What Is The Best Schedule For a 3, 4, 5, and 6 Month Old?
BY Katie giguere, Sleep squad Consultant
Today, we're diving into the world of the best baby schedules for our little ones aged 3, 4, 5, and 6 months. We discuss recommended sleep durations, wake window strategies, and bedtime considerations. Whether your little one is on a 5-nap or 4-nap schedule, experiencing short naps or early wakings, we've got you covered. But before we jump into the specifics, I want to share a couple of things that apply to all these ages.
Average sleep tIMES
Remember that babies in this age range typically need around 12 to 15 hours of sleep within a 24-hour period. Now, keep in mind that every baby is unique, so this range can vary slightly. Of those hours, around 11 to 12 should be dedicated to nighttime sleep, while the remaining hours are for daytime naps.
EAT, PLAY, SLEEP Schedule
Now, let's talk about following an "eat, play, sleep" schedule. After they wake up, try to feed them within about 10 minutes. This way, we avoid creating an association between waking up and eating. After feeding, engage them in activities like tummy time and play to keep them active and tire them out for their next sleep session. It's important to keep feedings separate from nap time—let's avoid feeding them to sleep, moms!
Wake Windows
When it comes to their wake windows, it's best to use the shorter end if they've had a nap of 45 minutes or less. This applies especially to the first wake window in the morning. Bedtime should ideally be around 12 to 13 hours after they wake up in the morning. For example, if they rise at 6:00 AM, a suitable bedtime could be anywhere between 6:00 and 7:00 PM, depending on their nap quality during the day. For more details you can refer to this previous blog post on wake windows.
Now, let's break down each age group and their respective schedules.
Three to Four Month Olds
EXAMPLE 1: The Ideal Perfect Schedule
Typically, at this age, they're on a 5-nap schedule, give or take depending on your little one. The wake window spans from one to one and a half hours. Pay attention to your child's sleepy cues and remember that this range is considered normal.
7:00 am - Wake Up
7:00 am to 8:00 am - Wake Window
8:00 am to 10:00 am - Nap
10:00 am to 11:30 am - Wake Window
11:30 am to 1:00 pm - Nap
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm - Wake Window
2:30 pm to 3:30 pm - Nap
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm - Wake Window
4:30 pm to 5:00 pm Nap
5:00 pm to 7:30 pm Wake Window
7:30 pm - Bedtime
Example 2 : Schedule for the Short Napper
Ah, the four-month sleep progression. Some of you may be experiencing those short naps, and that's completely normal—don't worry! Naps of around 30 to 45 minutes are quite typical at this age since it's just one sleep cycle, and they struggle to connect into another one. To accommodate these short naps, we keep their subsequent wake windows shorter.
7:00 am - Wake Up
7:00 am to 8:00 am - Wake Window
8:00 am to 8:45 am - Nap
8:45 am to 10:00 am - Wake Window
10:00 am to 10:45 am - Nap
10:45 am to 12:00 pm - Wake Window
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm - Nap
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm - Wake Window
2:30 pm to 3:15 pm - Nap
3:15 pm to 4:00 pm - Wake Window
4:00 pm to 4:45 pm - Nap
4:45 pm to 7:00 pm - Wake Window
7:00 pm - Bedtime
Make sure you're not pushing them too long before bedtime, because typically if they're giving you short naps, they're becoming overtired as the day goes on. We want to make sure that we're putting them down at a good time. If it's been short naps all day long, they might not have gotten quite enough so you definitely want to put them down on the shorter end of that wake window so they don't become too overtired. When they're overtired at bedtime, they tend to fight sleep, which doesn't make sense, but that's what they do.
Four to Five Month Olds
As your little one grows older, their schedule naturally adjusts to their age. Their wake windows gradually extend, and although it's a slow process, they're making progress. Typically, for four to five month olds, a four-nap schedule is common, and their wake windows range from an hour and a half to two hours.
