6, 7 and 8 month old sleep schedule: wake windows and the 3-to-2 nap transition
6, 7, and 8 month old sleep schedules: exact wake windows (2 to 3.5 hours), how and when to drop from 3 naps to 2 naps, solids timing, and worked 7am routines.
Quick answer: Between 6 and 8 months of age, babies need 12 to 15 hours of total sleep per 24 hours: 10.5 to 11.5 hours overnight and 2.5 to 3.5 hours of daytime sleep. Most babies start month 6 on three naps (wake windows of 2 to 2.75 hours) and drop the third late-afternoon nap between 6.5 and 8 months, settling onto two predictable naps with a 2.5 / 3 / 3.25–3.5 hour wake-window rhythm.
2–3.5
Hours awake across 6–8 months
Starts at 2–2.75 hours on 3 naps (6 months) and stretches to 2.5–3.5 hours on 2 naps (7–8 months).
3 → 2
Naps per day (drops at 6.5–8 mo)
The third late-afternoon catnap disappears once Nap 1 and Nap 2 reliably pass 60 minutes.
2.5–3.5
Hours of total daytime nap sleep
Usually two 60–90 minute naps once the 2-nap schedule locks in.
12–16
Hours total sleep in 24 h (AASM)
Consensus range for infants 4 through 12 months.
A 6 to 8 month old sleep schedule revolves around one major milestone: dropping the third late-afternoon catnap and consolidating daytime sleep into two predictable, restorative naps. At the start of 6 months, most babies still need three naps with 2-to-2.75-hour wake windows; by 8 months, almost every baby has settled onto a two-nap rhythm that will carry them all the way through their first birthday.
Once a baby locks into two naps, family life gets noticeably easier—morning nap around 9:30 am, afternoon nap around 2:00 pm, and bedtime around 7:15 pm. Below are the exact numbers for 6, 7, and 8 months, side-by-side 3-nap and 2-nap clock schedules, and the step-by-step protocol for the 3-to-2 nap transition.
How do 6-month vs. 7-month vs. 8-month sleep schedules compare?
Comparing a 6-month sleep schedule versus a 7-month schedule versus an 8-month schedule shows how total daytime awake time stays around 9 to 9.5 hours even as the number of wake windows drops from four (around 3 naps) down to three (around 2 naps).
| Metric | 6 Months (3 naps) | 7 Months (3 → 2 nap transition) | 8 Months (2 naps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake windows (morning → bed) | 2 hr / 2.25 hr / 2.5 hr / 2.75 hr | 2.5 hr / 3 hr / 3–3.25 hr | 2.75–3 hr / 3–3.25 hr / 3.5 hr |
| Number of naps | 3 naps (Nap 3 is a 30m bridge) | 2 naps (or 2 naps + 15m micro-nap) | 2 naps |
| Target daytime sleep | 3–3.5 hours total | 2.75–3.25 hours total | 2.5–3 hours total |
| Target night sleep | 10.5–11.5 hours (0–1 night feed) | 11–11.5 hours (0–1 night feed) | 11–11.5 hours |
| Total 24-hour sleep (AASM) | 12–16 hours | 12–15.5 hours | 12–15 hours |
You can test these exact numbers against your baby’s morning wake time in our wake window calculator or compare all stages in our wake windows by age chart.
What does a worked 6-month (3-nap) schedule vs. 7–8 month (2-nap) schedule look like?
