Sample 5-Month-Old Sleep Schedule (Naps and Bedtime)

Looking for the best 5 month old sleep schedule to help your baby get the activity and rest they need? Look no further, I’m here to help with your five-month old sleep schedule.

I think 5 months old is a great age to start to get your baby on a more predictable sleep schedule.

• New parents start to gain more confidence
• Babies are past the 4 month sleep regression
• You’re getting to know your baby better and better

What’s also exciting is that your baby is starting to engage with their surroundings a lot more!

Unlike the sleepy newborn days, the 5-month-old baby sleep schedule includes a lot more awake time. 

Chances are, your baby is working on a lot of new developmental milestones that are so much fun to watch.

You might even see some signs that your baby is working on getting mobile.

Let’s see what a 5 month old sleep schedule looks like to optimize your baby’s sleep and add some predictability to everyone’s day.

To help you better, start by downloading my free baby sleep calculator to see when nap time and bed time should be based on your baby’s age. Click here to grab that, it’ll be super helpful.

5 Month Old Sleep Overview

• 2–2.5 hour wake windows
• 3 naps
• 3.5 to 4.5 hours of day sleep
• 11–12 hours of night sleep

5 Month Old Wake Windows

The best way to establish a routine and reliable sleep schedule with your 5 month old is to follow their wake windows.

Your 5 month old’s wake windows can be between 2 to 2.5 hours long.

The shortest wake window is usually at the beginning of the day.

An example of 5 month old wake windows throughout the day might be:

• 2
• 2.25
• 2.25
• 2.25/2.5

Signs That it’s Time to Extend Wake Windows

If you’re looking for the best time to extend your baby’s wake windows, here are some signs to look out for:

• It’s taking longer than usual (more than 15 minutes) for your baby to fall asleep.
• Your baby is taking short naps, napping less than an hour at a time.
• Bedtime has become a huge battle.
• All of a sudden, your baby is waking up early in the morning.

If you are consistently seeing any of these signs, it’s probably time to start increasing those wake windows.

What Time Should a 5 Month Old Go to Bed?

An ideal bedtime for a 5 month old is 7–8 pm.

Bedtime can vary based on when their last nap of the day ended.

Make sure to give your baby between 2.25–2.5 hours of awake time before bed to make sure they have enough sleep pressure built up.

How Long Should Naps Be at 5 Months?

At 5 months, baby is taking 3.5 to 4.5 hours of daytime sleep, spread across 3 naps.

If your baby hasn’t made the 4 to 3 nap transition yet, it’s probably time.

A nap schedule can look like this:

• Nap 1—About 1.5 hours long
• Nap 2—About 1.5 hours long
• Nap 3—Cat nap, about 30–45 minutes long

I’ve found that the last nap of the day can be incredibly tricky to get in. I always recommend making this a contact nap, stroller nap, or baby carrier nap if you need to.

Sample 5-Month-Old Sleep Schedule

Here’s an example of what a 5-month-old sleep schedule could look like using the appropriate wake windows:

7:00 am: Wake up + nurse or bottle

9:00 to 10:30 am: Nap

10:30 am: Nurse or bottle

12:45 to 2:15 pm: Nap

2:15 pm: Nurse or bottle

4:30 to 5:00 pm: Nap

5:00 pm: Nurse or bottle

7:00 pm: Start baby’s bedtime routine + nurse or bottle

7:15/7:30 pm: Bedtime

Frequently Asked Questions About the 5 Month Old Sleep Schedule

Is there a 5 month old sleep regression?

There is a 4-month sleep regression, that can happen between 3.5–5 months old. Around the time your baby is hitting 5 months, they should be past the regression.

Can I Sleep Train My 5 Month Old?

Yes, I have worked with 5 month olds helping their family get better sleep.

If your 5-month old is used to being fed or rocked to sleep, you can sleep train to start teaching them independent sleep habits.

Why is the First Wake Window the Shortest?

Even after sleeping 10 to 12 hours at night, most babies still have some built-up sleep pressure, making it harder for them to get through a long wake window in morning.

This is also why most babies take a great first nap. If you’re struggling to transition your baby to a crib, try starting with the first nap of the day.

