Obsessing over how much your baby sleeps is every parents’ inherent job. Is your baby sleeping enough? Should I calculate her nap time more meticulously? Should I be concerned that she doesn’t sleep through the night? A major part of a parent’s waking hours are spent wondering whether their baby is getting enough sleep. Here Dr Santanu Sen, consultant paediatrician, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai tells you how many hours of sleep your child actually needs.

Zero to six months: This is the most peaceful and restful phase in a child’s life. Your baby should be sleeping anywhere between 16 to 20 hours a day. However, this varies from one baby to another. This might not be at a stretch, and your baby will wake up often for a feed that can be either after two to three hours or even less.

6 to 12 months: As your baby grows older, she starts discovering the world around her. Now her sleep time could be anywhere between 12 to 15 hours, with a nap of around three hours in the afternoon.

1 to 3 years: There is more activity in your toddler’s life than just lying down and sleep. However, on an average, they might sleep for 13 hours with a two to three-hour long nap in between.

3 to 5 years: Of course, this is the age where your child gets busier, social and active. While that is a normal path of development, sleep is also essential. A minimum of 12 hours of sleep is required for this age.

5 to 10 years and beyond: As your child grows, her sleep time can reduce, but make sure that all through her primary schooling, she gets a minimum of 10 and maximum of 12 hours of sleep in a day.