Now, I have three schedule examples to share with you, but remember, these are just guidelines. Your child might not fit perfectly into any of these schedules, and that's totally fine. I'm simply providing them to give you an idea of what can be appropriate, while also highlighting the wide variety of possibilities. It's important to note that at this age, they often experience the four-month regression, making it a perfect time to work on their independent sleep skills.
Example 1 : The Ideal Perfect Schedule
7:00 am - Wake Up
8:30 am to 10:00 am - Nap
10:00 am to 12:00 pm - Wake Window
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm - Nap
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm - Wake Window
3:00 pm to 3:45 pm - Nap
3:45 pm to 5:15 pm - Wake Window
5:15 pm to 6:00 pm - Nap
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm - Bedtime
Now, finding the right balance for their daytime sleep is key. You don't want them napping excessively, as it may affect their nighttime sleep. However, you also want to ensure they get enough rest. On those odd days when their last nap ends and they haven't accumulated sufficient daytime sleep for the night, and you know they'll be super overtired, it's crucial to try and squeeze in a quick cat nap. Aim for about 30 minutes and adjust their bedtime accordingly. This prevents them from waking up after bedtime and becoming overtired.
If you ever find yourself unsure whether to include another nap or proceed with bedtime, here's my advice: If they're significantly behind on their daytime sleep, it's definitely worth getting in that cat nap to bridge them to a slightly later bedtime. Trust your instincts, mom—you've got this!
Example 2: Schedule for the Short Nappers + Early Wakers
Early wakings are a huge issue at this age because of all of the changes that are happening with their sleep. They are overtired and overtiredness leads to early morning wakings. So here's a great example below of a schedule for this child.
6:00 am - Wake Up
6:00 am to 7:30 am - Wake Window
7:30 am to 8:15 am - Nap
8:15 am to 10:00 am - Wake Window
10:00 am to 10:45 am - Nap
10:45 am to 1:00 pm - Wake Window
1:00 pm to 1:45 pm - Nap
1:45 pm to 3:30 pm - Wake Window
3:30 pm to 4:15 pm - Nap
4:15 pm to 6:00 pm - Wake Window
6:00 pm - Bedtime
A 6:00 pm bedtime does sound a little bit early but if you can get them to 6:00 pm o'clock, I think it would be appropriate to put them down for bed.
example 3: Schedule for the Short Napper
If your child has not gotten enough daytime sleep, even if they normally are on a four nap schedule, sometimes it is appropriate to sneak that little extra nap in. Even if that means they're taking a fifth nap for the day. That's fine. It can be a little cat nap (30 minutes.)
Now, when it comes to five to six month olds, they should aim for a maximum of 4.5 hours of daytime napping. If they're falling short of that, you can use your mom intuition to decide whether it's best to put them down for a nap earlier or add in another short cat nap. We know it can be a bit tricky, even for us sleep specialists, because they go through transition phases and some days can be a little unpredictable. Embrace the fact that it won't always be smooth sailing, and that's totally okay!
7:00 am - Wake Up
7:00 am to 8:30 am - Wake Window
8:30 am to 9:00 am - Nap
9:00 to 10:30 am - Wake Window
10:30 am to 11:15 am - Nap
11:15 am to 12:45 pm - Wake Window
12:45 pm to 1:15 pm - Nap
1:15 pm to 2:45 pm - Wake Window
2:45 pm to 3:30 pm - Nap
3:30 pm to 4:45 pm - Wake Window
4:45 pm to 5:15 pm - Nap
5:15 pm to 7:00 pm - Wake Window
7:00 pm to - Bedtime
Five to Six Month Olds
When your little one reaches this age, it's highly probable that they have transitioned to a three-nap schedule. Their wake windows have extended to around 2 to 2 1/2 hours, indicating that they require slightly less daytime sleep. The exciting part is that they're becoming more skilled at taking longer naps, meaning fewer naps overall, and they can stay awake for longer stretches between naps. It's amazing to witness their growth and development. They're no longer those tiny, delicate infants—they're growing bigger and bolder each day!