As the day goes on, most babies are able to have a slightly longer wake window.

For your 5-month old, start their first wake window at 2 hours, and then shift to about 2.25 to 2.5 hours for the rest of the day.

How to Stretch Wake Windows

The best way to stretch wake windows is to add 15 minutes to each wake window for several days. Keep the new schedule for about 5 days before making additional changes.

If your baby starts to struggle with sleep, give it some time before deciding the new wake window isn’t working.

You can also stretch one wake window at a time, if you want to transition your baby even more slowly. Start with the last wake window of the day and add 15 minutes to it for several days before messing with another wake window.

If your baby seems tired before their new wake window, try taking them outside or playing with a new toy with them. Sometimes they just need a little help to make it to the new wake window.

My Baby is Sleepy Before Her Wake Window is Up

This is super common and I know what a struggle it can be to keep them awake.

At this age, I go by wake windows more than baby’s sleep cues. Some babies have very subtle sleep cues or none at all, while other’s sleep cues can be misleading!

My daughter usually seemed sleepy before her wake window ended. I had to take her outside to keep her awake for that extra 15 minutes, but then she would take a longer nap when I was able to keep her awake just a little longer.

Should you Wake a 5-Month Old from A Nap?

I’m sure you’ve heard the term “never wake a sleeping baby” but it’s not a mantra I live by. There are times when it’s appropriate to wake a sleeping baby.

If your 5-month old is sleeping too late in the afternoon, and it will interfere with bedtime, wake them.

For example, if it’s 5:00 pm and bedtime is typically 7:30 pm, wake your 5-month old so they have enough time to fit in their 2.5-hour wake window before bed.

I always recommend giving yourself about 30 minutes flexibility in either direction.

So if you want to let your baby sleep longer, you’ll just push bedtime back so they can get in their 2.5-hour wake window before bed.

Why Does My 5-Month-Old Keep Waking at Night?

It is not uncommon for your 5-month-old to wake up in the middle of the night. Even if they are capable of sleeping through the night at this age, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will.

There are all sorts of reasons (maybe more than one!) that your 5-month-old may be having frequent night wakings. 

Teething

One of the go-to excuses you’ll hear for frequent sleep disruption at this age is teething.

While teething can cause some discomfort for your baby when they’re trying to sleep, it’s not typically a prolonged disruption. Usually your baby works through it in a week or less.

If teething is the cause of night wakings, see how to help your teething baby sleep.

Hunger

Your baby is growing a lot! Their caloric needs are growing and they are busier while they’re awake.

This can mean feedings are a little more distracted, so try to make sure your baby is getting a full feeding in each time. Babies with full bellies are able to sleep longer!

Illness

If your baby is sick with something like a cold, they may wake up more until they feel better. There’s not much you can do for them except give them extra love and wait it out. Here are some tips to help your sick baby sleep.

Rolling

At this age many babies have begun rolling over in their sleep. It’s a great new skill, but not super conducive for staying asleep.

Needless to say, rolling in your sleep can be startling, and often causes babies to wake up. Make sure you’re practicing these new skills during the day so they can sleep well and comfortably at night.

Sleep Regression

The 4 month sleep regression can impact your baby anywhere between 3 to 5 months. If your baby can’t fall asleep without help, this regression may hit them hard.

Dependent Sleep Habits

Just like adults, babies have a natural sleep rhythm where they slip in and out of deep sleep throughout the night. But as adults, we often take for granted our ability to just roll over and go back to sleep.

Your baby is still learning how to do everything, including how to sooth or calm themselves enough to get back to sleep.

If your 5-month-old is accustomed to nursing to sleep or being rocked to sleep every time, they haven’t had a chance to learn independent sleep associations. They need a chance to learn how to fall back asleep on their own.

Now might be a good time to choose a sleep training method to do formal sleep training. If you want help with the process, the Baby D.R.E.A.M. System is a complete system that walks you through the process of optimizing your baby’s sleep so everyone gets longer naps and better nighttime sleep. Check it out here.

If you have any questions about the 5 month old sleep schedule, leave them below and we’ll help you troubleshoot.