Here is how a 7:00 am wake-up plays out on a 6-month three-nap routine compared with a 7-to-8-month two-nap routine, including milk feeds and solid meals. For adjustable wake times, visit our sample sleep schedules page.
| Clock time | 6-Month 3-Nap Schedule (2 / 2.25 / 2.5 / 2.75) | 7–8 Month 2-Nap Schedule (2.75 / 3 / 3.5) |
|---|---|---|
| 07:00 am | Wake and milk feed #1 | Wake and milk feed #1 |
| 08:00 am | Breakfast solids (iron-rich purée or finger food) | 08:00 am: Breakfast solids |
| 09:00 am – 10:15 am | Nap 1 (75 minutes) | 09:45 am – 11:00 am: Nap 1 (75 minutes) |
| 10:15 am – 12:30 pm | Milk feed #2 and floor play | 11:00 am – 02:00 pm: Milk feed #2 (11:15 am), lunch solids (12:15 pm), outdoor walk |
| 12:30 pm – 01:45 pm | Nap 2 (75 minutes) | 02:00 pm – 03:30 pm: Nap 2 (90 minutes) |
| 01:45 pm – 04:15 pm | Milk feed #3, lunch solids (2:30 pm), play | 03:30 pm – 07:00 pm: Milk feed #3 (3:45 pm), dinner solids (5:15 pm), bath, bedtime milk #4 (6:30 pm) |
| 04:15 pm – 04:45 pm | Nap 3 (30-min catnap; wake by 4:45 pm) | 07:00 pm: Into cot awake for bedtime |
| 04:45 pm – 07:30 pm | Dinner solids (5:30 pm), bath, bedtime milk #4, asleep 7:30 pm | Overnight: 11 hours night sleep |
How do you know your baby is ready to drop from 3 naps to 2 naps?
Do not rush to drop the third nap at 5.5 months just because of one bad afternoon. Wait until you see at least two of these four signs for 5 to 7 days in a row between 6.5 and 8 months:
- The third nap gets fought or refused. You place your baby down at 4:15 pm and they babble, roll around, and refuse to sleep until 4:50 pm—or refuse the nap completely.
- Bedtime gets pushed past 8:00 pm. Fitting three wake windows plus three naps into the day forces bedtime past 8:00 pm, and your baby wakes up at 5:30 am with a short 9.5-hour night.
- Nap 1 and Nap 2 are consistently 60+ minutes long. Once your baby links daytime cycles (unlike the 35-minute naps of the 3 to 5 month old sleep schedule), two naps provide plenty of daytime sleep.
- New split nights or 5:00 am wakes appear. Too much daytime nap sleep or a short 2.25-hour pre-bedtime window after a late 3rd catnap steals sleep pressure from the night.
How do you execute the 3-to-2 nap transition in 10 days?
When you remove an entire nap from the day, total awake time temporarily drops from four windows (totalling ~9.5 hours) to three windows (2.5 + 3 + 3 = 8.5 hours). Bridging that 60-minute gap cleanly is the secret to a smooth transition:
- Stretch the morning wake window to 2.5 hours. Push Nap 1 from 9:00 am to 9:30 am by adding 10 minutes every 2 days, taking your baby outdoors for the final 15 minutes of the window.
- Aim for Nap 2 to start around 1:45 pm–2:00 pm. After a 3-hour second wake window, put your baby down in a pitch-dark room so Nap 2 runs until at least 3:00 pm–3:15 pm.
- Use a 6:15 pm–6:30 pm bedtime when Nap 2 ends before 2:45 pm. An early bedtime for the first 7 to 10 days makes up for the missing 3rd catnap without pushing the final wake window past 3.25 hours.
- Keep the 12-to-15-minute micro-nap in your pocket for emergencies. If Nap 1 and Nap 2 both collapse and Nap 2 ends at 1:45 pm, offer a strictly capped 15-minute assisted catnap (carrier, stroller, or cot) from 4:15 pm to 4:30 pm—just enough to take the edge off so your baby can reach a 7:15 pm bedtime after a shortened 2.5-to-2.75-hour final window.
- Expand windows to 2.75 / 3 / 3.25–3.5 hours by week two. Once your baby settles easily into the 2-nap rhythm, stretch the windows by 15 minutes so bedtime moves back to 7:00 pm–7:30 pm.
What causes the 8-month sleep regression (and how do you fix it)?
Many families hit a sudden wall of night wakings around 7.5 to 8.5 months—often called the 8-month sleep regression. Unlike the architectural shift at 4 months, disruption at 8 months is driven by three concrete triggers: lingering on a 3-nap schedule too long, learning to crawl and pull to stand in the cot, and object permanence (separation anxiety).
