Looking for the optimal schedule for your growing baby? Use these 7 month old wake window guidelines to optimize your baby’s sleep.

7 month old wake window and sleep schedule

As a baby and toddler sleep consultant, working with babies who are around 7 months of age is my sweet spot!

This is the most popular age that I work with when I help families one-on-one to help their baby’s sleep.

As you begin to settle in to the second half of your baby’s first year, you might be wondering what your 7-month-old’s sleep schedule should look like.

Let’s talk about your 7-month-old’s wake window and sleep schedule.

To help you better, download my free sleep calculator to see when naptime and bedtime should be based on your baby’s age. Click here to grab it, it’ll be super helpful.

7 month old sleep schedule graphics

How Long Should a 7-Month-Old’s Wake Windows Be?

At 7 months old your baby’s wake window is to 2.5 to 3.5 hours.

That means that the 7-month-old wake window can be as short as 2.5 hours, but the max wake window for a 7-month-old is 3.5 hours.

Keep in mind that if you push it longer than that, you might have an overtired baby on your hands.

Babies typically have their shortest wake window at the beginning of the day.

Video on Baby Wake Windows

Watch the video below where Amy will answer the most frequently asked questions surrounding baby wake windows. Sometimes it helps to hear someone explain them versus reading a blog post.

How Much Sleep Does a 7 Month Old Need?

Your 7 month old needs about 12–15 hours of sleep total.

This typically includes your baby taking 2 or 3 naps during the day and then sleeping 11–12 hours at night.

How Many Naps Should a 7-Month-Old Take?

Between 7–8 months old, most babies will make the 3 to 2 nap transition.

During the transition, your baby may have some days where they take 3 naps and some days where they take 2 naps.

If you need to fit in a cat nap as the last nap here on some days, don’t sweat it! You can also do an early bedtime, putting your baby down up to 60 minutes earlier to help them from getting overtired during the transition.

As your baby grows, they’ll get used to the new schedule and be able to extend their nap lengths.

How do I know if my baby is ready to transition to 2 naps?

Your baby will show you signs that they’re ready to extend their wake windows and transition to two naps. These may include:

  • They start refusing a nap or taking a longer amount of time to fall asleep. Babies often fight the catnap first when they are ready to drop it.
  • Your baby’s starts taking short naps. He may have been sleeping 1.5 hours and is suddenly waking up early or taking shorter naps altogether.
  • Bedtime becomes a battle. If your child used to go to bed easily at bedtime and is now fighting bedtime and not falling asleep until long after you put him to bed, he may be ready to drop a nap. You might also see false starts.
  • Your baby starts having night wakings. He may start having split nights, waking in the middle of the night when he was previously sleeping through.
  • Your baby starts waking up early in the morning. If your baby was sleeping until 7 am and suddenly starts having early wakings, it may be a sign he is ready to drop the third nap. Not enough awake time can lead to early morning wake ups.

If your baby has experienced any of these for several days in a row, it might be time to make the transition to two naps.

Sample 7-Month-Old Sleep Schedule

Here are two sample 7 month old sleep schedules. One showing 2 naps and one showing 3 naps.

7 month old sleep schedule on 3 naps
7 month old sleep schedule on 2 naps

What is A Good Bedtime for a 7 Month Old?

I recommend parents keep bedtime between 7 and 8 p.m.

Baby sleep schedule binder mockup image

Sleep and Feed Schedules for Every Age

Take away the stress of figuring out your baby’s sleep needs. With the Baby Sleep Schedule Binder, you’ll get sleeping and feeding schedules that you can implement for every age, even if you currently have no routine in place. Check out the Baby Sleep Schedule Binder here.

Frequently Asked Questions About 7 Month Old Wake Windows

Is there a sleep regression at 7 months?

Some babies will go through a sleep regression around 7 months old. This is usually referred to as the 6 month sleep regression but can hit around 6 months old.

Can my baby still be on 3 naps?

Absolutely. Many babies transition to two naps around this age, while some babies hang onto 3 naps a little longer.

Does my 7 month old need a night feed?

Most 7 month olds don’t need a feed in the middle of the night. If you want to wean night feeds, check with your baby’s pediatrician and then follow the steps for doing so.

Amy Motroni

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