What are the recommended hours of sleep per night for a newborn infant?

Newborns need an average of 14 to 17 hours of sleep per 24-hour period, advises the National Sleep Foundation, though some need as much as 19 hours or as few as 11 hours. A newborn should not sleep fewer than 11 hours or more than 19 hours.

It's normal for a newborn to sleep for anywhere from a few minutes to several hours at a time throughout the day and night. Because newborns have small stomachs, they need to eat frequently. Newborn should have feedings every three to four hours, at least for the first several weeks of life, states KidsHealth.