Baby Sleep Schedule Calculator — Wake Windows by Age

Pick your baby's age and this morning's wake time to see an example day of wake windows, naps, and bedtime. Then use the full chart below as your reference. Free, no signup, nothing saved.

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Your baby's day

Choose an age band and the time your baby woke this morning. We'll space naps by a typical wake window for that age and sketch the rest of the day.

A quick, gentle disclaimer

This is general guidance, not medical advice — every baby is different, and healthy babies vary a lot. The schedule below is an example rhythm, not a prescription. For questions about your baby's sleep, feeding, or health, talk to your pediatrician.

Example schedule

4–6 months

Starting from a 7:00 AM wake-up, with roughly 2–2.5 hours awake between sleeps.

Wake for the day 7:00 AM
Nap 1 9:15 AM–10:30 AM
Nap 2 12:45 PM–2:00 PM
Nap 3 4:15 PM–5:30 PM
Bedtime 7:45 PM

Total sleep at this age commonly runs 12–16 hours across a full 24 hours, naps plus night. Follow your baby's cues — a window that feels early or late is normal.

Wake windows by age

Commonly cited ranges for how long babies stay comfortably awake between sleeps, how many naps are typical, and roughly how much they sleep over 24 hours. Use them as a starting point, not a rule — your baby's own cues come first.

Age	Wake window	Typical naps	Total sleep (24h)	Bedtime
0–4 weeks	35–60 minutes	4–6 naps (variable)	14–17 hours	No set bedtime yet
1–2 months	45–90 minutes	4–5 naps	14–17 hours	Rolling; often late evening
2–3 months	1–1.5 hours	4 naps	14–16 hours	Beginning to emerge
3–4 months	1.25–2 hours	3–4 naps	13–16 hours	7:00–8:30 pm
4–6 months	2–2.5 hours	3 naps	12–16 hours	7:00–8:00 pm
6–9 months	2.5–3 hours	2–3 naps	12–16 hours	6:30–7:30 pm
9–12 months	3–4 hours	2 naps	12–16 hours	6:30–7:30 pm
12–18 months	3.5–5 hours	1–2 naps	11–14 hours	7:00–8:00 pm
18–24 months	4–6 hours	1 nap	11–14 hours	7:00–8:00 pm

How to use wake windows

A schedule built on wake windows bends with your baby instead of fighting the clock. The rhythm is the same at every age:

Note the time your baby wakes for the day — that starts the clock
Add an age-appropriate wake window to find the first nap
After each nap, start a fresh wake window to the next one
Let the final wake window of the day lead into bedtime
Adjust by 15–20 minutes based on cues; windows shift day to day

Younger babies rarely hold a fixed schedule — in the newborn weeks, sleep comes in rolling stretches and cues matter far more than a set bedtime.

Signs of an overtired baby

When a wake window runs long, many babies get a second wind and then fight sleep. These are common early cues that it's time to wind down:

Rubbing eyes, ears, or face
Yawning, staring off, or looking away
Fussiness that builds into hard-to-settle crying
Clenched fists, or a stiff, arching body
Fighting sleep or taking much longer to settle
Very short naps and more frequent night waking

Catching these before the full meltdown usually makes settling easier. Ongoing sleep struggles are worth raising with your pediatrician.

Baby sleep schedule FAQs

What are wake windows?

A wake window is how long your baby can comfortably stay awake between sleeps — from the moment they wake until they're ready to sleep again. Wake windows are short in the newborn weeks and stretch out steadily as your baby grows. Using age-appropriate wake windows, rather than a fixed clock, is one of the most common ways families avoid an overtired baby who then fights sleep.

What are typical wake windows by age?

Commonly cited ranges run from roughly 35–60 minutes in the first weeks, to about 1–2 hours around 3–4 months, 2–3 hours by 6–9 months, and 3–5+ hours for toddlers on one nap. The full chart on this page lists a range for every age band. These are general ranges — your baby's comfortable window can sit a little above or below them, so watch their cues too.

How do I build a schedule from wake windows?

Start from the time your baby wakes for the day, add an age-appropriate wake window to find the next nap, then repeat after each nap. The last wake window of the day leads into bedtime. This calculator does that math for you and shows an example rhythm — treat it as a starting point and adjust to your baby's real cues.

How much should my baby sleep in a day?

Total sleep over 24 hours (naps plus night) commonly falls around 14–17 hours for newborns, 12–16 hours through the first year, and 11–14 hours for toddlers. The chart on this page shows a range per age. Some healthy babies sleep a bit more or less, so use these as a guide rather than a target to hit exactly.

Why does my baby fight sleep or take short naps?

Both an overtired and an undertired baby can resist sleep or nap poorly. If wake windows run too long, an overtired baby gets a second wind and struggles to settle; too short, and they're not tired enough to sleep well. Nudging the wake window up or down by 15–20 minutes is a common first thing to try. Persistent trouble is worth raising with your pediatrician.

When do babies drop naps?

Nap counts fall gradually — many babies move to two naps somewhere around 6–9 months, to a single midday nap sometime after their first birthday, and drop the last nap in the preschool years. Transitions are rarely on a fixed date; longer wake windows and consistently short or skipped naps are the usual signs your baby is ready to drop one.

Nights still brutal?

Night nannies — often called night nurses — take the overnight shift so you can actually sleep. Find overnight newborn care near you on Bornbir, and message providers directly — it's free for families.

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