Study Finds New Moms Average 4.4 Hours of Sleep

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When you’re expecting your first baby, you’re probably bracing yourself for sleepless nights. Everyone tells you about it. But what no one really explains is how that sleep loss hits—and why it’s not just about the number of hours you do or don’t get.

A small study from researchers at Rush University Medical Center and Washington State University dives deep into the actual sleep patterns of first-time moms, using wearable devices like Fitbits to track real sleep data, minute by minute. And what they found paints a much more complicated—and eye-opening—picture than the usual “you’ll be tired” warnings.

Spoiler: It’s not just about getting less sleep. It’s about how broken up that sleep is—and why that makes all the difference.

The Study: Real Sleep Data from Real First-Time Moms

The research followed 41 first-time mothers from before they were pregnant through their baby’s first year. These women wore Fitbits that tracked sleep in detail, capturing not just how much they slept, but how long their longest stretch of uninterrupted sleep was each day—a metric researchers call “Longest Stretch of Sleep” or LSS.

This is the same way we often track infant sleep—because we know babies need consolidated sleep to thrive. Turns out, moms do too.

Researchers compared each mom’s sleep patterns from the first 13 weeks after giving birth to her own sleep from a year earlier, before she got pregnant.

Here’s what they found.

Week 1 Postpartum: A Crash Course in Sleep Deprivation

In that first week after giving birth, these moms averaged just 4.4 hours of sleep a day—down from a solid 7.8 hours before pregnancy.

But even more dramatic? Their longest stretch of uninterrupted sleep was only 2.2 hours—a major drop from 5.6 hours pre-pregnancy.

And it gets more intense: nearly 1 in 3 moms (31.7%) went more than 24 hours without sleep at all during that first week.

That’s more than sleep deprivation—it’s borderline torture.

Weeks 2 to 7: More Sleep, But Still Not Rested

By weeks 2 through 7, daily total sleep improved to 6.7 hours—getting closer to pre-baby levels. That might sound like good news. But here’s the catch: the longest stretch of uninterrupted sleep was still only 3.2 hours, compared to 5.5 hours before pregnancy.

This means that even when moms were technically sleeping more, they weren’t getting the kind of deep, continuous rest that restores your brain and body.

It’s the difference between dozing on and off during a movie and watching it straight through—you might technically see the whole thing, but it’s not the same experience.

Weeks 8 to 13: Almost Back to Normal? Not Quite

By the time babies were 2 to 3 months old, moms’ total sleep time rose again, averaging 7.3 hours—a big improvement.

But their longest stretch of sleep still lagged behind: 4.1 hours compared to 5.6 hours pre-baby.

That’s still over an hour less of solid, uninterrupted sleep each night—even as they were “getting enough sleep” on paper.

This gap matters, because your body needs those longer stretches to hit the deepest, most restorative stages of sleep. Without it, you might be in bed for seven hours and still feel like you got hit by a truck.

Why This Matters So Much: The Mental Health Connection

This study didn’t just track numbers—it hinted at something bigger.

The researchers concluded that sleep discontinuity—how broken up sleep is—may play a more significant role in postpartum struggles than we’ve previously recognized.

Why is this a big deal? Because broken sleep has been linked to:

Increased risk of postpartum depression
Poorer emotional regulation
Decreased cognitive function (aka, “mom brain”)
Higher stress and anxiety

And unlike sleep loss (which might be easier to notice and address), sleep fragmentation often flies under the radar—especially when the total number of hours looks “normal.”

If you’re a new mom, or preparing to be one, this study might hit hard. And not because it’s surprising—many moms know exactly what this kind of sleep disruption feels like. But what makes this study powerful is that it finally puts data behind that experience.

It validates what so many women have felt but struggled to explain: “I’m sleeping enough, but I’m still exhausted.”

What Can You Do? Small Wins in a Sleep-Disrupted World

While there’s no magic fix for newborn sleep, the authors provided a few takeaways and tips:

1. Prioritize Your Longest Stretch

If possible, try to structure sleep shifts with a partner or support person so that you get at least one longer stretch each night. Even 4 hours straight can feel life-changing compared to four broken hours.

2. Accept Help—Even If It Feels Hard

Whether it’s a partner, friend, parent, or postpartum doula, let people help you buy back chunks of rest. It’s not a weakness—it’s a science-backed strategy.

3. Don’t Compare Your Recovery to Someone Else’s

Some babies sleep more predictably early on. Some don’t. Your postpartum journey is uniquely yours, and comparing it only piles on unnecessary guilt.

4. Talk About It with Your Doctor

If you’re still feeling beyond exhausted weeks or months after birth—even if you’re sleeping more—it’s worth bringing up. Fragmented sleep could be the underlying reason, and professionals can help you strategize around it.

5. Know That This Is a Season

While it doesn’t help in the middle of the night, it’s true: this level of disruption doesn’t last forever. Most moms report better sleep by the end of the first year. Still tired? Yes. But less wrecked tired.

Why We Need More Studies Like This

This research fills a major gap in our understanding of maternal health.

Too often, we treat postpartum sleep like it’s just about getting a nap here or there. But what moms really need is consolidated, uninterrupted sleep. It’s not a luxury—it’s a medical need.

And when we ignore the true impact of broken sleep on mothers, we risk missing early signs of postpartum depression and other health concerns.

The researchers behind this study said it best: “Sleep discontinuity may be a risk factor and intervention target for postpartum depression and other postpartum-related health issues.”

That means if we really want to support new moms, we need to go beyond the cute onesies and meal trains (though those help too!). We need to think about systems that allow moms to sleep. That might look like: