Looking for an 8 month old sleep schedule? Here are tips for optimizing your 8-month-old’s sleep and helping your baby sleep through the night.
Let’s look at 8 month old sleep schedule and what you can expect your baby to be doing this month.
8-Month-Old Wake Windows
As always, a reliable sleep schedule for baby starts with age-appropriate wake windows.
I recommend keeping your 8 month old wake windows between 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
Many 8 month olds will do well with the following wake windows, going from the first of the day to the last:
- 2.5-3 hours after they wake for the day
- 3 hours after their first nap
- 3-3.5 hours before bedtime
How Many Naps Should an 8-Month-Old Take?
Around the 7 or 8 month mark, many babies are ready to drop their third nap and make the 3 to 2 nap transition.
If your 8-month-old is still in a 3-nap routine, you may start to notice some signs that they are ready to move to 2 naps.
Signs your baby is ready to transition to a 2-nap schedule include:
- Bedtime battles. When a baby who has been consistently falling asleep easily at bedtime starts fighting sleep at the end of the day, it can be a sign that they are ready to kick the catnap at the end of the day.
- Baby waking too early in the morning. Babies who start frequently waking up more than an hour earlier than usual in the morning might be showing you they need a longer wake window at the end of their day.
- Taking longer than 15 minutes to fall asleep. If your baby has a sufficient wake window, they won’t be awake in their crib for longer than 15 minutes before falling asleep.
- Naps are less than an hour long. Suddenly short naps can be a sign that your baby doesn’t have enough awake time built in to their schedule.
Once you start to make the 3 to 2 nap transition, there may be a week or two where your baby goes back and forth between a 3-nap and 2-nap sleep schedule. That’s okay.
This adjustment period is just your baby getting used to their new nap routine.
How Much Sleep Does an 8 Month Old Need?
Your 8 month old should get between 13 to 14 hours of sleep each day. That includes 2 to 3 hours per day napping, spread between 2 to 3 naps.
8-Month-Old Sleep Schedule
Keeping 8-month-old wake windows in mind, here’s an 8-month-old sleep schedule that includes two naps and wake windows that are 2.5 / 3 / 3.5.
make sure to add solid foods as needed.
7:00 am: Wake up + nurse or bottle
8:30 am: Solids/Breakfast
9:30-11:00 am: Nap
11:00 am: Nurse or bottle
12:00 pm: Solids/Lunch
1:30 pm: Small nurse or bottle (if needed)
2:00-3:30 pm: Nap
3:30 pm: Nurse or bottle
5:30 pm: Solids/Dinner
6:30 pm: Start bedtime routine + nurse or bottle
7:00 pm: Bedtime
Frequently Asked Questions About an 8 Month Old Sleep Schedule
Is there a sleep regression at 8 months?
Some babies will go through a sleep regression around 8 months old. This is usually referred to as the 9 month sleep regression but can hit between 8 and 10 months of age.
Does my 8 month old need a night feed?
Most 8 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.
How Do I Stop My 8-Month-Old From Waking in the Night?
If you haven’t already introduced a sleep training method, frequent night wakings could be your sign that it’s time to sleep train your 8-month-old.
Is 8 months too late to sleep train?
Eight months old is the most common age I’ve worked with.
It’s never too late to start teaching your child the skill of how to sleep. If you want a step-by-step approach, my Baby D.R.E.A.M. System can help.
Get the Baby Sleep Schedule Binder
Are you feeling lost when it comes to establishing a predictable sleep routine for your baby? I’ve got a great resource that will help ease your stress around wake window and nap transitions.
With the Baby Sleep Schedule Binder, you’ll get sample sleep and feeding schedules for every age. I’ve got you covered, from newborn all the way to 4 years old!
You can check out the Baby Sleep Schedule Binder here.
If you have any questions about your 8 month old sleep schedule, leave them in the comments below and we’ll help troubleshoot.
