How many naps should a 10 month old take?

Most 10 to 11 month old babies take two naps per day — one mid-morning around 9:30am and one early afternoon around 2pm. By 11 months some babies begin resisting the morning nap, signaling the eventual transition to one nap per day closer to 12 to 14 months.

What time should a 10 month old go to bed?

A consistent bedtime between 6:30 and 7:30pm works well for most 10 to 11 month old babies. An earlier bedtime may be needed if naps were short or skipped that day.

How much total sleep does a 10 month old need?

Babies this age average 13 to 14 hours of total sleep — approximately 11 to 12 hours overnight plus 2 to 3 hours during the day. Every baby's sleep need varies slightly depending on growth, temperament, and activity level.

Why does my 10 month old suddenly fight sleep?

New mobility such as cruising or pulling to stand, separation anxiety, or teething are the most common causes. Stay consistent with your bedtime routine and it typically resolves within 2 to 3 weeks.

Why do newborns wake up so often?

Newborns wake frequently because their stomachs are small, requiring regular feeds every 2–3 hours. Their sleep cycles are also shorter and less regulated by circadian rhythms, which mature around 8–12 weeks of age.

When do babies develop a circadian rhythm?

Most babies begin producing melatonin between 8–9 weeks old, and their circadian rhythm—distinguishing day from night—typically stabilizes between 12–16 weeks.

How long should my baby be awake between naps?

Newborns can stay awake for about 30 minutes, increasing to 45 minutes around 6 weeks, and up to 90 minutes by 3–4 months. Putting your baby down slightly before the end of this window helps prevent overtiredness.

What is a night nurse or night doula?

A night nurse or night doula provides overnight newborn care, including feeding support, sleep guidance, and postpartum recovery assistance for parents. Let Mommy Sleep’s licensed and trained team helps families establish healthy sleep routines safely.

When can I start sleep training my baby?

Most babies are developmentally ready to start gentle sleep training around 4 months of age, once circadian rhythms and feeding patterns are consistent. Always consult your pediatrician before beginning.

Does Mylicon make babies sleepy?

No. Mylicon (simethicone) does not make babies sleepy. It is marketed as a gas relief remedy but multiple studies show simethicone is no more effective than a placebo for infant gas or fussiness. It does not have sedative properties and should not be expected to help babies sleep.

Do gas drops make babies sleepy?

No. Gas drops containing simethicone do not make babies sleepy. The active ingredient has no sedative effect. Studies consistently show gas drops are no more effective than a placebo for infant gas relief. If your baby seems calmer after gas drops, the credit belongs to the handling and feeding adjustments made at the same time.

Does rice cereal in a bottle help babies sleep longer?

No. There is no evidence that thickening formula or breast milk with rice cereal helps babies sleep longer. The most cited studies on this topic clearly disprove this common belief. When parents introduce rice cereal it is typically around 8-12 weeks when babies naturally begin sleeping longer stretches — the cereal gets credit for what development is doing on its own.

What are the side effects of Mylicon in newborns?

Mylicon (simethicone) is generally considered safe and has few reported side effects in newborns. However it is also not effective — studies show it works no better than a placebo for infant gas relief. If you have concerns about your newborn's gas or digestive comfort, speak with your pediatrician about evidence-based options including paced feeding, frequent burping, and probiotics.

Will keeping my baby up later help them sleep later in the morning?

No. According to pediatric sleep specialist Dr. Lisa Meltzer, the internal clock typically wakes young children at the same time every morning regardless of when they went to sleep. Keeping baby up later robs them of sleep they need and adds to an overtired cycle that makes settling harder the next day. An age-appropriate bedtime produces better sleep than a late one.

What actually helps newborns sleep longer stretches?

The most effective tools for longer infant sleep stretches are time and development, swaddling to reduce startle reflex waking, white noise to mask household sounds, and slow feeding with frequent burping to reduce gas discomfort. Once a baby reaches 4 months and approximately 14 pounds with pediatrician approval, gradual gentle sleep training can help shift longer sleep to overnight hours.

What helps with infant gas if gas drops do not work?

Evidence-based approaches for infant gas include bicycle kicks to help move trapped gas, slow feeds with the slowest nipple flow available for bottle-fed babies, frequent burping during and after feeds, holding baby upright for at least 20 minutes after feeding, and probiotics which your pediatrician may recommend to support gut health. When introducing solids, offer new foods at breakfast so baby's system has the full day to adjust.

