Frequently Asked Questions

SleepSpot is a free baby sleep tracking app for iOS. You log your baby's naps and nighttime sleep with one tap, and the app tracks wake windows, sleep totals, and patterns over time. The SweetSpot feature analyzes your baby's unique data to predict the optimal time for their next nap — so you're not guessing based on generic age charts.

Yes. SleepSpot is free to download and use on iOS. Core features — sleep tracking, wake window monitoring, lullabies, and basic insights — are all free. An optional premium subscription unlocks advanced reports, detailed SweetSpot predictions, and multiple baby profiles.

SleepSpot supports babies and toddlers from newborn (0 months) through 24 months. Wake window recommendations and sleep schedule guidance automatically adjust based on your baby's age. It's especially helpful during nap transitions (3→2 naps, 2→1 nap) and sleep regressions.

SleepSpot's key differentiator is the SweetSpot prediction feature. Unlike apps that rely only on generic age-based wake windows, SleepSpot learns from your baby's actual tracked sleep data to predict when they'll be ready for their next nap. It also includes built-in white noise and lullabies, customizable bedtime routines, and a clean interface designed for sleep-deprived parents.

SweetSpot analyzes your baby's logged sleep patterns — nap durations, wake window lengths, sleep quality, and time of day — to learn their unique rhythms. After a few days of tracking, it predicts when your baby will be ready for their next sleep and sends you a notification before the optimal window closes. The more you track, the more accurate it becomes.

Yes. Your baby's sleep data is stored locally on your device and backed up through iCloud if enabled. SleepSpot does not sell or share your data with third parties. See our privacy policy for full details.

Newborns (0–3 months) need 14–17 hours of total sleep per 24 hours, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. This is typically split across 4–5 naps and nighttime sleep. Wake windows are very short at this age — just 45–90 minutes. By 3 months, most babies consolidate into slightly longer sleep stretches at night.

Wake windows are the periods of time your baby should be awake between sleep sessions. Putting your baby down within their ideal wake window dramatically improves sleep quality. If they stay awake too long, they become overtired and actually fight sleep harder due to elevated cortisol. Typical wake windows range from 45–60 minutes for newborns to 4–5.5 hours for 18–24 month olds.

A sleep regression is a period when a baby who was sleeping well suddenly starts waking more frequently, fighting naps, or having shorter sleep cycles. The most common regressions occur at 4 months (permanent change in sleep cycles), 8–10 months (developmental milestones), 12 months (walking/nap transition), and 18 months (increased independence). Most regressions last 2–6 weeks.

Most babies are physically capable of sleeping 6–8 hour stretches by 4–6 months, though this varies widely. "Sleeping through the night" medically means a 5+ hour stretch, not necessarily 7pm–7am. By 9 months, about 70% of babies sleep 8+ hours at night. Consistent bedtime routines, age-appropriate wake windows, and a sleep-friendly environment all help.

Nap counts decrease with age: newborns take 4–5 naps, 4–6 month olds take 3 naps, 7–14 month olds take 2 naps, and most toddlers transition to 1 nap between 13–18 months. Signs your baby is ready to drop a nap include: consistently fighting one nap, bedtime pushback, or early morning waking.

Common overtired signs include: rubbing eyes and ears, becoming fussy or clingy, yawning excessively, arching their back, becoming hyperactive or "wired," and having difficulty settling for sleep. An overtired baby produces excess cortisol, making it paradoxically harder to fall and stay asleep. Tracking wake windows with an app like SleepSpot helps you catch the sleepy window before overtiredness sets in.

Most pediatricians recommend waiting until 4–6 months to begin formal sleep training, when babies are developmentally ready. Before 4 months, focus on building healthy sleep associations and consistent routines. Always consult your pediatrician first, especially for premature babies or those with specific health concerns.

Gentle methods include: the Pick Up/Put Down method (pick baby up when crying, put down when calm), the Chair method (sit next to crib and gradually move away over days), and Fading (gradually reducing the amount of help you give at sleep time). These methods avoid leaving baby to cry alone and work well for families who prefer a gradual approach. They typically take 2–3 weeks to show results.

An effective bedtime routine is 20–30 minutes long, consistent, and calming. A typical routine: dim lights → bath → pajamas → feed → book/song → white noise on → place baby in crib drowsy but awake. Consistency is the key — doing the same steps in the same order signals to your baby's brain that sleep is coming. SleepSpot's Bedtime Routines feature lets you create and follow custom step-by-step routines with a built-in timer.

Yes. Research published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood found that 80% of newborns fell asleep within 5 minutes with white noise, compared to 25% without. White noise works by masking household sounds and mimicking the constant "whooshing" sound babies hear in the womb. Keep volume below 50 decibels (about the level of a quiet conversation) and place the machine at least 3 feet from the crib.

Tap "Start Sleep" on the home screen when you put your baby down. Choose "Nap" or "Bedtime." When your baby wakes, tap the sleep card to end the session. You can also add past sessions manually by tapping "Past Sleep" and entering start/end times — useful if you forgot to log in real time.

Tap the "Lullabies" button on the home screen to access SleepSpot's built-in sound library. You can choose from white noise, pink noise, nature sounds (rain, ocean waves), and gentle lullabies. Set an auto-shutoff timer (15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes) so the sound stops after baby falls asleep. Sounds play with the screen off to save battery and avoid blue light in the nursery.

SleepSpot includes white noise (fan/static), pink noise (a softer, rain-like sound), nature sounds (rain, ocean, forest), and a curated collection of lullabies. All sounds play in the background with the screen off. You can set an auto-shutoff timer so the sound fades after your baby falls asleep, or keep it playing through the night to mask household noise.

Yes. SleepSpot includes iOS home screen widgets that show your baby's current wake window, time since last sleep, and the next SweetSpot prediction — all without opening the app. To add a widget, long-press your iPhone home screen, tap the "+" button in the top corner, search for SleepSpot, and choose from small, medium, or large widget sizes.

Go to Settings → Notifications and enable "SweetSpot Alerts." You'll receive a push notification when your baby approaches their optimal sleep window. You can also turn on "Overtired Warnings" to get alerted if the ideal window has passed.

Tap "Routine" on the home screen to access bedtime routines. You can use the default routine or create a custom one with your own steps (bath, pajamas, feed, song, etc.) and timing for each step. Start the routine and follow along with the guided timer. Using the same routine every night builds a strong sleep cue that helps your baby wind down faster.

Yes, with SleepSpot Premium you can add multiple baby profiles and switch between them. Each baby gets their own independent tracking, predictions, and sleep history.

Subscriptions are managed through your Apple ID. Go to iPhone Settings → tap your name → Subscriptions → SleepSpot → Cancel Subscription. Premium features remain active until the end of your current billing period.