See what a typical 12 month old sleep schedule should look like for your growing baby and how to optimize their sleep.
Seeing your little one cross the threshold from baby to toddlerhood is thrilling and rewarding!
But it can be challenging to pinpoint sleep for your 12 month old.
There’s a lot more range at this age than previous baby sleep schedules:
- Some babies will continue to hold onto two naps no problem
- Other babies will start to show the signs that they’re ready to transition to one nap
- The 12 month sleep regression may interfere with sleep
Keep reading to see sample 12 month old sleep schedules and tips to help your baby sleep.
What is the Wake Window for a 1 Year Old?
At 12 months old, your baby’s wake window is about 3–4 hours in between sleep.
What Time Should a 1 Year Old Go to Bed?
An ideal bedtime for your 1 year old is between 7 and 8 pm.
You also want to make sure that your baby has enough sleep pressure built up between their last nap and bedtime.
Make sure that your baby’s last nap of the day ends so that they have between 3–4 hours of awake time between their last nap and bedtime.
What is A Good Nap Schedule for A 1 Year Old?
I encourage you to hang onto two naps for your 12 month old if possible.
Some babies can handle longer wake windows so you may need to cap their naps to make sure they can still fit them both naps in.
Most toddlers are ready to transition to one nap between 13 and 18 months of age.
Is 12 Months Too Early for One Nap?
While 12 months is on the early side for one nap, it’s not unheard of.
I have helped babies make the one nap transition as early as 12 months.
But it’s a slow transition and one that can take a few months to solidify.
Just make sure you’ve ruled out a sleep regression before making the transition.
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.
12 Month Old Sample Sleep Schedule
There is a lot of range in a 1 year old sleep schedule. Your 1 year old needs about 13.5 to 14.5 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period.
That breaks down to about 11 to 11.5 hours of night time sleep and about 2.5 to 3 hours of daytime sleep.
You may need to wake your baby up from their naps to preserve their night sleep.
7:00 am: Wake up and nurse/bottle
8:00 am: Solids/Breakfast
10:30-11:30 am: Morning nap
11:30 am: Nurse/Bottle
12:30 pm: Solids/Lunch
3:00–4:00 pm: Afternoon nap
4:00: Nurse/Bottle
5:30 pm: Solids/Dinner
7:00/7:30 pm: Start baby’s bedtime routine and nurse or bottle
7:30/8:00 pm: Bedtime
Some babies at 12 months old can only handle about 3 hours of awake time in the morning, so here’s a sample schedule for that:
Frequently Asked Questions About the 12 Month Old Sleep Schedule
How Many Naps Should A 1 Year Old Take?
Most babies at 12 months old will still need two naps. You may start to see the signs that your baby is ready to transition to one nap around this age, but it’s a gradual transition.
Most babies will transition to one nap between 13 and 18 months old.
Is it Too Early to Move to One Nap at 12 Months?
I have seen babies be ready for one nap at 12 months. The 2-to-1 nap transition can take a few months to solidify though, so you’ll likely hang onto two naps (even if it’s one nap and a catnap for a few more months).
Is there a 12 Month Sleep Regression?
Some babies can be affected by the 12-month sleep regression, as well as separation anxiety.
Sleep regressions are usually brought on by your baby meeting developmental milestones. Sometimes night wakings, short naps, or bedtime battles can occur from sleep regressions.
If you have any questions about the 12 month old sleep schedule leave them in the comment section and we’ll help you troubleshoot.
My goal is to help tired parents get sleep, so the whole family can thrive!
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