Baby sleep schedule
Pick your baby's age and when they last woke up. We'll show when the next nap is likely to go smoothly.
What a wake window is
A wake window is how long a baby can comfortably stay awake between sleeps. Newborns tire within an hour. By their first birthday most babies manage three to four hours. Put a baby down too early and they won't be tired enough. Too late and they're overtired, which, confusingly, makes them fight sleep harder.
| Age | Wake window | Naps a day | Total sleep in 24 h |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 4 weeks | 35 to 60 min | 4 to 8 | 14 to 17 h |
| 1 to 2 months | 45 to 75 min | 4 to 6 | 14 to 17 h |
| 3 to 4 months | 1 h 15 min to 2 h | 3 to 5 | 12 to 16 h |
| 5 to 6 months | 2 to 2 h 45 min | 3 | 12 to 16 h |
| 7 to 9 months | 2 h 30 min to 3 h 30 min | 2 to 3 | 12 to 16 h |
| 10 to 12 months | 3 to 4 h | 2 | 12 to 16 h |
| 13 to 18 months | 4 to 6 h | 1 to 2 | 11 to 14 h |
| 19 months to 3 years | 5 to 6 h | 1 | 11 to 14 h |
Total sleep ranges follow the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and National Sleep Foundation recommendations. Wake windows are typical ranges used by paediatric sleep practitioners; individual babies vary.
Sleepy cues to watch for
- Yawning, rubbing eyes or ears
- Staring into space, losing interest in toys or faces
- Red eyebrows or eyelids
- Fussing that a feed or a cuddle doesn't settle
Start the nap routine as soon as you see the first cue. By the time a baby is crying hard, they're usually overtired.
Indian homes, Indian babies
Baby sleep advice written for Western homes doesn't always fit Indian ones. A few notes that do:
- Bedtimes are often later here. Many Indian families put babies down at 9 or 10 PM so they see working parents. That's fine if the baby also sleeps later in the morning and total sleep is in range.
- Joint families mean more hands, and more noise. A fan, a quiet corner or a cloth over the cradle can help day naps in a busy home.
- Jhoolas and rocking. Rocking to sleep is comforting and not harmful, but a baby who can only fall asleep while rocked will need rocking every time they wake at night. From around 4 to 6 months, try putting them down drowsy but awake now and then.
- Safe sleep. Babies should sleep on their back on a firm, flat surface, without pillows, soft toys or loose blankets near the face. Don't use a pillow for babies under one year, and keep heavy quilts away in winter.
Questions people ask
How long should a 6 month old stay awake?
Most 6 month olds manage about 2 to 2¾ hours between naps, with 3 naps a day and 12 to 16 hours of total sleep.
When do babies drop to one nap?
Usually between 13 and 18 months. Signs include refusing the morning nap for a week or more, or a long fight before the afternoon one.
What time should a baby go to bed?
There's no single right time. What matters is that total sleep is in the healthy range and that bedtime and wake-up stay fairly consistent. In India, 8 to 9:30 PM is common and works well when the baby can also sleep until 7 or 8 AM.
Is it okay for my baby to sleep with us?
Many Indian families co-sleep. If you do, use a firm mattress, keep pillows and heavy blankets away from the baby, and never co-sleep after alcohol, sedating medicines, or on a sofa. A cot or cradle next to your bed is the safest arrangement for the first six months.