The proper baby sleep schedule can help your baby sleep better at night and take better naps. This page has sample sleep schedules including feedings for babies and toddlers at different ages. As a sleep consultant for over 10 years, it’s important for you to know there is no one-size-fits-all schedule that works for every baby. Use these as a guideline to find the right schedule for your baby!
What Age Can You Put Your Baby on a Schedule?
You can put your baby on a sleep schedule almost from birth but it’s important not to be too strict until your baby is at least 6 months old. Newborns need to eat and sleep on demand to support a rapid period of growth and development. Once your baby can tolerate staying awake for 2-3 hours at a time, a more consistent schedule can be used.
Even if your baby is young, you can put your baby on a schedule largely based on their “nap gap.” This is the amount of time between sleep periods, including the time between naps and between their last nap and bedtime.
Sample Baby Sleep and Feeding Schedules By Age
Here is a list of our free sample baby sleep and feeding schedules, for your convenience. We strongly recommend you bookmark this page; both the sample schedules below, and the customized schedules you can generate using our simple custom sleep schedule maker (see next section for details) will grow with your child, and will be useful for a long time to come.
Keep in mind that newborn schedules are generally much more variable than older children’s schedules. A baby doesn’t really get on a clock-based schedule until 6 months old, on average, though some are naturally more predictable than others. Some older babies and toddlers can struggle with schedules that are too rigid to the clock, so you will want to use what you know best about your own baby or toddler to adjust your schedule to fit his or her personality and temperament. If you need help with a personalized sleep and feeding schedule, we can help you there, too!
Newborn Schedules
Newborns need between 14 and 17 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period and can stay awake 1-2 hours at a time, on average. An early bedtime doesn’t form until around 8-12 weeks old, on average. Before then, you will want to keep bedtime later around 9 or 10 p.m. like yours. Otherwise, your baby might start the day too early.
- Newborn Day / Night Confusion Explained
- Newborn Sleep Patterns, Growth Spurts, and Schedules Up to 8 Weeks Old
- Newborn Schedules By Week Up To 16 Weeks Old
- 2 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule and Development
- 3 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule and Development
- Eat-Play-Sleep: Pros and Cons
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Baby Schedules
Babies 4 to 10 months old need an average of 14 hours of sleep a day with 11-12 hours at night and 2-3 hours during the day. Many babies night-wean in this age range but it varies depending on whether you’re breastfeeding or formula-feeding. Each schedule below will discuss what to expect for babies at that age.
- 4 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
- 5 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
- 6 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
- 7 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
- 8 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
- 9 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
- 10 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
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Toddler Schedules
Toddlers need 13-14 hours of sleep a day with 10-12 hours at night and 2-3 hours during the day. The average age to transition to one nap is 15-18 months old though quite a few 13-14-month-olds will, too. And, the average age to stop napping is 3-4 years old.
- 11 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
- 12 Month Old / 1 Year Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
- Why Not All 12 Month Olds Transition To One Nap
- When Do Babies Drop to One Nap? 5 Signs to See Before Switching
- Toddler Sleep Schedules By Month — From 12 Months to 3 Years Old
- 3 Signs Your Toddler Is Ready To Stop Napping
Custom Baby and Toddler Sleep Schedule Maker
Use our schedule maker to get a custom sleep schedule that’s based on your child’s age and usual morning wake-up time! Use this in combination with our sample schedules above to create the perfect schedule for your little one. With an age range that spans 4 months to 3+ years, this schedule maker is one you will want to come back to again and again as your child grows!
Click here to get your custom baby sleep schedule.
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Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!
If you are tired of wading through stacks of baby sleep books that just aren’t working, if you are beyond exhausted and just can’t solve your child’s sleep problems on your own…than personalized sleep consulting is for you. Our team of expert consultants will create a Personalized Sleep Plan® just for your family and then support you through every step of implementing your plan. We encourage you to consider our personalized, one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultation packages if you want to see real, meaningful results now. Your consultation package also includes ample follow-up help, designed to help you troubleshoot problems and tweak your plan as needed.
Looking for budget-friendly custom sleep help? Enjoy customized sleep help that works without breaking the bank! Our Express Sleep Plan® is customized to fit your baby’s unique sleep needs and to work with your parenting style and goals, and it’s also priced to work for even the tightest budgets. It’s also available instantly – just complete a brief questionnaire, submit your answers, and your Express Sleep Plan® is ready to download in moments! Grab your Express Sleep Plan® today!
Or, join our VIP Members Area packed with exclusive content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, ask the author, live chat with a sleep consultant, and more. It costs less to join than buying products separately!
About Nicole
Nicole Johnson is the founder and lead sleep consultant of The Baby Sleep Site®. Since she began in 2008, and with the help of her team of sleep consultants, she has helped over 40,000 families improve their sleep. She has also held a position on the board of the International Association of Child Sleep Consultants (IACSC) since 2015. Millions of visitors land on The Baby Sleep Site each year, and Nicole and her team are here to find solutions for your family’s sleep problems that will match your baby’s temperament and your parenting style.