Napping Schedules

Every child has different needs but here is a sample schedule you may want to try and adapt to your child's needs.  The bedtime is often very difficult to adhere to for many office moms.  I feel that the children of my working friends often had bedtimes that were closer to 8p and slowly gravitated later as the children got older.  I would target the 7 or 7:30p bedtime, but if your child goes to bed later, try to make sure that they get good naps in during the day to compensate for the shorter night time sleep.

0-4 Weeks

Generally, newborns will feed every 3-4 hours and wake in between. 

1-5 months

Around the first month, Baby will probably start to nap about 3 times a day for about 60-90 minutes every 2-2.5 hours. Target 3.5 to 4 hours daytime sleep.

Nap #1: 8/8:30a (for ~1 hour)  or ~1.5-2 hours after waking for the day.

Nap #2: 11a (for 90+ min) or ~2 hours after waking from previous nap.  

Nap #3: 3pm (for 60 min) or ~2.5 hours after waking from previous nap. 

Bedtime: 7p +/- 30 minutes

5 Months

Nap #1: 8:30a (for ~1 hour)  or ~1.5 to 2 hours after waking for the day.

Nap #2: 11:30a (for 90+ min) or ~2 to 2.5 hours after waking from previous nap.  This nap will progressively start later as her brain matures and baby is able to stay awake for more than 2-3 hours (11:30a - 12p -12:30p -1p)

Nap #3: 3pm (for 60 min) or ~2.5 hours after waking from previous nap. 

Bedtime: 7p +/- 30 minutes

6 months

Nap #1: 8:30/9a (for ~1 hour)  or ~2 hours after waking for the day.

Nap #2: 12p (for 90+ min) or ~2 to 2.5 hours after waking from previous nap.  

Nap #3: 3pm (for 60 min) or ~2.5 hours after waking from previous nap. 

Bedtime: 7p +/- 30 minutes

 

7-8 months

Nap #1: 8:30/9a (for ~1 hour)  or ~2 hours after waking for the day.

Nap #2: 12p (for 90+ min) or ~2 to 2.5 hours after waking from previous nap. 

Nap #3 will start to disappear.

Bedtime: 7p +/- 30 minutes.  Target 12 hours nighttime sleep.

 

9-12 months

Nap #1: 9a (for ~1 hour)  or ~2 hours after waking for the day.

Nap #2: 12:30p (for 90+ min) or ~2.5 hours after waking from previous nap.  

Target 3 hours daytime sleep.

Bedtime: 7p +/- 30 minutes

 

12-14 months

Nap #1: starts to disappear

Nap #2: 12:30p (for 2-3 hours)  

Bedtime: 7p +/- 30 minutes

 

12-20 months

Nap: 12:30p (for 2-3 hours). Target 2 to 2.5 hours daytime sleep.  

Bedtime: 7p +/- 30 minutes

 

10-24 months

Nap: 1:00p (for 2 hours). Target 2 hours daytime sleep.

Bedtime: 7p +/- 30 minutes. Target 12 hours nighttime sleep.

 

3-4 years

Nap disappears. If possible, target 1-1.5 hours daytime rest/sleep.

Bedtime: 7p +/- 30 minutes

 

I want re-emphasize that all children and families are different and you should try to follow a schedule that best fits your routine and your child.  My son had a longer first nap and rather than wake him, I usually allowed him to sleep as much as he needed.  If he slept longer than I thought he needed to, I would open the shades, curtains, and door to bring in more light into the room and make a little more ambient noise, so that he would rouse on his own.  There are other schools of thought that you should never wake a sleeping baby, except first thing in the morning, in order to keep to the daily schedule.  Again, do what works best for you.