the ideal 8 month old nap schedule
In this article, I’ll share a sample 8 month old nap schedule, tips for implementing the nap schedule with your baby, and common issues tied to developmental milestones that may impact baby sleep at 8 months old. As a pediatric sleep consultant and also a mom of four great sleepers, I’ll share what has worked great for me personally as a mom and also the schedule and tips I use with my clients.
8 Month Old Nap Schedule
baby development at 8 months old
Before we jump right into sleep schedules (don’t worry, we’ll get there!), let’s take a moment to understand a few of the key developmental milestones that baby is going through around 8 months of age. Your little one is becoming quite the busy-body! These milestones can definitely have an impact on your baby’s sleep. Here are some milestones that are typically seen around 8 months of age:
Gross Motor Skills Development
8 month old babies are VERY busy physically! Your little one can likely roll easily both ways, sit comfortably without assistance, likely has started trying to rock back and forth on all fours, and may have started trying to scoot or crawl. Early crawlers might already be on the move at 8 months old, and some may even start attempting to pull themselves up on the side of their crib (be sure to lower the crib to a safe level if this is the case!). Babies love to practice their new motor skills—and that practice sometimes happens in their crib when they’re supposed to be sleeping.
Communication Skills Development
Around 8 months, your baby’s communication skills are exploding. You may be noticing them starting to use more sounds, new facial expressions, and gestures along with plenty of sweet baby laughs. Your baby is getting better at using these methods of communication to get your attention and let you know what they want. Two-way communication is also becoming more common and frequent around 8 months of age as baby begins engaging in more “conversation” with you. This includes being able to make different inflections depending on their mood. Your baby very well might let you know when they are not happy with you for leaving their room, and they often wake up from sleep babbling with different vowel and consonant sounds.
Naturally, the exact timing of these milestones can be different, but it’s important for parents to know that all of this development can have an impact on your 8 month old baby’s sleep. Disrupted sleep, even for babies who have been great sleepers up to this point, is not uncommon when baby is going through significant physical and mental development. Even so, these disruptions are most commonly short-lived as baby becomes used to their new skills and abilities.
typical baby sleep needs at 8 months old
It’s helpful to know what you can expect for an 8 month old baby based on their age and development. Of course, individual babies can be different—but thankfully, baby sleep is more likely to be more predictable by 8 months old, and a schedule is very feasible.
Most 8 month old babies need about 14-14.5 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period, which includes both overnight sleep and naps. Overnight sleep usually makes up 11-12 hours of that sleep time.
Most 8 month old babies have a maximum wake time (also sometimes called a “wake window”) of about 3 hours. You will recognize the end of the wake window because baby will become fussy and show signs of tiredness (see our full article on learning to recognize your baby’s cues here). The maximum wake time is measured from the end of one period of sleep to the start of the next (ex: end of 1st nap to beginning of 2nd).
Most 8 month old babies have either 2 or 3 naps at this age; some may have already dropped from 3 naps down to 2, while others still have 3 naps and will drop down to 2 in the coming months
8 month old nap schedule
This is what a typical daily sleep schedule might look like for an 8 month old baby. Keep in mind that the schedule can vary depending on the family’s schedule (ex: preferred morning wake time) and rhythms. You can adjust the morning wake up and bed times based on the needs of other family members or work schedules. Be sure to take a look at the tips below to help optimize your baby’s sleep schedule at 8 months old.
7:00am - morning wake up
10:00am - nap #1 - morning nap (1.5 hrs)
3:00pm - nap #2 - afternoon nap (~1 hour)
7:00pm - bed time
tips for implementing your 8 month old nap schedule
One of the first things you should do is customize this nap schedule for your baby by deciding what time you want to start your baby’s day with the morning wake up time. You can then build the rest of the schedule from there. Different families’ schedules might look very different based on work schedules, other sibilings’ schedules, or other preferences.
If your 8 month old is still having a 3rd nap each day, this is likely a very short catnap (approximately 3o-45 minutes) in the late afternoon. It is best to be sure that this third nap is not too close to bedtime—that might lead to baby having a difficult time going to sleep at your bed time. Even if it means you have to wake baby up from their last nap, I would try to keep 3 hours between the end of the third nap and your desired bedtime.
While I’m a huge advocate for having a sleep schedule and game plan (it’s literally how I survive as a mom of 4 young kids!), it’s also important to watch for your baby’s tired cues. This can help you time naps so that you’re putting baby down when they’re ready for sleep and most likely to have a good nap—at the first sign of tiredness. Read our full article on learning to recognize your baby’s cues. Following your baby’s cues combined with a nap schedule is very powerful for helping optimize your baby’s sleep and ensure they are well rested.
8 months old is a great time to implement a bedtime routine if you haven’t done so already. Babies at this age are able to recognize patterns, and the consistency and familiarity of a simple bedtime routine will becoming a positive sleep association that prepares them for great sleep.
Sweet dreams to you and your 8 month old little one!