How do you handle standing in the cot and separation anxiety at 7 to 8 months?
If your 8-month-old pulls to stand against the cot rails and cries because they do not know how to sit back down, practice “the bum drop” 15 times every afternoon: let them pull up on the sofa, tap their hips gently, and guide them to bend their knees onto their bottom to reach a toy on the floor. Playing 5 minutes of daytime peek-a-boo in their bedroom also helps object permanence feel safe rather than alarming. ## How do solid meals and night weaning fit into a 6 to 8 month schedule?
Starting iron-rich solid foods around 6 months complements breastmilk or formula, which remains the primary calorie source across months 6, 7, and 8. Offer solid meals 30 to 45 minutes after a milk feed during the first and second wake windows so solids never displace milk intake or cause digestive discomfort right before bedtime.
Many healthy 6-to-8-month-olds who take 24 to 32 oz of milk plus two solid meals during daylight naturally drop down to zero or one early-morning feed (around 4:00 am). If you are ready to reduce habitual night wakings, review our sleep training methods compared guide or look ahead to our 9 to 12 month sleep schedule as your baby approaches month nine. All information on this page is educational and is not medical advice; consult your paediatrician for individual health, nutrition, or developmental guidance.
Questions
When do babies drop from 3 naps to 2 naps?
Most babies drop from 3 naps to 2 naps between 6.5 and 8 months of age (occasionally at 6 months for low-sleep-needs babies or 8.5 months for high-sleep-needs babies). The clearest signal is refusing the third late-afternoon catnap for 5 to 7 straight days while Nap 1 and Nap 2 are at least 60 minutes long.
What are the ideal wake windows for a 6-, 7-, and 8-month-old?
At 6 months (on 3 naps), wake windows run 2 / 2.25 / 2.5 / 2.5–2.75 hours. At 7 months (transitioning to 2 naps), windows expand to 2.5 / 3 / 3–3.25 hours. By 8 months (solidly on 2 naps), most babies thrive on 2.75–3 / 3–3.25 / 3.25–3.5 hours.
How do I survive the 3-to-2 nap transition without an overtired baby?
Use a temporary 6:15 pm to 6:30 pm bedtime on your first 2-nap days rather than stretching the final wake window to 4 hours right away. You can also alternate 2-nap days (when morning naps are long) and 3-nap days (with a 15-minute micro-nap at 4:30 pm when morning naps are short) for 1 to 2 weeks.
Why is my 8-month-old suddenly waking up crying at night or standing in the cot?
Around 8 months, two things collide: rapid gross-motor milestones (crawling, pulling to stand in the cot) and undertiredness if a baby is still on 3 naps or short 2.5-hour wake windows. Practice pulling to stand and sitting back down 20 times on the living-room rug by day, and stretch the pre-bedtime wake window to 3.25–3.5 hours.
Does starting solid foods at 6 months make babies sleep through the night?
Starting iron-rich solid foods at 6 months is essential for nutrition, but clinical studies show that adding rice cereal or purées right before bed does not magically stop night wakings. Offer solids 30 to 45 minutes after a milk feed during daytime wake windows, and avoid heavy new foods right before bed.
How many night feeds does a 6- to 8-month-old still need?
Many healthy, full-term babies who are gaining weight well and taking full milk feeds plus solids by day are physiologically capable of sleeping 10 to 11 hours with zero or one early-morning feed (around 3:30 am–4:30 am). Always check with your paediatrician before weaning the final night feed.
Sources
- Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: a consensus statementAmerican Academy of Sleep Medicine (Paruthi et al., J Clin Sleep Med, 2016)
- Normal sleep patterns in infants and children: a systematic review of observational studiesGalland et al., Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2012
- An overview of reviews for preventing and treating sleep problems in infantsReuter et al., Acta Paediatrica, 2022
This guide is educational and does not replace advice from your paediatrician, health visitor or midwife.