Let Mommy Sleep

Baby Sleep Schedule for a 10-11 Month Old

January 22, 2022

By 10 months, your baby’s sleep habits are beginning to feel more predictable and you might be considering helping baby sleep through the night . Here’s how to set up a flexible, evidence-based schedule that supports consistent naps and long stretches of nighttime sleep. Baby Sleep Schedule for a 10-11 Month Old provides a sample to get started.

Baby Sleep Schedule for a 10-11 Month Old

Sample Sleep Schedule for a 10-11 Month Old

Here’s what a typical day looks like for a 10-11 month old baby. You can also customize this schedule to reflect your own daily routine. For example, if baby wakes at 7:00a, simply note that and adjust this schedule forward 1/2 hour.

This is a sample schedule. Your baby’s exact timing will vary. Scroll down for our FAQ on adjusting this schedule for your baby’s specific wake time and nap patterns.

Time	Activity	Details & Notes
6:30 AM	Wake up, diaper change, bottle	7–8 oz milk or formula
7:30 AM	Optional feed	6–8 oz if baby shows hunger cues
8:00 AM	Breakfast	Solids + milk; oatmeal with fruit is great — milk mixed into food counts toward the 28–32 oz total goal
8:30–9:00 AM	Playtime	Light activity, floor play, songs
9:00–9:15 AM	Wind-down	Quiet play, cuddles, books — watch for sleepy cues like yawning or rubbing eyes
9:30–10:30 AM	Morning nap	1-hour nap; sleeping past 10 AM is fine
10:30/11:00 AM	Wake & bottle	7–8 oz milk or formula
12:00 PM	Lunch	Solids + milk or formula as a drink
12:30–1:30 PM	Playtime	Active play or outdoor stroll
1:30–2:00 PM	Wind-down	Dim lights, read, cuddle
2:00–3:30 PM	Afternoon nap	1–1.5 hour nap
3:30 PM	Bottle	7–8 oz milk or formula
3:30–5:30 PM	Playtime	Low-key play; stay home if sleep training for consistency
5:30 PM	Dinner	Solids + milk or formula
6:45–7:30 PM	Bedtime routine	Bath, bottle (final 6–8 oz), quiet play, lights dim — in bed by 7:30 PM

10-11 month old infant schedule

Notes:

Total daily milk intake for most full-term 10-11 month olds: 28–32 ounces
Most babies this age take 2 naps per day, lasting 1–1.5 hours each.
Adjust the start time forward or backward based on when your baby naturally wakes.
Bedtime can shift earlier if the second nap is short or skipped.

Once you get the pediatrician’s approval and you are sure baby is not waking overnight due to hunger, you can begin sleep training. If you want to help your baby sleep through the night, you can find step-by-step sleep training instructions in the Ultimate Guide to Baby Sleep Training.

FAQ: Baby Sleep Schedule for 10–11 Month Olds

How many naps should a 10–11 month old take?
Most babies take two naps per day at this age, one in the mid morning and one in the early afternoon. 10am and 2pm are fairly common but by no means the norm for every baby. By 11 months, some babies may begin resisting the morning nap, signaling the eventual transition to one nap per day closer to 12–14 months.

How long should naps be at 10–11 months?
Each nap typically lasts 1 to 1.5 hours, for a total of 2.5–3 hours of daytime sleep. If one nap runs long, the other may naturally shorten. Nap times can also be affected but what activities you and baby are doing during the day.

What time should a 10–11 month old go to bed?
A consistent bedtime between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. works well for most babies. An earlier bedtime may be needed if naps were short or skipped that day.

How much total sleep does a 10–11 month old need in 24 hours?
On average, babies this age sleep about 13–14 hours total; 11–12 hours overnight plus 2–3 hours during the day. Every baby’s sleep need varies slightly depending on growth, temperament and activity level.

Why does my 10–11 month old suddenly fight sleep?
It can be caused by new mobility like cruising or walking, separation anxiety or teething. Stay consistent with your bedtime routine, and it usually passes within 2–3 weeks.

Can I start sleep training at 10 months old?
Yes, if your pediatrician has ruled out medical issues and confirmed your baby is ready. Many families use gentle methods like the Slingshot approach, which allows you to stay near your baby while they learn to fall asleep independently.