Example 1 : The Ideal Perfect Schedule for a 7:00 am Wake Up
7:00 am - Wake Up
9:00 am to 10:30 am - Nap
10:30 am to 1:00 pm - Wake Window
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm - Nap
2:00 pm to 4:30 pm - Wake Window
4:30 pm to 5:30 pm - Nap
5:30 pm to 8:00 pm - Wake Window
8:00 pm - Bedtime
Three and a half hours of nap time is what you are aiming for.
Example 2 : The Ideal Perfect Schedule for a 6:00 am Wake Up
6:00 am - Wake Up
6:00 am to 8:00 am - Wake Window
8:00 am to 9:30 am - Nap
9:30 am to 12:00 pm - Wake Window
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm - Nap
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm - Wake Window
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm - Nap
4:30 pm to 7:00 pm - Wake Window
7:00 pm - Bedtime
Example 3 : Schedule for the Short Napper
7:00 am - Wake Up
7:00 am to 9:00 am - Wake Window
9:00 am to 10:00 am - Nap
10:00 am to 12:00 pm - Wake Window
12:00 pm to 12:30 pm - Nap
12:30 pm to 2:30 pm - Wake Window
2:30 pm to 3:00 pm - Nap
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Wake Window
5:00 pm to 5:30 pm - Nap
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm - Wake Window
7:30 pm - Bedtime
If they are showing signs before that that they're ready to go to sleep around 7:00 o'clock, then that is ok to put them to bed.
Example 4 : Schedule for the Short Napper
6:00 am - Wake Up
6:00 am to 8:00 am - Wake Window
8:00 am to 9:00 am - Nap
9:00 am to 11:00 am - Wake Window
11:00 am to 11:30 am - Nap
11:30 am to 1:30 pm - Wake Window
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm - Nap
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm - Wake Window
4:00 pm to 4:30 pm - Short Nap
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm - Wake Window
6:30 pm - Bedtime
Let's recap some essential points for 3, 4, 5, and 6-month-old infants:
When browsing various schedules online, it's easy to feel concerned if your child doesn't conform to those routines. However, we want to reassure you that this is not the case. Each child is unique and develops at their own pace. Our goal is to provide you with sample schedules, helping you identify where your child might fit in and understand that short naps are still perfectly appropriate at this age.
Adequate Sleep :
Aim for 12 to 15 hours of sleep within a 24-hour period. Of these, 11 to 12 hours should occur during the night, while the remaining hours can be distributed throughout the day. To calculate the daytime sleep requirement, subtract the duration of their overnight sleep from the total recommended range.
Wake Window Strategy :
If your child's nap lasts 45 minutes or less, it's best to use the shorter end of the wake window.
Bedtime Considerations:
Establish a bedtime that falls between 12 and 13 hours after your child wakes up in the morning. Following an eat, play, sleep routine can be beneficial for their sleep schedule.
We Are Here to Help!
If you find yourself facing challenges with your child's sleep during this age range, it's an ideal time to work with us. At this stage, they have surpassed the regression phase, indicating that their sleep cycles are maturing, and these patterns will persist throughout their lives. Your child has moved beyond the infant stage and is growing up.
Should you require assistance with your child's schedule or teaching them independent sleep skills, we recommend starting our program around four months of age. However, even if your child is slightly younger, we offer programs tailored to your needs. Don't hesitate to reach out to us for support and guidance.
Feel free to set up a complimentary discovery call with either myself or someone on the Kelly Murray Sleep Squad and we would love to chat with you more about other options for your newborn, safe sleeping habits, and how we can help get you and your child better nights sleep.
All team members have completed training with Kelly and have learned the Murray Method. Kelly continues to support, guide and oversee the Sleep Squad as they work with the families who trust in us. This way, all clients are able to experience the same amazing results (and lots and lots of sleep).
Sweet Dreams…
Kelly Murray is a certified sleep coach and an award-winning pediatric sleep consultant based in Chicago offering sleep coaching services nationwide.
