Sample Sleep Schedules for 6-12 Month Olds (Wake Windows by Age)
Realistic nap and bedtime schedules for 6, 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12 month olds - with wake windows, common pitfalls, and how to adjust when your baby fights naps.
If bedtime feels like guesswork, the schedule is usually the first thing to fix. Most sleep struggles between 6 and 12 months trace back to one of two things: wake windows that are too short (baby isn't tired enough) or too long (baby is overtired and wired). Here are realistic schedules by age, and how to adjust them for your baby.
What are wake windows?
A wake window is the stretch of time your baby is awake between sleeps. Get it right and your baby falls asleep with little fuss. Too short, and they'll play in the crib or fight the nap. Too long, and cortisol kicks in - the classic "overtired but won't sleep" spiral.
Rough guide by age:
- 6 months: 2 to 2.5 hours
- 7-8 months: 2.5 to 3 hours
- 9-10 months: 3 to 3.5 hours
- 11-12 months: 3.5 to 4 hours
The last wake window of the day (before bedtime) is usually the longest.
Sample schedule: 6 months (3 naps)
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:30 am | Wake + feed |
| 8:45 am | Nap 1 (1-1.5 hrs) |
| 12:30 pm | Nap 2 (1-1.5 hrs) |
| 3:45 pm | Nap 3 (30-45 min catnap) |
| 6:45 pm | Bedtime routine |
| 7:15 pm | Asleep |
The third nap is short and exists mainly to bridge to bedtime without overtiredness. If it stretches past 5 pm, wake your baby - late naps push bedtime late and fragment the night.
Sample schedule: 7-8 months (2-3 naps)
Most babies drop to two naps somewhere in this window. Signs it's time: the third nap keeps getting refused, or bedtime drifts past 8 pm. We cover the switch step by step in the 3-to-2 nap transition guide.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:30 am | Wake + feed |
| 9:15 am | Nap 1 (1-1.5 hrs) |
| 1:45 pm | Nap 2 (1-1.5 hrs) |
| 7:00 pm | Bedtime routine |
| 7:30 pm | Asleep |
Sample schedule: 9-10 months (2 naps)
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:30 am | Wake + feed |
| 9:45 am | Nap 1 (1-1.5 hrs) |
| 2:15 pm | Nap 2 (1-1.5 hrs) |
| 7:15 pm | Bedtime routine |
| 7:45 pm | Asleep |
Watch out for the 9-month regression window: separation anxiety and new motor skills (pulling to stand, cruising) can temporarily disrupt naps even with a perfect schedule. Hold the schedule steady - it usually passes within two weeks. If it drags on, see the 8-10 month sleep regression guide.
Sample schedule: 11-12 months (2 naps, stretching)
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:30 am | Wake + feed |
| 10:00 am | Nap 1 (1 hr) |
| 2:45 pm | Nap 2 (1-1.5 hrs) |
| 7:30 pm | Bedtime routine |
| 8:00 pm | Asleep |
Some babies flirt with dropping to one nap around 12 months. Most aren't ready until 13-15 months - if naps suddenly fall apart at this age, try capping the morning nap at 45-60 minutes before assuming it's time for one nap.
The three most common schedule mistakes
- Chasing a "perfect" bedtime instead of counting from the last nap. Bedtime should float based on when the last nap ended. A fixed 7 pm bedtime after a 5 pm nap-end means only a 2-hour wake window - too short for most babies over 8 months.
- Letting short naps shorten the day. If a nap is under 45 minutes, don't rush the next one. Stretch the following wake window slightly so sleep pressure builds properly. (Chronic 30-minute naps have their own fix - see why short naps happen.)
- Changing everything at once. Adjust one thing - one wake window, by 15 minutes - and hold it for 3-4 days before judging whether it worked.
When the schedule is right but nights are still rough
A good schedule sets the stage, but it doesn't teach your baby to fall asleep without being rocked, fed, or bounced - and it won't stop the 2 am wake-ups on its own. That part comes down to how your baby falls asleep at bedtime, and it's exactly what The 7-Night Sleep Reset covers: a gentle, night-by-night plan with response scripts for the middle-of-the-night wake-ups, plus a printable tracker so you can see progress instead of guessing.
Quick reference
- Count wake windows from eyes-open to eyes-closed
- Last wake window of the day is the longest
- Wake a baby from a nap that runs past 5 pm
- Adjust in 15-minute steps, hold each change 3-4 days
- Schedule fixes naps; how your baby falls asleep fixes nights