Should I still do a dreamfeed at 10 months?
Once babies consistently consume 28–32 ounces between the time they wake and bedtime ad can sleep 8-10 hours without needing to feed, a dreamfeed is not needed. If your baby is 10 months old and still only drinks small amounts during daytime feeds, talk to your pediatrician before stopping a dreamfeed.

What if my baby still wakes up at night?
Night wakings can still happen due to teething, growth spurts, developmental leaps or simply because baby has never done it any other way. Offer reassurance without full playtime or bright lights, so baby understands it’s still nighttime and time for sleep.

Things to remember:

This is just an example. It’s fine if your schedule differs; the goal is to have defined eating times to set the stage for long sleep overnight.
Visit Infant Sleep Schedule for a 7-9 Month Old if you’re baby isn’t quite 10 months yet.
While your baby is getting more mobile, Infant Safe Sleep guidelines are still important for babies age 0-1 year old. Review them in 10 Steps to Safe Sleep for Baby
This information is for general educational purposes and not a substitute for medical advice. Always follow your pediatrician’s guidance about your baby’s individual feeding and sleep needs.

Still up every few hours despite a solid schedule? A Let Mommy Sleep night nanny or newborn care specialist can help implement sleep routines overnight while you rest. Find your local team.

Baby Sleep: Naps Decoded

January 12, 2022

Most recently updated, 10/26/2025

What You’ll Learn:

Why and how newborns sleep differently than adults
Week by week breakdown of baby’s expected time awake and asleep
Understand when baby should be placed down for a nap.

Baby Sleep: Naps Decoded – Understanding Sleep Cycles

Newborns and infants sleep differently than adults. Once you understand why, you can work with their natural rhythms instead of against them, helping them sleep longer and with less fuss.

They’re tiny! – Newborns have small stomachs so they need to eat frequently. Their tummies can only hold small amounts of breast milk or formula and this nutrition gets digested quickly. As a result, they typically wake every 2 to 3 hours to feed. See the chart at How big is a newborn’s stomach?

Hunger, need for comfort or growth spurts – Babies usually wake up if they’re hungry, have a wet or dirty diaper, or are experiencing discomfort due to issues like teething or gas. Additionally periods of growth mean their bodies and brains are developing rapidly, leading to more frequent waking during the night.

Immature sleep patterns: Newborns have an immature sleep-wake cycle, and it takes time for their circadian and ultradian rhythms to develop. This means that their sleep is not yet regulated by day and night patterns, and they have shorter sleep cycles compared to adults.

Melatonin isn’t Present Yet: Newborns receive melatonin, widely known as the sleep hormone, from the placenta but don’t start developing their own until they’re about 8-9 weeks old.

Baby Sleep: Naps Decoded – Circadian Rhythm

Circadian rhythm is nature’s 24-hour clock that regulates awake and sleep times. Within this cycle are shorter ultradian rhythms, lasting about 30–90 minutes, that dictate when babies move from alertness to sleepiness.

Every baby book about “schedules” or “wake windows” is based on these patterns—but let’s simplify how they actually work.

Ultradian Rhythm Basics

Serotonin increases alertness and is triggered by daylight.
Melatonin promotes sleepiness and is triggered by darkness.

If we visualize this using a 6-month-old as an example: baby is wakeful at the top of the curve (around 45 minutes after waking), and sleepy at the bottom (around 90 minutes after waking).
Tip: Put baby in the crib 5–10 minutes before that 90-minute mark—right before the “clock dings” and they become alert again.

In full-term newborns, melatonin production doesn’t mature until 9–12 weeks, so they build up to that 90-minute cycle gradually. Getting baby down before they enter another wakeful period prevents fussiness and overtiredness.

Nap Timing Reminder

Baby shouldn’t start winding down at the :30, :45, :60- or 90-minute mark. They should already be in their crib by that point.

Here’s a breakdown of newborns’ basic awake and sleep times:

chart to understand baby sleep nap timing by let mommy sleep night doulas

Baby Sleep: Naps Decoded

Weeks 0-2: Baby is awake for a maximum of 30 minutes. Most of this time is spent feeding and baby will appear sleepy even during wakeful periods, often falling back asleep with no help at all.

