! This is normal for babies in their first few months of life. Sleep schedules don’t typically become more predictable until closer to 3 - 4 months old. 

That said, in this article, we’ll walk you through what to expect (or not to expect) when it comes to sleep at 3 weeks and reassure you that your newborn’s sleep patterns are typical for this age group. 

IN THIS ARTICLE: 

How much should a 3 week old sleep?

It’s hard work being a new baby! According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, newborns usually sleep for about 16 - 17 hours per day []. However, they may only sleep 30 minutes  - 2 hours at a time, even overnight as they wake for feeds and comfort. This is normal! While sleep may feel chaotic, rest assured that you can be doing everything “right” and babies still won’t have a typical 24-hour cycle for sleeping and eating until closer to .  

Babies can typically comfortably stay awake for around 30 - 90 minutes in these first few weeks, so you’ll likely feel like all you have time for is changing your baby’s diaper, feeding them, and then they’re ready to snooze again.  

Also, note that there’s a wide range of normal when it comes to babies and sleep. Don’t fret about hitting a specific number of hours or naps, especially in these first few weeks and months. These recommendations are just estimates. It’s important to gauge your baby’s overall mood and energy levels when evaluating whether or not they’re getting enough sleep every day. 

Here's a quick overview of what you may expect when it comes to 3 week olds and sleep. Note that these figures are averages and should be used as guidelines.

Sample schedule for 3 week olds

At 3 weeks, your little one's "schedule" will likely still be unpredictable. Sleep times and durations will vary and this is normal! Here's what a day in the life of a 3 week old newborn may look like:

Top sleep tip for 3 week old

Due to an immature circadian sleep-wake system, most babies this age have sleep that’s pretty evenly distributed between day and night. However, it’s not uncommon for newborns to confuse night and day [] in their first few weeks of life, which can result in babies wanting to sleep all day and party all night. 

Day/night confusion typically resolves at around . To help “fix” their day/night reversal a bit faster, try to keep your little one’s environment bright and noisy during the day and quiet and dark at night. It can also be helpful to do your best to avoid stimulating [] or waking your child when you feed or change them overnight. 

Sleep fact for 3 week old babies 

While you may be eager to settle into a routine with your baby and work on sleep habits and a “schedule,” we won’t expect much regularity with their sleep until after they reach 3 - 4 months old. Timing and sleep durations can greatly vary in the beginning. 

However, consider taking advantage of their sleepiness and flexibility at this age. Newborns are typically pretty good at falling asleep when you’re out and about. Run that daytime errand [], even if your little one doesn’t make it all the way home before falling asleep. However, be sure to move your baby to a firm surface on their back as soon as possible, in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ [] safe sleep recommendations. 

Naptime schedule for 3 weeks

How long should a 3 week old nap?

There’s not a magic number when it comes to 3 week old nap habits. Expect your baby’s nap lengths since babies aren’t born with predictable or organized sleep cycles []. This means your little one could nap for 30 minutes or two hours and both would be considered “normal” at 3 weeks. 

Instead, try focusing on and when determining when your baby may be ready for sleep again. At 3 weeks, babies can usually stay awake for around 30 - 90 minutes before it’s time for sleep. If they’re rubbing their eyes, staring off into space, yawning, or becoming fussy, these may be sleepy cues that your baby is showing to indicate they’re ready for bed. Since these signs can be fleeting and easy to miss, we recommend aiming for a nap if they’ve been awake for over 1.25 hours and haven’t shown sleepy signs.

How many naps for a 3 week old?

We don’t recommend trying to follow a specific sleep schedule or number of naps at 3 weeks old. Babies don’t have an organized circadian rhythm [] in the first months of life, which means sleep will likely be without a pattern at this time. Instead, sleep is controlled by sleep pressure and hunger at 3 weeks. You’ll probably see short and long periods of sleep and plenty of wakings for food and snuggles over a 24-hour period. This is normal! 

Bedtime for 3 week olds

What time should a 3 week old go to bed?

Bedtime may be on the late side at this age since their schedule is still so irregular. Don’t be surprised if their longest stretch of sleep in a 24-hour period starts at 10:00 PM — or even later. This won’t last forever, though. Most babies will be ready for an earlier bedtime at around . 

You may be tempted to keep your baby up longer during the day in hopes of an earlier bedtime and longer stretches of overnight sleep, however, this can often lead to . Being too tired makes it harder for a newborn baby to fall asleep and stay asleep versus a little one who’s had adequate daytime sleep.  

If you're curious about what lies ahead in the next month, glimpse into the future to see what you might experience once your baby is a . Take a look back at how far your baby has come by revisiting what they may have been like as a .