How Much Sleep Should My Child Be Getting?

Jul 15, 2021

  • How much sleep does my baby needs?
  • How many naps should my baby be taking?
  • What does a sample schedule look like for a newborn or infant?
  • How much sleep does my toddler need when no longer napping?
  • Why is my child not able to stay awake for long periods of time?

Sound familiar? Hello, and welcome! My name is Courtney Zentz, A Sleep Consultant from Philadelphia and the founder of the Tiny Transitions Sleep Coaching Agency. Through the work with my team and so many tired parents across the world, the #1 issue I see is a lack of knowledge for how much sleep children need for optimal health and growth. Many children don’t get the right amount of consolidated, independent, and uninterrupted sleep they need. They are chronically overtired, which can lead to night terrors, trouble napping, short naps, early wakings, issues settling, wakings overnight, the inability to sleep through the night, and the list goes on and on.

Overtired triggers hormones to the body, which can make it harder to settle, fall asleep and stay asleep, so timing is key. Using our Sample Child Schedule Generator, you can see samples of how to outline your day, align with these total sleep needs guidelines, and ensure your child is set up for success with sleep and a schedule that aligns with their age and total sleep needs. These are guidelines from the AASM, and will help ensure you are starting with a solid sleep foundation.

Total Sleep Needs

Total Sleep Needs by Age {Download the PDF}

Next, once you have the timing aligned and right awake windows by age, you have to ensure your child knows how to settle independently, something we work with you on in our Group-Based Coaching app or Private Sleep Consulting services. If you are not at the point of seeking professional support/help, no worries, we have you covered there too. Join our free Making Over Bedtime Sleep Training, our free sleep community on Facebook, where I host live training and sleep Q&As every week!

Courtney Zentz, Founder of Tiny Transitions Sleep Consulting, is a multi-award-winning speaker, author, and Pediatric Sleep Expert, Courtney works intimately with families from around the world to teach healthy sleep habits to children and adults. 

Her team, the Slumber Squad, made up of trained Certified Sleep Consultants support families globally and also have in-person support available in Des Moines, IA, Scottsdale, AZ, Paducah, KY, St. Louis, MO, Dallas, TX, Austin, TX, Tampa, FL, Nashville, TN, Huntsville, AL, NY Metro, New Jersey Metro, Philadelphia and support clients in English and Spanish.