7 month old sleep schedule: Bedtime and nap schedule

Headed toward a nap transition? At , your baby may be getting ready to shift to 2 naps, although most continue to need 3 naps for another month or so. We’ll provide you with sample schedules and everything you need to know about your 7 month old’s sleep at this stage of development.

IN THIS ARTICLE:

How much should a 7 month old sleep?

Ideally, your 7 month old’s sleep schedule will allow for about 14 hours of total sleep in a 24-hour period, which is in line with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s recommendations [] for this age group.

Remember that the amount of sleep needed by babies can vary, and what is considered normal and healthy has a range. Don't fret about the numbers. The suggested hours are just a rough estimate, and it's equally important to monitor your child's mood and energy levels to make sure they are getting enough sleep.

We recommend aiming for 11 - 12 hours at night and 2.5 - 3 hours during the day, split over three naps. However, you may find that your baby’s nighttime sleep gets a bit shorter until they completely drop the third nap in the next month or two. This happens when a baby needs more awake time between sleep periods but isn’t quite ready to drop a nap — resulting in a later bedtime and shorter night’s slumber. 

[Note: for children who were born early, we go by their adjusted age for sleep development.]

Here's a quick overview of what you may expect when it comes to 7 month olds and sleep. Note that these figures are averages and should be used as guidelines.

Sample 7 month old sleep schedule

Note: Sleep needs vary by child, and this chart should be viewed as an example only.

• Morning rise: 7:00 AM

• Wake window before first nap: 2.25 hours

• First nap: 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM (1 hour nap)

• Wake window before second nap: 2.5 hours

• Second nap: 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM (1 hour nap)

• Wake window before third nap: 2.5 hours

• Third nap: 4:15 PM - 4:45 PM (30 minute nap)

• Get ready for bed: 7:00 PM

• Wake window before bedtime: 2.5 hours

• Asleep: 7:30 PM

Naptime schedule for 7 month old

How long should a 7 month old nap?

A typical nap schedule should allow for 2 - 3 hours of daytime sleep. Expect your baby to take 2 - 3 naps each day. Ideally, the first 2 (or only 2) naps of the day will be at least an hour long. For babies taking 3 naps, the last one is expected to be a shorter power nap of 30 - 45 minutes. Most 7 month old's wake windows are around 2.25 - 3.5 hours so baby is sufficiently tired before sleeping again.

How many naps for a 7 month old?

Most 7 month old babies need a day. However, it’s common to see nap resistance at this age, as babies continue to need longer wake times in order to build sufficient sleep pressure (this homeostatic sleep pressure [] helps ensure that a baby is tired enough to sleep well).

This tends to result in a lot of skipped third naps. As a result, your 7 month old’s nap schedule may not be as predictable as you would like.

Some babies will begin to transition to on the earlier side. We find that babies with strong independent sleeping skills tend to drop naps earlier. If this describes your baby, you’ll want to be on the lookout for signs of the next nap transition, which include a pattern of shorter naps, skipped naps, and/or less than 10 hours of nighttime sleep.

When your baby starts transitioning to a 2-nap schedule, they’ll likely toggle between some 2-nap days and some 3-nap days until they’re ready to drop that third nap fully.

2-nap schedule

3-nap schedule

Top sleep tips for your 7 month old

• Pay attention to wake windows. The is typically in the morning and the shortest, a little over 2 hours. The next wake window(s) between naps will increase over the course of the baby's day. The longest 7 month old's wake window is generally the one right before bed and might be around 2.75 - 3.5 hours, depending on if they took 2 or 3 naps.

• Create predictable bedtime and nap routines. A consistent sleep routine can help signal that it's time for sleep. In addition to making sure your baby is well fed with a clean diaper, your nighttime routine might include taking a bath, reading a book, or listening to relaxing music. The nap routine is typically a shorter version of the bedtime routine. 

• Offer 3 naps a few times per week. If your baby has transitioned to 2 naps and you’re suddenly seeing increased night waking (or early morning wakings), overtiredness may be to blame. Offer 3 naps two to three times per week to help “reset” their overtiredness and get them back on track.

• Teach sleep independence. Babies who are able to fall asleep without external help (such as patting, rocking, or feeding to sleep) can use those same skills to link sleep cycles during the night and after a short nap. In other words, babies who fall asleep on their own are more likely to sleep longer stretches.

• Keep the bedroom dark. Your 7 month old is probably very curious about the world, and this curiosity can make settling to sleep a challenge. A really dark bedroom can mean longer naps and later wakeups, especially when it’s light outside. If the room is too light, they can become distracted by their surroundings and fully awaken, while a dark room encourages them to link sleep cycles and fall back to sleep.

Sleep fact for 7 month old babies

The third nap can be really hard to get at this age, despite a parent’s best efforts. Instead of trying to stretch a tired baby to their regular bedtime, offer an earlier bedtime to help offset their overtiredness.

Is there a 7 month old sleep regression?

Contrary to common belief, there isn't evidence to suggest that every baby experiences a predefined sleep regression at a specific age.

However, we do notice distinct patterns within particular age ranges that can disrupt sleep for many children. While these are often referred to as "regressions," they are better understood as expected shifts in sleep patterns. We commonly see sleep challenges between 7 - 10 months, which is popular referred to as the "".

Bedtime for 7 month old

Ideally, your 7 month old will be getting 11 - 12 hours of sleep at night, so bedtime should be 12 - 13 hours after waking in the morning. That said, if your baby needs longer awake windows on the 3-nap schedule, they may only be able to sleep for 10 - 11 hours at night. In those cases, bedtime will be 13 - 14 after waking for the day.

Keep in mind that the timing of the last nap will impact bedtime as well. Since your baby needs at least 2.5 hours of awake time before bed, you’ll want to consider the timing of the last nap when planning bedtime. In some cases, it’s better to offer an earlier bedtime instead of a very late third nap (as that can diminish nighttime sleep).

What time should a 7 month old go to bed?

It’s common for babies to go to bed between 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM. However, the best bedtime for your baby depends on their morning rise time and the time their last nap ended.

Takeaway

• Most 7 month old babies will need around 14 hours of total sleep over a 24-hour period: 11 - 12 hours of sleep at night and 2.5 - 3 hours of daytime sleep.

• It's common for 7 month olds to continue napping 3 times a day, though some will drop to 2 naps on the earlier side. There might be a transition period where they toggle between some 2-nap days and some 3-nap days until they’re ready to drop that third nap fully.

• Most 7 month old's wake windows are around 2.25 - 3.5 hours so baby is sufficiently tired before sleeping again.

If you're curious about what lies ahead in the coming month, glimpse into the future to see what you might experience once your baby is on an . Also take a look at how far your little one has come by checking out a .