Quick answer. Most healthy babies start sleeping through the night, which pediatricians usually mean as a stretch of about 6 to 8 hours rather than a full 12, somewhere between 3 and 6 months of age, often once they reach around 12 to 13 pounds. Longer 12-hour nights tend to come later, in the second half of the first year. Newborns are the exception, because in the early weeks your baby still needs to wake and feed, so this is not a milestone to push for before your baby is ready.
What “through the night” actually means
Here is what almost nobody says out loud when a neighbor brags that her baby slept through at six weeks. A baby who goes down at 8 and wakes at 3 has, by that six-to-eight-hour definition, slept through the night, even though you were up at 3. So if your baby is doing a solid 6-hour block and feeling like a failure because it is not 7 to 7, you are right on track, and the longer stretch usually stacks on later.
An age-by-age guide
Sleep is developmental, so it helps to know what is typical at each stage instead of chasing a single date. Treat these as broad patterns, because babies vary widely.
| Age | Typical longest stretch | Night feeds still normal? | What is changing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 months | About 2 to 4 hours | Yes, and necessary | Small stomachs mean feeding around the clock |
| 3 to 6 months | Often 6 to 8 hours | Often one feed, more so with breastfeeding | Many babies start sleeping through, and the 4-month shift can disrupt it |
| 6 to 12 months | Many reach 10 to 12 hours | Usually not needed for nutrition by about 6 months | Wakings are more about habit, teething, or illness than hunger |
In the newborn window, the goal is not a long stretch. Newborns have tiny stomachs and need to eat around the clock to grow, so most should not go much longer than about 4 hours between feeds until your pediatrician confirms weight gain is on track. Somewhere in the 3 to 6 month range a lot of babies begin stringing together that longer block. It is also when the four-month change can scramble a good sleeper’s nights as sleep cycles mature, and a baby who was doing great comes apart around four months. That maturation is a lasting step forward in how your baby sleeps, not something they grow back out of, and the rough patch of extra night-waking it sets off usually settles within a few weeks with steady routines. By 6 to 12 months many babies can manage 10 to 12 hours, the 7 to 7 pattern becomes realistic for a lot of families, and by around 6 months many typically growing babies no longer need a feed overnight for nutrition, though some still take one and that is fine too.
Why the internet’s timelines disagree
If you have read five articles and gotten five different answers, that is the topic, not you. Whether and when a baby sleeps through depends on several things at once, and no single number fits every baby.
Feeding method is a big one. Breast milk digests faster than formula, so breastfed babies often wake sooner and keep a night feed a little longer, which is normal and not a sign that anything is wrong. Growth plays a part too, since a bigger baby who is gaining well can usually go longer between feeds than a smaller one still catching up. Some of it is temperament, because certain babies are simply lighter sleepers wired to rouse easily. And the thing that moves the needle most is whether a baby has learned to settle back to sleep on their own, without being fed or rocked all the way down. That is why the honest answer to when your baby will sleep through the night is a range, not a date.
How to gently encourage longer sleep
There is no switch to flip, and anyone promising one is selling something. A few steady habits give your baby the best shot, and none of them involve leaving a hungry newborn to cry.
Feed well during the day so more calories land before dark. Keep a calm bedtime routine in the same order every night, because a familiar wind-down tells a busy brain it is time to power down. Watch wake windows so your baby goes to bed drowsy but not overtired, which tends to backfire. When your baby stirs at night, pause before rushing in, since babies surface between sleep cycles and some settle on their own if you give them a moment. If you would like a plan built around your baby’s age and growth, bring it to a well visit and we will walk through it with you.
A quick word on safe sleep
However your baby’s sleep is going, the safe-sleep basics do not change. Place your baby on their back for every sleep, keep the crib bare with a firm flat surface and no pillows, bumpers, blankets, or stuffed animals, and do not fall asleep with your baby on a sofa or recliner, which is far more dangerous than it feels. Longer sleep is the goal, and safe sleep comes first.
When to call us
A baby who is growing well and simply is not sleeping through yet is almost always fine and just on their own schedule. Reach out if your baby:
- Is not gaining weight well, or has slowed or stopped gaining, along with the sleep changes
- Is refusing feeds, feeding much less than usual, or seems too sleepy to feed
- Has long pauses in breathing during sleep with a color change or a struggle to breathe (brief pauses followed by normal breathing are common and not a concern)
- Has a sudden, dramatic change in sleep that comes with a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or that just does not fit
- Snores loudly and nightly, or mouth-breathes most nights
- Just does not seem right to you
Fever changes the urgency. In a baby under three months, a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38.0°C) or higher is a reason to call us, day or night. In an older baby, call if a fever hangs on or your baby looks unwell. You can always find more on our baby fever page, and you know your baby better than anyone, so we would rather hear from you.
What we see in the office
Parents often come in worn out and worried because their baby was doing so well and then just stopped. A lot of the time it is a four-month-old whose sleep cycles matured right on schedule, and the visit is mostly reassurance and a plan to hold the routine. Other times a careful look turns up the real reason, a stuffy nose, teething with a cold on top, an ear infection, or a baby who is still hungry, and those we can help with. Telling the two apart is the whole point of checking in.
Frequently asked questions
At what age do babies sleep through the night without feeding?
What is the hardest month for a baby?
Can I let my 2-week-old sleep through the night?
How do I get my 5-month-old to sleep through the night?
Mike Jordan, MD, FAAP is a Board Certified pediatrician at East Lake Pediatrics, an NCQA-recognized Patient-Centered Medical Home.
East Lake Pediatrics is dedicated to promoting best practices, supporting consistency in our care, and helping ensure the best possible outcomes for the children we serve. To that end, we offer a range of educational resources, both online and as printed handouts, as part of our mission to serve our community. This material is provided for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment, or the individualized guidance of your child’s physician. Always talk with your pediatrician or another qualified provider about questions regarding your child’s health, and never disregard or delay seeking care because of something you have read here. If you believe your child is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