Weeks 3-8: Baby is awake for a maximum of 45 minutes. You’ll notice baby is more wakeful around week 8; s/he won’t just go right back to sleep like s/he used to and may need your help to stay asleep. Baby wearing, white noise, giving a pacifier to help sleep are all fine to do because at this age baby needs your help to get and stay sleep.

Weeks 8-12: Baby is working on and eventually awake for 60 minutes. Napping will become longer during these weeks as well but it’s perfectly fine and even recommended to help baby with napping when s/he pops up after 10-15 minutes or so by giving a pacifier, using white noise etc. You’re not creating bad habits, baby simply needs a little help to not fully awaken because the systems that make seratonin and melatonin are not quite mature yet.

Weeks 12 – 18: Baby is working on and eventually is awake for 90 minutes. Baby is even more alert and still may need help getting and staying asleep. If your goal is to have baby eventually sleep through the night independently, try not to pick baby up if she wakes before a 90 minute nap is done. Instead, stay near to comfort with patting on the back or giving pacifier while baby is still asleep, but exhibiting signs of waking up like twitching or moving her head back and forth.

Weeks 18 -24: Baby is awake for 90+ minutes and consolidates naps now. There may be fewer naps that vary in length but a nap of at least 90 minutes will provide adequate rest. S/he will usually be awake for some increment of 90 minutes (11⁄2 hours, 3 hours, 4 1⁄2 hours).

What’s Next?

If your goal is to have baby sleep long stretches overnight without feeding, the 4 month well check is a great time to start talking with your pediatrician. These longer stretches of sleep are really just one big nap consolidation! They can help you to know whether baby is developmentally ready to sleep for at least 6 hours uninterrupted.

If you’re ready for your baby to sleep through the night, start with an appropriate routine. While the cry-it-out method gets a lot of press, sleeping through the night can be a gradual process where baby’s body adjusts to less milk overnight, making sleep a natural next step to waking from hunger. You can read about this in detail in the Ultimate Guide to Baby Sleep Training.

Baby Sleep: Naps Decoded – Important Notes

Sometimes even though we’re doing everything right, babies cry. A LOT.

They might cry because of colic, could be overstimulation, reflux or any other reason only known to your baby. Even if you follow this blog or any sleep advice exactly as it’s written, babies are not robots. You’re doing a great job. If you’re concerned about baby’s crying or health, please contact your pediatrician.

These guidelines are for full-term babies without medical concerns. Preemies, twins, and babies with special feeding or growth needs may follow different patterns. Some babies need to be woken for feeds to gain weight, for example. When in doubt, trust your instincts and your doctor. You can never go wrong with patience, following doctors’ orders and responding to your baby’s needs.

If you’re expecting and want more tips, visit Your First Week Home with Baby: Ultimate Q&A, by our Night Nurse (RN) and Night Doula team. Let Mommy Sleep team members are dedicated to safe sleep and evidence-based care, you can learn about this in Introducing the National NAPS Registry for Night Doulas.

Baby Sleep: Naps Decoded how to know if your baby is sleeping enough — Baby Sleep: Are They Sleeping Enough

Sample Schedule for a 5-6 Month Old Baby

January 6, 2022

“What should my baby’s schedule look like?” is one of those questions for which there are a lot of right answers and being “on a schedule” is usually just a matter of following baby’s natural cycle. It shouldn’t feel forced or like a stand-off between parent and baby and for some parents the schedule is their first step in helping baby sleep through the night. Below is Sample Schedule for a 4, 5 or 6 Month Old Baby.

Every baby is unique, and while the sample schedule can be a helpful guide, keep in mind that sleep regressions, growth spurts, illness and developmental milestones will naturally affect timing. Also, aways prioritize 10 Steps to Safe Sleep for Baby: place your baby on their back on a firm, flat surface, free of loose bedding, pillows, toys and bumpers. Following these guidelines supports both your baby’s healthy development and your peace of mind.

Sample Schedule for a 5-6 Month Old Baby

7:00am wake up, change

7:15 or 7:30 milk/formula given when baby is showing signs of hunger

8:30 solids: grain, or grain + fruit when solids are introduced as directed by your pediatrician. Milk/formula can also be given here.

