From the belief that infants should sleep 12 hours straight to misconceptions about daytime naps, myths about baby sleep are causing unnecessary stress for parents. In a world filled with sleep programs and coaching, it’s crucial to separate fact from fiction when it comes to infant sleep patterns.
Few aspects of child development are as rife with misinformation as infant sleep. This space has been largely dominated by companies and books aiming to sell sleep programs and advice. Here, we explore five common myths about infant sleep and what scientific research actually reveals.
No, Most Babies Don’t ‘Sleep Through the Night’
For many parents, the idea of an infant sleeping through the night is the ultimate goal. However, studies show that uninterrupted sleep is relatively uncommon among young children. A comprehensive study of over 55,000 babies in Norway found that nearly 70% of six-month-olds woke at least once per night, and more than 25% of 18-month-olds did as well.
Similarly, a 2020 study involving 5,700 children in Finland revealed that, on average, babies aged three to eight months woke more than twice per night. By the time they reached 12 months, they woke 1.8 times per night, and 18- to 24-month-olds woke around once per night.
“Our data confirmed that one to three awakenings per night is common in early childhood. Almost all children woke up one-to-three times at night, while a minority slept through the night (16.5% at three and 22.3% at eight months),” the researchers wrote.
These findings are based on parental reports, which may underestimate the actual frequency of awakenings. More objective measures, such as video recordings, suggest infants wake even more often. A 2001 study using video analysis found that infants woke three times per night at three months, 3.5 times at six months, 4.7 times at nine months, and 2.6 times at 12 months.
There is a silver lining: as babies near the end of their first year, their night awakenings tend to decrease naturally. The Finnish study noted that while nearly 80% of eight-month-olds woke at night, only 25% of two-year-olds did.
But Night Wakes Aren’t Always ‘Normal’
The notion that children will continue to wake at night until they are taught not to overlooks the natural consolidation of sleep patterns over time. It also ignores potential underlying health issues that can affect sleep.
Iron deficiency, affecting approximately 15% of toddlers in the U.S., can lead to frequent night wakings, restlessness, and difficulty falling asleep. Other conditions linked to unsettled sleep include food allergies, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and ear infections. Sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, affecting up to 6% of children, can also cause frequent awakenings, particularly between the ages of two and six.
For Most Infants, 12 Hours of Sleep Per Night Is Quite a Lot
Many online resources suggest that infants require about 12 hours of sleep per night. This notion, popularized by the “7-7” schedule, has led to the belief that anything less is insufficient. However, research indicates that many children do not need this much sleep.
An Australian study of 5,000 babies found that children from infancy to nearly five years of age slept an average of 11 hours overnight, not 12. This was true even for the youngest babies studied, aged four to six months.
In various parts of the world, including many Asian countries, babies sleep even less. A study found that babies under three years old slept an average of 10.17 hours in Australia, 9.96 in Canada, 10.51 in the UK, and 9.74 in the US, compared to 8.73 in Taiwan, 9.02 in Hong Kong, and 9.15 in India and Indonesia.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 12-16 hours of total sleep in a 24-hour period for four-to-12-month-olds and 11-14 hours for one-to-two-year-olds, without specifying how much should be at night versus naps.
Yes, On-the-Go Naps Are ‘Restorative’
Contrary to claims that motion naps are less restorative, no scientific evidence supports this notion. In fact, some research suggests the opposite. A study of 64 two-month-olds found that babies were more likely to fall asleep and less likely to cry when rocked at higher frequencies.
Research on adults using electroencephalogram (EEG) devices indicates that gentle rocking during naps increases deep sleep stages, aids in memory consolidation, and decreases light sleep time. Rocking even promotes sleep in mice.
Given that babies spend about 90% of their time sleeping in the womb while being “rocked” by their mother’s movements, it’s logical that motion naps wouldn’t harm brain development.
No, Sleep Does Not (Usually) ‘Breed Sleep’
While overtired babies can become more aroused and stressed, making it harder to settle at night, the idea that more daytime sleep leads to better nighttime sleep isn’t strongly supported by research.
In older toddlers and preschoolers, studies often find the opposite: after age two, children take longer to fall asleep and wake more at night on days they nap. However, a study using actigraphy found that longer naps in six-month-olds led to slightly more nighttime sleep, but the difference was minimal.
Sleep needs are individual and variable, and like adults, infants can’t be coaxed to get more sleep than their bodies need.
Amanda Ruggeri, a journalist exploring the science, psychology, and history of sleep, is set to publish a book on the topic in 2027. For more insights on health and wellbeing, consider signing up for the Health Fix newsletter by senior health correspondent Melissa Hogenboom.
