Since every baby is different, it can be tricky to determine what your 10 month old’s sleep schedule should be.
That being said, when you are empowered with knowledge about average daily sleep needs, the science behind baby sleep, the common traits of sleep at 10 months, and how to improve sleep habits, then you have the confidence you need to determine the best sleep schedule for your little one.
In this blog post, I will help you figure out how to fine tune your 10 month old’s sleep and get them on THEIR best sleep schedule. We’ll talk about naps, wake windows and other important sleep tips for your 10 month old!
How much should a 10 month old sleep?
What to expect for my 10 month old’s sleep?
What should my 10 month old’s sleep schedule be?
How can I improve my 10 month old’s sleep schedule?
How much should a 10 month old sleep?
I really want to stress that every baby is different. The amount of sleep that one 10 month old needs is likely different from another. The chart I am sharing below is the average sleep needs of a 10 month old. Some babies have higher sleep needs, which means they are going to need more sleep than the average 10 month old, and some babies have lower sleep needs, which means they’re going to need less sleep than the average 10 month old.
Knowing the average sleep needs of a 10 month old can be helpful as it gives you an idea of a starting point that you can make adjustments from.
The key is to have the knowledge to find YOUR baby’s optimal sleep needs and schedule.
The average 10 month old takes two naps a day, sleeps for 3-4 hours during the day (total for both naps), and sleeps for 11 to 12 hours a night. Most 10 month olds are able to sleep through the night without needing a feeding. Of course, this is something you can discuss with your pediatrician.
| Age | Number of naps per day | Ideal length of naps | Awake time between naps | Awake time before bed | Average amount of daytime sleep | Average amount of nighttime sleep | Average amount of TOTAL sleep |
| 10 months | 2 | 60-90 min | 2-3 hours | 4 hours | 3-4 hours | 11-12 hours | 14-15 hours |
What to expect for my 10 month old’s sleep & nap schedule?
This probably isn’t what you want to hear, but around 10 months, many babies go through a sleep regression that really affects naps. This can look like suddenly taking short naps, or fighting going down for naps. You might wonder if this means it’s time to drop to one nap- it’s not! Seriously, don’t do it.
10 month olds still need two solid naps a day. The best thing you can do is stay consistent, keep offering the time and space for both naps, and your little one will bounce back.
Since this really isn’t helpful, I do have some additional tips:
First nap is a hot mess:
If the first nap is a crap nap, try and keep your baby in the crib to finish out the hour (depending on their protest level). Then just get them up and move on with your day. Second nap can be at the same time or slightly earlier.
Second nap falls apart:
Still try and finish out “crib hour” and then bump bedtime earlier to try and prevent overtiredness.
Both naps are a dumpster fire:
Put your baby to bed at 3pm and pour yourself a generous glass of wine.
Just kidding. About the bedtime, not the wine of course.
If your baby has independent sleep skills, then the best thing you can do to protect your little one’s sleep is to stay the course and try to stay positive.
It’s important to have realistic expectations and know that the 10 month sleep regression in particular can last up to 3-4 weeks. I know, it sucks. But again, hang in there and know that it’s just a phase and things will bounce back!
10 month sleep schedule with naps & general wake windows
I’m going to share some different sleep schedule options that can work for your 10 month old, however I want to reiterate that every baby is different and thus different 10 month olds are going to have different sleep needs.
These schedules can help you see how there are lots of different schedules that can work at 10 months. The big take away should be that you can use these schedules to find the one that best fits your little one’s sleep needs, and then tailor it to create the best sleep schedule for them.
10 month old on a 2-3-4 schedule
(If you are not familiar with a “2-3-4” schedule you can learn about it here, or check out an Instagram reel click here!).
| Time | Length of Nap | |
| Wake Up | 7:00 am | |
| 1st Nap | 9:00 am-11:00am | 120 min |
| 2nd Nap | 2:00 pm-3:00pm | 60 min |
| Bedtime | 7:00 pm |
Total Sleep: 15 hours
10 month old on a solid 2 nap schedule (example 1)
| Time | Length of Nap | |
| Wake Up | 7:00am | |
| 1st Nap | 9:00am-10:30am | 90 min |
| 2nd Nap | 2:00pm – 3:30pm | 90 min |
| Bedtime | 7:00pm |
Total sleep: 15 hours
10 month old on a solid 2 nap schedule (example 2)
| Time | Length of Nap | |
| Wake Up | 6:30am | |
| 1st Nap | 9:00am-11:00am | 120 min |
| 2nd Nap | 2:30pm – 4:00pm | 90 min |
| Bedtime | 7:30pm |
Total sleep: 14.5 hours
10 month old schedule for crap naps and an early bedtime
| Time | Length of Nap | |
| Wake Up | 7:00 am | |
| 1st Nap | 9:00am – 9:45am | 45 min |
| 2nd Nap | 1:00-1:45 am | 45 min |
| Bedtime | 6:00 pm |
Total sleep: 14.5 hours
10 month old schedule for low sleep needs baby:
| Time | Length of Nap | |
| Wake Up | 6:30 am | |
| 1st Nap | 9:00am-10:00am | 60 min |
| 2nd Nap | 1:00pm – 2:15pm | 75 min |
| Bedtime | 7:15 pm |
Total sleep: 13.5 hours
10 month old schedule for high sleep needs baby:
| Time | Length of Nap | |
| Wake Up | 7:30am | |
| 1st Nap | 9:30am-11:00am | 90 min |
| 2nd Nap | 2:00pm-4:00 pm | 120 min |
| Bedtime | 7:30 pm |
Total Sleep: 15.5 hours
How can I improve my 10 month old’s sleep schedule?
Sleep Learning:
If sleep is not where you would like it to be, or where you think it should be, then the first place to start is independent sleep skills. When babies have the skills they need to put themselves to sleep on their own, then they can connect sleep cycles and thus have longer and more restorative naps and nighttime sleep with little to no night wakings.
Check out my Instagram Reel on why it’s never too late for sleep learning!
When babies have independent sleep skills, it doesn’t mean sleep is going to be perfect. There are still sleep regressions, teething, illness and full moons! However, sleep is great MOST of the time, and it makes it SO much easier to know what’s going on when suddenly sleep is “off”. There is way less guess work and you have more confidence in knowing how to handle it. Also, if your little one is not feeling well and you do need to intervene for a bit, that’s totally ok! And because you have laid the foundation for great sleep, they will be able to bounce back to being an independent sleeper as soon as they are feeling better.
Other reasons why sleep isn’t great:
If your little one does have independent sleep skills, however their sleep is not great, then consider the different possibilities. Is it the 10 month sleep regression? Are they teething? Not feeling well? Or does their sleep schedule need to be tweaked?
Having the knowledge and confidence to know what your baby needs to get on a great sleep schedule is key! My 4-24 month guide pack has troubleshooting guides on sleep regressions, teething, and illness, extending morning wake ups, how to cut down on night wakings, co-sleeping battles and 14 other guides!! These guides are designed to help you troubleshoot all the common sleep concerns until your little one is 2 years old.
Recap on the 10 month old sleep schedule
Like I said, having the knowledge and confidence to know what the best sleep schedule for your 10 month old, can make ALL the difference. Every baby and every family are different, which is why there isn’t one sleep schedule that is going to be the golden ticket for all babies.
My goal is always to help parents feel empowered to know what THEIR baby needs. I totally get that figuring it all out can be SO overwhelming, especially if you are already sleep deprived. If this is you, let us help!
Hopping on the phone with one of our sleep experts can be life changing. You can tell us exactly what is going on, what you have already tried, and we can give you individualized advice and support. We’ve got you!
0 Comments