9:30 wind down to get ready for nap

10:00 down for a nap

– 4 hour cycle repeats upon waking up –

11:30 milk/formula

12:30 solids: grain or grain + veg (when lunch is introduced as directed by pediatrician) Milk/formula can also be given here.

12:00 – 1:00 activity

1:00 – 1:30pm wind down for nap

1:30 – 3:30 nap

– 4 hour cycle repeats again upon waking from nap, but with a third short nap-

3:30 milk/formula

3:30 – 4:30 quiet play, try to stay around home and stick to calm activities

4:30 – 5ish nap

5:30 dinner of solids (this is appropriate whenever you want to begin the addition of an evening meal—we are only including it to show what it looks like to have a 3 meal per day schedule)

6:15 – 7:00 milk/formula, getting into PJ’s, books and quite time and then into bed

10pm Dreamfeed if you wish. Baby does not have to be fully awake for this. It is just a small 2-3 ounce feed to be sure baby has gotten all of the ounces in for the night. You don’t have to wake baby, simply hold the bottle or breast to baby’s lips and they will instinctually take in what’s needed. When you’re done there’s no need to burp since baby is so relaxed but a quick diaper change should be done. You can read this if you’re wondering What is a Dreamfeed?

There will be 3 “blocks” of 4 hours. The last block will only include a short nap since it is close to bedtime.

Each block begins with milk and the last block ends with milk, so feeding times are at: 7am, 11:00am, 3pm and 6:30pm. There may be milk “snacks” in between and at mealtimes, especially for our breastfed babies who do not take in 6 ounces per feed but the 4 main feeding times are the anchor to this schedule.

Baby Schedule FAQs

How do I know if my baby is getting enough milk?
Look for steady weight gain, regular wet diapers and contentment after feeds. You can always visit your pediatrician for a weight check too.

What if my baby skips a nap?
Occasional skipped naps are normal as babies grow. Try not to force a nap, just keep activities calm and follow your baby’s cues until the next sleep period.

Can I adjust the schedule for breastmilk vs. formula?
Yes. Formula-fed babies may feed less often but in larger amounts, while breastfed babies often eat more frequently. It’s perfectly fine to adapt the sample schedule to your baby’s needs.

Sleeping through the Night

If your baby is older and you want another sleep schedule, or you’re ready to help your infant sleep through the night, read the Ultimate Guide to Baby Sleep Training. You can also join us on Reddit to share what works for you or talk through any sleep-troubleshooting.

Top 3 Infant Sleep Myths

January 2, 2022

Three of the most common infant sleep myths — rice cereal in the bottle, gas drops for soothing, and keeping baby up late — are not just ineffective, they can work against you. Here’s what the evidence actually says and what works instead.

Top 3 Infant Sleep Myths from night nannies — Parental Urban Legends

We hear them at playgroups and baby showers, see them on message boards and read them on medicine bottles. Parental Urban Legends add more confusion to new parents’ already overloaded brains and with no basis in fact, they persist like Mikey and Pop Rocks.

Myth #1. Putting rice cereal in baby’s bottle will help baby sleep longer

There is absolutely no evidence that shows that thickening milk or formula with cereal will make baby sleep longer at night. In fact, the most cited study on this topic, disproves this parental urban legend.

In our desperation to “tank baby up” and buy an extra hour of rest, it’s often thought that a fuller stomach = more sleep. This is true when we give baby milk before bed to ensure that s/he doesn’t wake unnecessarily from hunger, but the addition of rice cereal to thicken a feed does not help baby sleep longer.

There is also a very real, evidence based movement to completely remove rice cereal from babies’ diet but that is for another post.

Why it’s become a parental urban legend: When parents introduce rice cereal in baby’s bottle, it is typically at the 8-12 week mark, when parents are at their wits end with getting up 3-4 times overnight. The fact is, baby is naturally sleeping longer stretches at this time anyway. Thickening formula receives the credit for what baby is doing naturally.

What to Do to Help Baby Sleep Longer: Time is the real answer to allowing babies to sleep longer stretches at night as the more baby grows, the more food their tummies can hold, keeping hunger from naturally waking them. But there are a few things that actually help newborns and infants sleep more soundly:

Swaddling – eliminate baby waking up from involuntary reflex movements. Learn how to swaddle here!
White Noise – drown out the noises that can wake baby up and simulate the womb
Slow feeding with lots of opportunities to burp – hold baby upright for at least 20 minutes (longer if your baby experiences reflux) after feeding to be sure no gas is trapped and there’s plenty of time to digest.

