Siestita Guide
Baby naps: how many they need and how long they should last
Naps aren’t “bonus” rest: they’re half of a baby’s sleep and the foundation of good nights. The right amount depends almost entirely on age.
Nap chart by age
| Age | Naps | Length | Day sleep | Wake window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 4-6+ | 30 min - 2 h | 7–8 h | 45-60 min |
| 2 months | 4–5 | 30 min – 2 h | 6–7 h | 45–90 min |
| 3 months | 3–4 | 30 min – 1.5 h | 4–5 h | 1–2 h |
| 4 months | 3–4 | 30 min – 1.5 h | 3–4 h | 1.5–2.5 h |
| 5 months | 3 | 45 min – 1.5 h | 3–4 h | 2–3 h |
| 6 months | 3 | 45 min – 1.5 h | 3–3.5 h | 2.5–3 h |
| 7 months | 2–3 | 1 – 1.5 h | 2.5–3.5 h | 2.5–3.5 h |
| 8 months | 2 | 1 – 1.5 h | 2.5–3 h | 2.5–3.5 h |
| 9 months | 2 | 1 – 1.5 h | 2.5–3 h | 3–4 h |
| 10 months | 2 | 1 – 1.5 h | 2.5–3 h | 3–4 h |
| 11 months | 2 | 45 min – 1.5 h | 2–3 h | 3.5–4 h |
| 12 months | 2 (→1) | 45 min – 1.5 h | 2–3 h | 3.5–4.5 h |
| 15 months | 1–2 | 1 – 2.5 h | 2–3 h | 4–5 h |
| 18 months | 1 | 1.5 – 2.5 h | 1.5–2.5 h | 5–5.5 h |
| 2 years | 1 | 1 – 2 h | 1–2 h | 5–6 h |
Tap an age for its full guide with a realistic sample schedule.
Nap transitions
The moments when the schedule “breaks” almost always match one of these four transitions:
4 to 3 naps · 4–5 months
Windows stretch towards 2–2.5 hours and the fourth nap no longer fits the day. Usually the gentlest transition.
3 to 2 naps · 7–9 months
The third afternoon catnap starts pushing bedtime later. When you drop it, move bedtime earlier for a couple of weeks.
2 to 1 nap · 13–18 months
The trickiest one. The clear sign: sustained refusal of the morning or afternoon nap. Go gradual, pushing the morning nap to after lunch.
Goodbye to naps · 3–5 years
Most children drop the nap between ages 3 and 5. As long as they accept it and bedtime isn’t badly delayed, there’s no rush.
Keys to longer naps
- Nail the window: the number one cause of short naps is going down too early or too late. Check the wake windows by age.
- Darken the room: from 3–4 months, light competes with melatonin. Real darkness, not “blinds half down”.
- Soft white noise to muffle doorbells, roadworks and older siblings.
- A 3–5 minute mini nap routine (change, sleep sack, the usual phrase) signals what is coming.
- Wait a little at wake-up: if eyes open at 35–40 minutes, give it a few minutes before going in — many babies link another cycle.
If the problem is nights rather than naps, start with the “baby won’t sleep” guide, or check whether you’re in the middle of a sleep regression.