- +61 1300 704 750
- admin@parentinggenie.com.au
- PO Box 706, Townsville, QLD 4810
- +61 1300 704 750
- admin@parentinggenie.com.au
- PO Box 706, Townsville, QLD 4810
Infant sleep changes rapidly in the first two years of life. Baby Sleep Guide from Birth to 2 Years!
One week, your newborn sleeps around the clock. A few months later, your baby may wake more often.
Around 6 months, sleep patterns shift again. By toddlerhood, bedtime battles may begin.
If you feel confused about how much sleep your baby needs, you are not alone.
This complete baby sleep guide explains newborn sleep, infant sleep patterns, toddler sleep schedules, sleep cycles, and what healthy sleep looks like from birth to 24 months.
Newborn babies do not follow a structured schedule.
Newborn sleep is driven by feeding needs and immature sleep cycles. Most newborn babies sleep 14–17 hours across a 24-hour period, but in short stretches.
Newborn babies do not yet understand day and night. Their sleep cycle is short, often 40–50 minutes.
This is normal infant sleep development.
In the early months, your infant is still developing a sleep rhythm.
Every baby is different. Some children sleep longer stretches earlier, while others need more support.
Around 4 months, the baby’s patterns mature.
Your baby may suddenly struggle to go back to sleep or need more help at bedtime.
This is not a problem. It is sleep development.
At this stage, healthy sleep habits become important. A consistent bedtime routine, balanced daytime sleep, and an age-appropriate schedule can help your baby settle better.
Many families find it helpful to follow a structured sleep routine by age. Our detailed 0–24 Month Baby Sleep by Age guide inside Baby Sleep Coach breaks this down clearly.
By 6 months, many babies can sleep longer stretches at night.
Night feeds may be reduced, although some babies still need one feed.
Helping your baby get enough sleep during the day supports better nighttime sleep.
As your baby grows into toddlerhood, sleep changes again.
Around 18–24 months, many toddlers transition to one nap.
Some toddlers resist bedtime. Others wake early. Sleep changes are common as a child’s health, growth, language development, and independence increase.
Understanding the child’s sleep helps explain night wakings.
Young babies move through:
When transitioning between cycles, the baby may wake.
Learning to go back to sleep calmly between cycles is a skill that develops gradually.
This is why gentle, consistent support matters more than perfection.
Across 0–24 months, many babies experience:
Most sleep problems are developmental, not behavioural.
Before assuming something is wrong, consider:
Sleep development is not linear.
A good infant sleep schedule supports:
Healthy sleep habits do not mean rigid schedules. They mean consistency.
With the Baby Sleep Coach, families can follow the full 0–24 Month Baby Sleep by Ageguide, track sleep patterns, and understand how the baby grows through each sleep stage.
It connects development, cycles, sleep needs, and routines in one place.
No matter your baby’s age:
Sleep safety supports healthy sleep.
If you are navigating infant sleep from birth to 2 years, you are not doing anything wrong. Parenting Genie can support you during this challenging time.
A child’s sleep changes because the baby grows. Sleep schedules shift as the brain matures. Night feeds, short naps, and regressions are part of normal development.
You do not need to panic when sleep changes or need to expect perfection.
Every baby is different. Sleep development takes time.
With understanding, consistency, and good sleep habits, your baby can sleep better, and your nights can feel calmer again.
Explore Baby Sleep Coach and see how structured, evidence-based support can transform your nights.
Because calmer nights are possible, and consistency changes everything.
Tools to Support Better Baby Sleep
To make bedtime calmer, you can also explore:
For more information on sleep and settling, visit the Parenting Genie website.
