Get 8 month old wake windows, a sleep schedule using them, and sleep tips for your 8 month old.

baby crawling on a bed during 8 month old wake windows

Your 8-month-old is racking up all sorts of new skills, exploring new foods, and finding new ways to move their bodies during their awake time.

It’s only natural that they need more time to practice the things they’re learning.

All this activity during the day means less time for daytime sleep. The nap transition that happens between 6 months and now can be a doozy.

Thankfully, once they drop their third nap, your 8-month-old’s wake windows and sleep schedule won’t go through any other major shake-ups for months.

Here’s what you need to know about 8-month-old wake windows.

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.

8 month old wake windows sleep at a glance

How Long Are 8 Month Old Wake Windows?

At 8 months old, your baby’s wake windows are 2.5 to 3.5 hours.

If you try to keep your baby awake for much longer, you might have an overtired baby on your hands.

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

Some babies will have the same length of wake window throughout the day.

Others might have slightly shorter or longer wake windows at different points of the day depending on what they need.

Next month, 9 month old wake windows won’t shift much, usually only extending 15 to 30 minutes longer.

You can see a sample 8 month old sleep schedule below for how I recommend breaking out your 8 month old’s wake windows.

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 Many Naps Should My 8 Month Old Take?

By 8 months old, most babies have either transitioned to two naps or are ready to move to two naps.

If your baby is still taking 3 naps, it may be time to make the 3 to 2 nap transition. I see this nap transition happen around 7/8 months old typically.

How Do I Know if My Baby is Ready to Transition to 2 Naps?

Not all babies show consistent or reliable sleep cues, so you have to pay attention to the other signs your baby gives you that he may be ready to make a nap change.

This includes:

  • 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 starts taking short naps. He may have been sleeping 1.5 hours and is suddenly waking up early or taking shorter naps altogether.
  • The catnap starts interfering with bedtime. Your baby might not be falling asleep for the catnap until 30 minutes after you put him down, pushing the time he wakes up from the nap back and pushing bedtime back as well.
  • Bedtime becomes a battle. If your child used to go to bed easily at bedtime and is now fighting sleep, he may be ready to drop a nap.
  • Your baby starts having night wakings or split nights. This could mean he’s been getting too much daytime sleep and needs to drop a nap.
  • Your baby starts waking up early in the morning.
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.

How Much Sleep Does an 8 Month Old Need?

Most 8-month-olds will need between 13 to 14 hours of sleep in a day, with about 11 to 12 hours at night and 2 to 3 hours during naps.

8-Month-Old Sleep Schedule

Here’s a sample 8 month old sleep schedule with wake windows that look like this:

  • 2.5 hours after baby wakes up for the day
  • 3 hours after baby wakes up from first nap
  • 3.5 hours after baby wakes up from second nap
8 month old sleep schedule

Frequently Asked Questions About 8 Month Old Wake Windows

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.

Can my baby still be on 3 naps?

Some babies need shorter wake windows and may still need a third nap up until 9 months old. Most babies I have worked with are ready to move to two naps by this age though.

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.

Is 8 months too late to sleep train?

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.

If you have questions about your baby’s 8 month old wake windows leave them in the comments and we’ll help you troubleshoot.

Amy Motroni

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *