“Never wake a sleeping baby” is one of the most common pieces of advice new parents hear, but is it always true? While rest is essential for infants (and parents), there are times when waking a baby is important for their development. In this blog, we’ll explore what’s typical for infant sleep and when waking your baby might be necessary for their health and feeding schedule.

What Is Normal for Infant Sleep?

Newborns sleep a lot (typically 14 to 17 hours a day), but their sleep is spread out in short stretches. This pattern supports brain development and reflects their need for frequent feeding. It’s normal for sleep to feel unpredictable in the early weeks. Every baby is different, and sleep habits shift quickly as they grow. In most cases, as long as the baby is waking to feed regularly and gaining weight, there’s no need to stress over a rigid sleep schedule.

When You Should Wake a Sleeping Baby

There are some important situations where waking a sleeping baby is recommended:

• To support weight gain. In the first few weeks, if your baby hasn’t returned to their birth weight, you may need to wake them every 2 to 3 hours to feed. This helps ensure they’re getting enough nutrition for healthy growth.
• If you’re supplementing. If your care plan includes pumping, formula, or donor milk, waking your baby for scheduled feeds can help maintain milk supply and ensure consistent intake.
• If the baby sleeps through multiple feedings. Frequent feeding helps prevent low blood sugar, dehydration, and feeding issues. Long sleep stretches can be great later on, but early on, they might interfere with your baby’s needs.
• On your care provider’s recommendation. If you’re working with a midwife, pediatrician, or lactation consultant, they may recommend waking based on weight, jaundice, or other health concerns.

You can view another great resource that goes over when to wake a sleeping baby here.

Learning Your Baby’s Rhythm

As your baby gains weight and establishes feeding patterns, you can gradually follow their lead. Many babies begin to sleep longer stretches on their own between 4 and 12 weeks. Until then, responsive care and gentle structure can help build healthy habits.

At Worcester Community Midwifery, we know that questions don’t stop after the baby arrives. We’re building Worcester’s first independent birth center—a space that offers education, guidance, and support for families through pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum period. If our mission speaks to you, we invite you to follow along or support the center’s development.