1 Month Old Sleep Schedule: The Complete Guide

Author Image By Paula McLaren BA (Hons) Early Years Development & Learning •  Updated: 06/08/22 •  Baby » Baby Sleep

Establishing a routine for newborn babies can be pretty chaotic…

Especially as newborn babies won’t start to follow a sleep, eat and play cycle until they are around 3-4 months old.

However, whilst a typically routine may not happen… there are guidelines for wake windows and sleep patterns that can help bring a level of normality and organisation into your new life as a parent.

So, here’s all you need to know about establishing a 1 month old sleep schedule…

How Much Should A 1 Month Old Sleep

TIP: Day and night confusion is one of the biggest issues when trying to settle your 1 month old into a sleep schedule. Keep nighttime interactions low key with dim lighting and little talking to combat this.

By contrast, daytime feeds can be taken where it is bright and noisier and where playtime before or after the feed is encouraged.

Sample 1 Month Old Sleep Schedule 

Ok… before I give you a sample 1 month old sleep schedule, there’s an important note I must mention first.

With 1 month old babies, it is crucial that we look at their sleep requirements in a 24 hour period as a whole. 

This is because it is very normal for a 1 month old’s sleep pattern to vary wildly from day to day.

For that reason, the 1 month old sleep schedule below is what a 1 month old baby should be doing and having WITHIN 24 hours and not minute by minute…

1 Month Old Sleep Schedule Sample

Remember, this 1 month old sleep schedule is designed to be a guideline for new parents to ensure you do not get too anxious about trying to stick to a rigid schedule. 

And as you get to know your little one more and more, you will learn what they like, what time of day they are more sociable and how long they like to sleep… 

This in turn will help you to develop a sleep schedule to fit your own baby’s needs and personality as well as your family’s lifestyle as they grow.

Nap Schedule For A 1 Month Old Baby

A 1 month old sleep schedule and their nap schedule are essentially the same thing.

At this age, babies are primarily concentrating on growing and preparing to develop a host of physical, emotional, cognitive and social skills and as a result, they will spend more of their time asleep than awake!

Therefore your baby’s nap schedule will look something like this:

Day Begins6.30am to 7am
Number Of Daytime Naps3 to 6 
Average Length Of A Daytime Nap30 mins to 2 hours
Length Of Time Awake Between Naps30 to 90 mins
Baby’s Bedtime6pm to 7pm after a basic routine of bath, book and feed

You will find that the amount of time your baby can stay awake will vary quite dramatically from day to day depending on what they are experiencing when they’re awake.

It’s very difficult to predict when your 1 month old will sleep, how deeply they will sleep or how long their naps will be until they’re a few months older.

TOP TIP: Despite the lack of strict timings, you can start to help your 1 month old towards a more regular sleep routine by using the same words when you settle them and the same sequence of events before you put them down. Such as the lullaby you sing, the baby books you read, the way you say goodnight and where you change their diaper. 

How Many Naps Does A 1 Month Old Baby Need?

Typically, a 1 month old will have between 3 and 6 naps a day.

How Long Should A 1 Month Old Baby Nap For?

Your 1 month old baby will nap anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours at a time depending on how busy their awake period was and what their individual sleep needs are.

However, it is not unheard of for babies of this age to sleep for longer.

Bedtime For A 1 Month Old

Although I am a great advocator of establishing a bedtime routine as early as possible, at 1 month old your baby is simply too young for a full bedtime schedule

However!

The priority right now is to make a stark difference in your interactions with your 1 month old baby at night, and to keep the sequence of events leading up to bedtime the same every night to establish strong sleep associations.

If you are bathing your baby daily, do so at the end of the day followed by a soothing massage, swaddled up for some quiet time together in a dimly lit room, followed by a feed and then settle your baby down in their nighttime sleep space bassinet or Moses basket.

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What Time Should A 1 Month Old Go To Bed

Your 1 month old baby will usually go to bed between 9pm and 10pm depending on when their last feed or dream feed falls.

Remember, bedtime for a 1 month old is later than for older babies due to their sleep and feeding schedule being so flexible. 

TOP TIP: To help establish the beginnings of sleep associations and a bedtime routine, make sure that your little one is staying in their nighttime sleeping space (crib, bassinet or basket) until around 6am when they wake up for the day.

1 Month Old Sleep Tips

Managing a 1 month old sleep schedule is not easy and can change from day to day. 

But there are some things you can do to try and keep it on track and make it more manageable. 

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Common 1 Month Old Baby Sleep Problems

The most common sleep problems in this age group are:

Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Month Old Sleep Schedule

Looking for more help with creating your baby’s 1 month old sleep schedule? Find answers to the most common questions here.

Can You Sleep Train A 1 Month Old Baby?

In short: no. 

I would not recommend sleep training a baby before they are 4-6 months of age.

1 month old babies should be fed and allowed to sleep as often as they wish. 

How Much Nighttime Sleep Is Appropriate For A 1 Month Old?

A 1 month old baby will sleep between 8-12 hours in their nighttime sleep space, but they will still wake up during that time for a couple of warm feeds.

How Long Should A 1 Month Old Stay Awake For?

The amount of time your 1 month old can stay awake will depend on the time of day and their personality. 

Most babies will be awake between 30 mins to 90 mins before needing to go back to sleep…

However, it is important that you learn and observe your baby’s sleep cues so that they can get them back to sleep when they need to so they don’t become overtired.

Can A 1 Month Old Baby Sleep Through The Night?

No. Your 1 month old will not yet sleep through the night.

While your 1 month old may be able to sleep for a bit longer at night, they will usually not go any longer than 4-6 hours between feeds. 

Most 1 month old babies will still be waking every 3-4 hours and the length of time they sleep between feeds at this age will vary from one night to the next too.

Why Is My 1 Month Old Sleeping So Much?

Your 1 month old baby will typically be sleeping a lot because they are developing at an incredible rate that requires a lot of energy!

If you still feel that your 1 month old is sleeping too much; is struggling to stay away for 20 minutes between naps, or is showing any of the following signs, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible:

Sleep Schedules Further Reading

Here are some more sleep schedules to help you get the most out of helping your little one sleep as best they can.

After all…

Sleep breeds sleep!

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Author Image Bio
Paula McLaren - The founder of Teething to Tantrums has been in the childcare industry as a Norland Nanny and Childcare Expert since 1982. Her qualifications include a BA (Hons) in Early Years Development & Learning (0-6 Years) plus the highly prestigious Norland Diploma, recognized as the best early years practitioner qualification in the world. During her 40+ years of experience, she has worked as a night nanny (specializing in solving sleep issues), run a very successful daycare center in London, and raised almost 100 children, including her son, to be kind, healthy, and happy individuals with her tried and tested developmental and guidance methods.

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