11 month old nap schedule
In this article, I’ll share a sample 11 month old nap schedule, tips for implementing the nap schedule, and some developmental milestones that may be impacting your baby’s sleep at 11 months old. Conveniently, my fourth baby is currently 11 months old, so I’m living this journey right along with you! As a pediatric sleep consultant and also a mom of four, I’ll share what’s worked great for me personally and also the schedule and tips I use with my clients.
Baby development at 11 months old
Before we jump in to sleep schedules, it’s important to understand a few of the key developmental milestones that baby is going through around this time—because they are significant, and they can definitely impact your baby’s sleep. Here are three milestones typically seen in an 11 month old:
Motor Skills Advancement - many 11 month olds have mastered crawling and may be in the early stages of taking those exciting first steps. Some may be cruising along funiture or using support to stand independently. My little guy discovered the joy of climbing the stairs for the first time last weekend and so is constantly trying out his new skills.
Communication Advancement - language development often sees notable progress at 11 months. Babies may be babbling with increased variety and expression, attempting to imitate simple words, and comprehending familiar phrases or commands. Gestures such as waving “bye-bye” and pointing become more intentional and purposeful.
Mastery of Object Permanence - at 11 months, babies usually understand the concept of object permanence, which is realizing that objects continue to exist even when out of sight. This cognitive leap enhances their problem-solving skills and contributes to a growing sense of independence.
Of course, these milestones vary for individual babies, but all are common around this age. And all can have an impact on sleep! Your little explorer is learning and developing very quickly, and it’s important to know that these developmental milestones can cause disruption in sleep—even for babies who have been great sleepers to this point.
My fourth baby follows this exact 11 month old nap schedule right now!
11 month old nap schedule
Here is what a typical daily schedule, including naps, may look like for an 11 month old baby. Keep in mind that the schedule can vary depending on the family’s schedule (ex: preferred morning wake time) and rhythms. Feel free to adjust the specific times of this schedule to meet your needs, and be sure to take a look at the tips below to help you and baby have a great sleep experience at 11 months old.
7:00am - morning wake up
10:00am - morning nap (1.5 hrs - 2 hrs)
3:00pm - afternoon nap (~1 hour)
7:30pm - bed time
Tips for implementing your 11 month old nap schedule
To customize this nap schedule for your baby and family, I recommend deciding on what time you want to start your (baby’s!) day. You can then build the rest of the schedule based on the preferred morning wake time.
Total sleep needs in a 24 hour period for this age group is around 14 hours including both overnight sleep and naps
The “wake window”, or time between periods of sleep (ex: end of 1st nap to beginning of 2nd nap) is typically around 3 to 4 hours for an 11 month old
Be sure the timing of nap #2 is not too late in the day, even if this means waking baby up from their nap. If nap #2 gets too close to bedtime (i.e. closer than the 3 hour recommended wake window), baby may have trouble falling asleep at bedtime.
It’s great to start with a target 11 month old nap schedule, but watching for your baby’s tired cues can really help you time the naps perfectly for when your baby is most ready for sleep. Read our full article on learning to understand baby’s cues here.
If you haven’t done so yet, 11 months old is a great time to implement a bedtime routine. From a developmental perspective, 11 month old babies are able to recognize patterns and will definitely benefit from the consistency and familiarity. This can eventually become a positive sleep association to a great nap or night of sleep.
Wishing you and your 11 month old all the sweetest dreams as you implement your 11 month old nap schedule!
