How long will my baby sleep?

While the average number of hours slept per day at this age is 14, the range of normal is quite wide, with some babies sleeping only 9 hours and others sleeping as much as 18.

The average amount of daytime sleep at this age is 3 to 4 hours. If left up to your baby, daily naps will be as long as he needs them to be. Again, some babies will nap 20 minutes, others will sleep much longer.  Keep in mind that your baby would rather be with you than anywhere else. So your baby may need more than a 20-minute nap, but wakes because he would just rather be playing with you than sleeping in the crib. Also, as he becomes a toddler and starts resisting naps, it still may be a good idea to have a period of quiet time, for both of you.

Naps usually help prevent a baby from becoming too cranky to sleep well at night, allowing him (and you) to enjoy the waking hours more. Most babies this age like to nap once in the morning, then again sometime after lunch. If you feel the napping is interfering with his bedtime, you can wake him from an afternoon nap a little earlier. Keep in mind your baby is still growing and sleep is very important for them and if your baby is overly tired, he will not sleep well at night.