If you’re baby is ready and you would like step by step instructions on sleeping through the night visit the Ultimate Guide to Baby Sleep Training

Myth #2. Mylicon will Eliminate Gas and Soothe your Baby

This myth is near and dear to my heart because like so many, I desperately believed it myself with my own 3 kids. Study after study definitively demonstrate that Simethicone (the generic name for gas drops) is no more or less effective than a placebo. What does this mean? Gas drops don’t work. Period.

Why it’s become a parental urban legend: EVERYONE recommends Simethicone drops. Everyone! They even have their own little section in the pharmacy department. Once again well-meaning parents just want to help baby find some relief. Please try to contain your shock when I tell you this, but marketing companies love to capitalize on “soothing baby” so they sell, sell, sell a harmless but useless product.

And once again it’s you and your baby who should receive the credit for getting that uncomfortable gas out of baby’s tummy. Slow patient feeds, lots of burping and gently switching position or massaging baby to get gas out after feeding are tried and true ways to reduce gas.

What to Do to Help Eliminate Gas – While drops certainly can’t hurt there are several other options to help baby work out the gas that’s causing trouble:

Bicycle Kicks –like this!
Once again, slow feeds with lots of opportunity to burp during feeding. If bottle feeding, use the slowest nipple flow.
Probiotics – Probiotics to promote good gut health in baby may be recommended by your pediatrician.
When starting solids, give new foods for breakfast, this way baby’s system has all day to work out any issues that the new food might be causing…and by issues we mean gas! 🙂

*Myth #3**. Putting babies to sleep later at night means they’ll sleep later in the morning*

We’ve all done this one. According to pediatric sleep specialist, Dr. Lisa Meltzer, “the internal clock is a powerful force that typically wakes young children up around the same time every morning, no matter what time they go to sleep at night.” This means that putting baby to sleep later robs them of sleep they should be getting. Even worse, poor night sleep adds to the overtired cycle the next day, making it more difficult for baby to settle and rest again.

Why it’s become a parental urban legend: Because staying up late and then sleeping late seems so logical! And we are desperate for sleep AND logic at this point! Sure there are times babies have a big day and sleep for long stretches out of sheer exhaustion, but this gives us a false positive. Keeping baby awake longer than their bodies need may work for one night or one nap, but fighting against baby’s natural rhythms leads to true exhaustion and meltdown.

What You Can Do Instead– Unfortunately, we can’t fight a baby human’s natural body clock; this one goes in the “this too shall pass” category. Taking turns with your partner or a loving caregiver to handle early wake ups won’t cause baby to sleep later but it will help YOU to sleep later!

Bonus Myth: “Happy Spitters” don’t need any intervention

Wondering how much spit-up is too much? And how do you know if it’s serious? That’s a whole other question, and one we cover in full in Spit-Up, Reflux and GERD in Newborns.

If you’re expecting and want more tips, visit Your First Week Home with Baby: Ultimate Q&A and if we can help you postpartum, please contact us anytime.

Sample Sleep Schedule for a 6-7 Month Old

January 1, 2022

A typical 6 to 7 month old sleeps 10-12 hours overnight — not always in one stretch — with 2 long naps and then 1 catnap in the late afternoon totaling 3-3 1/2 hours during the day. Here is a sample schedule based on a 6am wake time that our night nanny team uses as a starting point for families. If Let Mommy Sleep can help your family, please let us know.

updated, April 2026

While baby’s routine is something that naturally emerges if we follow baby’s lead, it’s understandable that the rest of the family can benefit from predictable feeding and sleep times. Below is a sample schedule for a typical 6-7 month old baby. This is by no means the *only* schedule, but if you’re looking for a starting point, the Sample Sleep Schedule for a 6-7 Month Old can help.

helping your 6-7 month old infant sleep through the night — Sample Sleep Schedule

Sample Schedule for a 6 to 7 Month Old

6:00am: wake up, play and cuddle

6:30: diaper change, get dressed, feed 6-8 ounces when baby is exhibiting signs of hunger; this can be right at wake up or after 1/2 hour or more.

