Main points:

• Awake times
• Total nap time
• Total nighttime sleep
• Total night feeds

Congratulations on your 1 month old! If you’re reading this, I’m sure you’ve been all over the internet searching for awake times, total nap time, night time sleep and night feeds for your little newborn. Fear not, this article has it all! Let’s jump right in. 

Awake times for a 1 month old baby

How long do 1 month old babies stay awake? Their wake window is shorter than you may think!

Your newborn baby will need to sleep every 30 - 90 minutes. This is the time between when they last woke, to when they next fall asleep (for example between their morning wake up and their next nap). 

Tip: Awake times tend to be shorter in the morning and extend throughout the day.

Total nap time for a 1 month old baby

At 1 month old, the average hours of daytime sleep combined is 6-8 hours.

(Of course not 6-8 hrs straight - this time is broken into short naps throughout the day)

Total night time sleep for a 1 month old baby

Your 1 month old will sleep 9-10 hrs overnight, but this time will be broken for night feeds.

Total night feeds for a 1 month old baby

There’s no specific amount of night feeds at this age, your baby needs to feed on demand.

Usually though, 1 month olds feed every 2-3 hours which usually results in 3-5 night feeds. 

However, you should always talk to your baby’s doctor about their nutrition needs, they know your baby best!

Now that we’ve gone over the basics, I want to give you 2 amazing tips that can help you get through the newborn stage.

Newborn tip #1: Use a swaddle sleep sack

Swaddle sleep sacks are a game changer for newborn sleep. 

See, in the womb - your newborn is nicely contained and curled up. Then when they enter the world, we expect them to sleep well in a crib, limbs out! 

This doesn’t work well for them, because the startle reflex often jolts them awake, and it’s generally nicer for your 1 month old to be nice, tight and contained while they sleep. 

You should NEVER use a swaddle blanket for your newborn, as they’re proven to increase the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

Instead, use a swaddle sleep sack! The Halo is my absolute favourite, I used it for both my boys. A swaddle sleep sack will keep your baby snug, and prevent them from startling awake without posing a safety risk to them. 

Just remember: it’s time to stop using the swaddle sleep sack the MOMENT your baby is showing signs of rolling (usually happens between 3-6 months old!)

Newborn tip #2: Avoid day-night confusion

In order to prevent your newborn waking every hour at night, or sleeping super long stretches during the day - we want to avoid day-night confusion. 

What is day-night confusion?

Day-night confusion is when your newborn confuses day and night, and sleeps long stretches during the day and wakes every hour at night.  

Here’s how to prevent day-night confusion and get your newborn sleeping amazingly:

During the day: keep your house bright, loud and cheerful. Put music on, keep the curtains open, go for walks and stay active. 

At night, do the exact opposite. The moment it’s 8-9 pm, dim all the lights, talk quietly, turn off the TV, and keep the energy in your home really low. Kind of like you’re at the spa! 

Reinforce this as much as you can in these early months, and this might lead to your newborn sleeping long and nice stretches during the night, as well as staying awake a little more during the day to practise their milestones! You can read more about creating the perfect sleep environment here.

I know that these first months are really hard. You’re doing great, mama. Let's answer some frequently asked questions I get about 1 month olds, to set you off on the right path!

Can a 1 month old baby be on a schedule?

You can’t use a by-the-clock schedule with your 1 month old baby’s sleep, unfortunately. The only thing you can do is:

• Follow the 30-90 minute awake times
• Avoid day-night confusion 
• Use a swaddle sleep sack (preferably the Halo) for longer sleep stretches
• Stick to a later bedtime, like 10 pm. 

Since newborn sleep is very unpredictable, there isn’t much more we can do at this age. But all of this can still get you into a nice routine!

What routine should a 1 month old have?

Again, there isn’t much routine we can provide at this age, given the unpredictability of sleep at this age.

However, here’s a loose routine I recommend you stick to:

• Morning wake up time: 8 am
• Naps: every 30-90 minutes
• In-between naps: feed according to your doctor’s recommendations and practice milestones (like tummy time)
• Bedtime: around 10 pm 

What time should I put my 1 month old to bed?

Newborns naturally need a late bedtime, that you can move up as they get older. At 1 month old, 10 pm is a good bedtime for your baby. 

How long should a 1 month old sleep at a time?

Sleep stretches are very varied at this age. Some little one’s take 20 minute naps, others can sleep for 3 hour stretches at night. 

The most important thing is your baby gets fed as much as they should, so talk to your baby’s doctor about that and make sure they’re meeting their nutritional needs. 

Other than that, as long you offer a safe space to sleep and focus on protecting your baby’s wake windows, you’re golden!

Am I letting my 1 month old sleep too much?

It depends on how long your little one is sleeping. Your baby needs consistent feeds at this age, but generally newborns sleep about a total of 16-18 hours in 24 hours. So a lot! 

You can try tracking your baby’s sleep and making sure they’re within the recommended range for their age. 

I hope this article helped you find some answers to your 1 month old sleep struggles. If you need anything else, reach out to me via email or connect with me on social media!

All the best,

Ingrid.