Mindell says, "but some structure helps both parents and baby.
Newborns generally sleep about 16 to 17 hours per day, according to the AAP, though each stretch might only last one or two hours. Look to your baby for their evolving schedule after about 3 months—before that, anything goes. "You don't have to be rigid," Dr. Mindell says, "but some structure helps both parents and baby. By age 9 months, most babies naturally move to napping at around 9 a.m. and 2 p.m." But don't try to force a schedule on your baby for your convenience.