8:00: breakfast of solids: oatmeal + fruit. Give as much as s/he wants. ***Remember that any milk used to make oatmeal counts toward daily ounces.

8:00 – 9:00: Play

9:00 – 9:30: quieter play and wind down activities such as cuddling and books. Look for sleepy signs such as eye rubbing or disinterest in toys. If you have trouble seeing those “sleep cues” a good rule of thumb is to place baby in the crib, after you see 1 yawn.

9:45/10–11:00: Nap

11:00 milk, 6-8 oz

12:00 solids: grain + veg, ***top off with milk

12:00 – 1:00 activity (having a meal or snacks counts as an activity)

1:00pm – 1:30pm: wind down for nap

1:30 – 3:30: nap

3:00: milk, 6-8 oz

3:00 – 5:00 activity

5:00 dinner of solids

6:15 – 7:00 bath, milk 6-8 oz , quiet activities, low lights and in bed at 7ish

10:00p dreamfeed several ounces if needed to ensure she’s reached about 28 ounces. A dreamfeed is one last feed for baby. This may not be needed at 6/7 months but we’re including it as another tool to help take away the question “What if s/he’s hungry?” when baby wakes overnight. To do a dreamfeed, simply place breast/bottle to baby’s lips and s/he will instinctually take in what’s needed. Do a quick diaper change at this time as well.

FAQ: Sample Schedule for a 6 to 7 Month Old

How much should a 6 to 7 month old sleep? Most 6 to 7 month olds sleep 10-12 hours overnight — not always in one stretch — plus 2 long naps during the day and then a shorter catnap of 30-45 minutes in the late afternoon for a total of about 14-16 hours of total sleep in 24 hours. This will vary depending on things like what activities happened during the day, illness or the normal phasing out of the third nap.

How many naps should a 6 to 7 month old take? Most babies this age take 3 naps — one mid-morning around 9:30-10am and one early afternoon around 1:30pm. A short third nap happens around 4:30pm and then gradually drops by the end of the 7th month.

What time should a 6 to 7 month old go to bed? A bedtime between 6:30 and 7:30pm works well for most babies this age. If the afternoon nap was short or skipped, move bedtime earlier rather than later because overtired babies have a harder time settling.

How much milk should a 6 to 7 month old drink per day? Most 6 to 7 month olds need approximately 24-32 oz of breast milk or formula per day, with solids supplementing rather than replacing milk feeds at this stage. Always follow your pediatrician’s guidance on feeding amounts and remember that any milk or formula used to makes solids, like oatmeal for example, counts toward the total amount of ounces for the day.

When should I introduce solids at 6 months? Solids are typically introduced between 4-6 months with pediatrician guidance. By 6-7 months most babies are eating 2-3 small solid meals per day alongside regular milk feeds. Milk remains the primary source of nutrition through the first year.

Is it normal for a 6 month old to still wake at night? Yes. Completely normal. While many 6-7 month olds can sleep longer overnight stretches, night waking is still common due to teething, growth spurts, developmental leaps and separation anxiety. A dreamfeed around 10pm can help ensure baby has taken in adequate calories and reduce hunger-driven waking.

Should I do a dreamfeed at 6-7 months? A dreamfeed is optional at this age but useful if you’re unsure whether baby is waking from hunger. Simply place the bottle or breast to baby’s lips while they are drowsy and they will instinctively take in what they need. A quick diaper change after is recommended. The dreamfeed can be gradually phased out once baby is consistently sleeping through the night.

A few reminders…

– THIS SCHEDULE IS JUST AN EXAMPLE. It is FINE if your schedule differs and we should never force baby into a schedule that doesn’t work. The goal here is to give baby a start and end to the day with efficient feeds during daytime hours, to set the stage for long sleep overnight. As Head of Recruiting Joy Becker, LPN says, “Babies are not robots! They won’t do the same thing every day and they don’t read these schedules!”

– We are just using 6:00am as a starting point. If baby wakes earlier or later, simply adjust the schedule accordingly.

Sources:

Nashay Pressley, RN and the University of Maryland Pediatric Sleep Center
“Secrets of The Baby Whisperer”, Melinda Blau and Tracy Hogg
The hundreds of babies our nurses and NCP’s have cared for from 2010 to the present.

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Baby Sleep Schedule for a 10-11 Month Old

Baby Sleep Schedule for a 10-11 Month Old