Babies typically start sleeping through the night—defined as sleeping for at least 6 uninterrupted hours—around 6 months of age. However, this varies widely; some babies may sleep through the night as early as 3 months, while others may not do so until later or even into toddlerhood. At about 6 months, many babies no longer require nighttime feedings, making longer stretches of sleep more possible. Despite this, even babies who can sleep through the night may sometimes wake due to developmental changes, illness, or teething. Babies' sleep patterns are individual, and waking at night in younger infants is developmentally normal because they have shorter sleep cycles and need feedings or comfort.

What Does Sleeping Through the Night Mean?

Sleeping through the night usually means a baby sleeps for at least 6 hours without waking and needing caregiver intervention. This does not mean a full 10-12 hours of sleep necessarily. Parents may consider 5-6 hour stretches as sleeping through the night in younger infants.

Typical Age Ranges

• Newborns (0-3 months): Sleep in short bursts of 1-2 hours, waking frequently for feeding.
• Around 3 months: Some babies start longer stretches (4-5 hours) at night.
• Around 6 months: Many babies can sleep for 6 or more hours and may not need night feedings.
• 6-12 months: Nighttime sleep lengthens to up to 12 hours, though waking still occurs sometimes.

Influencing Factors

• Self-soothing ability
• Feeding status (night feeds)
• Developmental milestones
• Health issues like teething and illness

In summary, while babies often start sleeping through the night by about 6 months of age, it is normal for some to take longer and for sleep patterns to vary considerably.