Baby Sleep Schedule by Age: Wake Windows, Naps and Sample Days

A predictable sleep rhythm is one of the biggest quality-of-life upgrades you can give your baby (and yourself). But the "right" baby sleep schedule changes dramatically between newborn, 4 months, 6 months and 12 months — and forcing the wrong one is the fastest way to an overtired, fighting-sleep baby.

This guide walks through age-appropriate wake windows, nap counts and total sleep needs from birth to 12 months, with sample schedules you can adapt to your day. It's grounded in responsive sleep principles and the latest Maternal Health Nurse guidance.

If your baby is fighting naps or waking frequently, our free Sleep Regression Calculator tells you in seconds whether a developmental leap is the cause.

The two rules that drive every baby sleep schedule

1. Wake windows — how long baby can comfortably stay awake between sleeps. Get this right and naps fall into place.
2. Total sleep over 24 hours — not just night sleep. Day sleep "tops up" night sleep, especially under 6 months.

An overtired baby is harder to settle, wakes more often, and resists the next sleep — the exact opposite of what tired parents expect.

Baby sleep schedule by age

Newborn (0–6 weeks)

• Total sleep: 14–17 hours / 24 hours
• Wake windows: 45–60 minutes
• Naps: 4–8 (totally irregular — that's normal)

Don't try to schedule a newborn. Focus on feeding on cue, plenty of skin-to-skin, and exposure to natural daylight to help their body clock develop. Survival mode is allowed.

6–12 weeks

• Total sleep: 14–16 hours
• Wake windows: 60–90 minutes
• Naps: 4–5

The first hints of rhythm appear. A consistent bedtime routine (bath, feed, song, dim light, cot) becomes powerful from around 8 weeks.

3–4 months

• Total sleep: 13–15 hours
• Wake windows: 75–120 minutes
• Naps: 3–4

This is when the famous 4-month sleep regression hits — sleep cycles mature and babies start waking between cycles. Stick with responsive settling and the regression usually passes in 2–4 weeks.

5–6 months

• Total sleep: 12–15 hours
• Wake windows: 2–2.5 hours
• Naps: 3

Sample 6-month day:

• 7:00 am — Wake
• 9:00 am — Nap 1 (45–90 min)
• 12:00 pm — Nap 2 (1–2 hours)
• 3:30 pm — Nap 3 (30–45 min)
• 6:30 pm — Bedtime routine
• 7:00 pm — Asleep

7–9 months

• Total sleep: 12–14 hours
• Wake windows: 2.5–3.5 hours
• Naps: 2

The 3-to-2 nap transition usually happens around 7–8 months. Sample day: wake 7am, nap 9:30–11am, nap 1:30–3pm, bedtime 7pm.

10–12 months

• Total sleep: 12–14 hours
• Wake windows: 3–4 hours
• Naps: 2 (some start dropping to 1 around 13–18 months)

For the 2-to-1 nap transition, wait until baby is consistently refusing the second nap for 2+ weeks before dropping it.

How to know the wake window is right

• Too short: baby fights the nap, takes ages to settle, naps for only 30 minutes.
• Just right: baby goes down within 10–15 minutes and sleeps a full cycle.
• Too long (overtired): baby is hyper or distressed, fights the nap, then crashes and wakes frequently overnight.

Spotting overtiredness? Our free Overtired Baby Signs Checker walks through the early cues in 30 seconds.

Building a responsive bedtime routine

A predictable bedtime routine works at every age:

1. Dim lights and lower household noise 30 minutes before bed
2. Bath (every 2–3 nights is plenty)
3. Feed in a quiet, dim room
4. Pyjamas and sleep bag
5. Short lullaby or story
6. Into the cot drowsy but awake (from around 4 months)

For a calming, age-appropriate playlist, try our Free Lullabies library.

Safe sleep — non-negotiables at every age

• Back to sleep, every sleep
• Firm, flat mattress in a cot or bassinet
• No pillows, soft toys or loose bedding under 12 months
• Room-share for the first 6–12 months
• Smoke-free environment

For the full guide, see Safe Sleep 7.

When schedules don't work

Every baby is different. Premature babies use adjusted age, reflux babies often need shorter wake windows, and developmental leaps temporarily blow up any routine. The best schedule is the one that follows your baby's cues — not the clock.

If sleep has hit a wall, our personalised Sleep Coach creates a plan tailored to your baby's age, temperament and the specific challenge you're facing.