Using Wake Windows to Prevent an Overtired Baby + Wake Windows by Age

Preventing overtiredness is the key to blissful, tear-free sleeping. And understanding specific baby wake windows by age is the key to preventing overtiredness!

It seems counter-intuitive but the more baby sleeps, the more they will sleep. 

Sleep begets sleep. 

The biggest mistake parents make when it comes to sleep for their babies is underestimating how much they actually need. Starting the day off right is your biggest asset, and that means starting with the first nap. 

Looking for Sleepy Cues

Your baby needs their first nap within one to two hours of waking up. The optimal time to put baby to sleep is before they start acting tired. We often think of cues like rubbing eyes and fussing as signaling tiredness, but those are actually signs of being overtired.

The sleepy cues you want to look for are when baby starts to get quiet and slower. Eyes may drift, baby is less engaged, they yawn, and activity level has decreased. If you can get baby to bed when this starts happening, they will drift off really easily. Babies struggle more when they're overtired. Their brains get wired and it's harder for them to calm down and soothe to sleep.

Related Reading: Overtired vs Undertired

Naps & Baby Wake Windows by Age

Understanding ideal nap times and wake windows by age can help baby get better sleep. Following the right wake windows is the key to preventing an overtired baby!

If you're feeling worried about each new time period in baby's life, be sure to sign up for the Sleep Series emails! I send timely tips before they even happen so you're prepared for every step of baby' sleep journey. Sign up here!

Now let's check out some different wake windows for certain ages. Here is a quick chart for reference!

Age	Number of naps per day	Ideal length of naps	Awake time between naps	Awake time before bed	Averageamount of daytime sleep	Averageamount of night-time sleep	Averageamount of TOTAL sleep
0-3 months	4-7	45-60 min	60-90 min	1-2 hours	5-8 hours	9-10 hours*	16-18  hours
4 months	4	60+ min	90 min	2 hours	3.5-5 hours	10-11 hours*	15-16 hours
5 months	3	60+ min	2 hours	2.5 hours	3.5-4.5 hours	11-12 hours*	14-16 hours
7 months	2	60-90 min	2-3 hours	4 hours	3-4 hours	11-12 hours	14-15 hours
14 months	1	2 hours	5 hours	5 hours	2-3 hours	11-12 hours	13-14 hours

*Broken for feedings

4-9 Months Wake Windows

Between 4-9 months, baby needs 3 naps per day. (Don't forget, that early awakening around 5 am is NOT baby's time to wake up. It's super normal for baby to have a wakeful period then, but just feed and put them back to bed).

• Wake up should be between 6:00 am and 8:00 am.

• First nap happens 1-2 hours after awakening. This is the first nap to develop predictably.

• Second nap is usually around noon.

• Third nap is usually around 3pm.

• Shoot for bedtime between 6 and 7pm.

  
  

This schedule should be your ideal wake windows for your 4-9 month old.

8-9 Month Old Wake Windows

Around 9 months (sometimes at 8 months old), the late afternoon nap disappears and the mid-day nap shifts slightly later. If baby was taking nap #2 at noon, shift it to 1:30 or 2:00. Keep the first morning nap within 1-2 hours after awakening.

Related Reading: 9 Month Old Sleep Schedule with Examples

Wake Windows for 12, 14, & 16 Month Olds

Baby will hold on to 2 naps a day until about 16 months old, when they will drop the morning nap. You may have to shift nap time again and move the single nap to 12 or 1:00.

If you haven't already, download my FREE Ultimate Naps Guide. It'll give you all the knowledge you need to help your baby (or toddler) take great naps! Download for free here 💤

Nap Tips & Rules of Thumb

As a general rule, a nap that lasts less than 45 minutes is not enough unless it's the third nap of the day.

Sometimes babies stir at the half-way point in their nap, so make it a general rule to leave baby in their crib for a few minutes if they wake up after less than 45 minutes. Baby will learn to put themself back to sleep and eventually stop waking up at that 45 minute mark. If baby wakes up crying, that's generally a sign that they are not done sleeping. Baby should wake up in a good mood, coo-ing and playing happily in their crib.

When to Nap

Try your best not to mess with sleep times, especially in the first few months. Don't keep baby up later than you know they need to be or rely too much on baby getting their nap in the car.

Don't count on baby being flexible with naps until about 12 to 14 months (again, every baby is different). At that time, when their sleep has been predictable they can handle going down an hour later, on occasion. But in those early months if baby usually naps from 8:30-10:00 am and you don't get them down until 9:30 am, they might only sleep for an hour. Or worse, they may just cry for 30 minutes and refuse to nap.

Sometimes if you mess with your sleep window you miss it.

They may make up a little of the time, but they probably won't make up for all of it. Or they do get a full length nap but the subsequent naps and bedtime get thrown off. Not worth it.

Bedtime Guidance for Babies

Bedtime should be early.

Shoot for 6:00-7:00 pm.

My girls had a 6:00 bedtime until they were 9-12 months old.

I know, it sounds so early. But an extra bonus is that you have a whole evening to spend with your spouse. OR you have plenty of time to relax, do self-care, and get caught up on other chores. 

It's hard if you work and baby has to go to bed as soon as you get home. But their sleep is SO important. An option for some parents is to adjust their work schedule so they arrive earlier and end the day earlier. The other wrench that gets thrown in here is the weekend and your social life. 6:00 pm is awfully early to turn in on a Saturday night. I get it! Ultimately you need to choose a schedule that works best for you and your family.

Final Thoughts on Wake Windows by Age to Prevent an Overtired Baby

The key to preventing an overtired baby is to keep up with your baby's wake windows!

Here are general baby wake windows by age.

• 4-9 Months Old:

  • Wake up should be between 6:00 am and 8:00 am.

  • First nap happens 1-2 hours after awakening. This is the first nap to develop predictably.

  • Second nap is usually around noon.

  • Third nap is usually around 3pm.

  • Shoot for bedtime between 6 and 7pm.

• 9-12 Months Old:

  • Around 9 months, the late afternoon nap disappears and the mid-day nap shifts slightly later.

  • If baby was taking nap #2 at noon, shift it to 1:30 or 2:00. Keep the first morning nap within 1-2 hours after awakening.

• 12-16 Months Old:

  • Baby will hold on to 2 naps a day until about 16 months old, when they will drop the morning nap.

  • You may have to shift nap time again and move the single nap to 12 or 1:00

If you haven't already, download my FREE Ultimate Naps Guide. It'll give you all the knowledge you need to help your baby (or toddler) take great naps! Download for free here 💤

Happy sleeping!

xoxo,

Chrissy

Additional Wake Window Information & Resources

If your newborn isn't sleeping during the day, you may be missing the wake windows! Learn what to do when your baby isn't sleeping during the day here! Sleep regressions are tough, and they often mean it's time to shift your baby's wake windows. Learn how to overcome the 6-week sleep regression here! Sleepy cues are one of the best ways to make sure you're judging wake windows correctly. Learn all about newborn sleepy cues here!