11 Month Old Sleep Schedule: Wake Windows, Naps and a Daily Routine
Our sleep guidance is independently endorsed by Harvard sleep neurophysiologist Dr Kate Johnson, Ph.D.
Eleven months. Their first birthday is in sight, and your baby suddenly seems so grown up. They may be cruising, standing alone, taking first wobbly steps and saying their first words. It is a wonderful stage, and it can also be the moment sleep starts to unravel: the morning nap gets refused, bedtime turns into a standing party in the cot and you start to wonder whether they need just one nap now. If that is where you are, you have not done anything wrong. For a full overview of how sleep changes from newborn to toddler, see our baby sleep schedule guide.
The good news is that most 11 month olds are still very capable of long, settled nights and two good naps. With the right timing and a calm, consistent way of getting to sleep, the wobbles usually pass.
11 Month Old Sleep Schedule Guidelines
At 11 months, most babies sleep around 13.5 to 14 hours in 24 hours. That usually looks like:
- Night sleep: around 11 to 12 hours, and most babies no longer need a night feed
- Day sleep: around 2 to 2.5 hours, over 2 naps
- Wake windows: around 2.25 to 3.5 hours between sleeps, with 3.5 hours as the upper limit, and a longer stretch before bed
- Bedtime: between 6:30pm and 7:00pm
These are averages, and every baby sits a little differently within them. The Little Ones® Sleep App builds your baby’s exact daily rhythm from their age and the sleep you track, and adjusts it as they grow, so you are not left guessing on the hard days.
In this article:
- Wake windows for an 11 month old
- How many hours should an 11 month old sleep?
- How many naps should an 11 month old have?
- Is my 11 month old ready for one nap?
- Sample 11 month old sleep schedule and routine
- Night sleep for an 11 month old
- Is there an 11 month sleep regression?
- How can I improve my baby’s naps and night sleep?
- Bedtime and bedtime routine for an 11 month old
- Why is my 11 month old fighting sleep?
- Safe sleep at 11 months
- Tips for smoother 11 month old sleep
- Key takeaways
- Frequently asked questions
Wake Windows for an 11 Month Old
A wake window is how long your baby can comfortably stay awake between sleeps. Most 11 month olds do well with wake windows of around 2.25 to 3.5 hours. The top of that range is an upper limit, not a target. It is the point by which your baby should already be asleep, and plenty of babies are ready before it.
Wake windows are not the same length all day. At 11 months the pattern usually looks like this:
- Morning window: from waking to the short morning nap
- Middle window: between the two naps, often a little shorter than the morning window
- Afternoon window: the longest stretch of the day, from the end of the lunchtime nap to bedtime
Wake windows build sleep pressure, the natural drive to sleep that helps your baby settle easily:
- Too short, and your baby is not tired enough. You may see the morning nap refused, a lot of standing and chatting in the cot, or a lunchtime nap that ends early.
- Too long, and your baby tips into overtiredness. At 11 months that usually looks like extra energy rather than yawning: bouncing, babbling and a second wind at bedtime.
The right window shifts with teething, new skills, a short nap or a rough night. Rather than watching the clock all day, the Little Ones® Sleep App works out each wake window for your baby and tells you when the next sleep is due. You can read more about wake windows by age in our full guide.
How Many Hours Should an 11 Month Old Sleep?
Most 11 month olds need around 13.5 to 14 hours of sleep in 24 hours. That is usually around 11 to 12 hours overnight and around 2 to 2.5 hours of daytime sleep across 2 naps. This sits within the 12 to 16 hours recommended for babies aged 4 to 12 months by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Some babies need a little more and some a little less. If your baby wakes happy, naps fairly easily and is content between sleeps, their sleeping hours are probably about right. If naps are short and nights are broken, the balance between day sleep and awake time is usually the first thing to look at.
How Many Naps Should an 11 Month Old Have?
Most 11 month olds still need 2 naps a day, with a short nap, long nap structure:
- Morning nap: short, often only around 10 to 20 minutes by now
- Lunchtime nap: the long one, ideally around 2 hours
The short morning nap takes the edge off so your baby is not overtired by lunchtime, and the long lunchtime nap carries them through to bedtime. If the morning nap starts to run long, gently wake your baby so the lunchtime nap stays strong.
How long should an 11 month old nap?
A typical 11 month old naps for around 2 to 2.5 hours in total: a short morning nap of around 10 to 20 minutes and a lunchtime nap of around 2 hours.
Is My 11 Month Old Ready for One Nap?
This is one of the most common questions we hear at 11 months, and for most babies the answer is not yet. Most babies move to one nap somewhere between 13 and 18 months. Dropping to one nap too early is one of the most common causes of overtiredness, early waking and new night wakes.
At 11 months, refusing the morning nap is often a short phase driven by new skills, teething or a wake window that has crept a little short. Before you drop a nap, look for these signs over two weeks or more, not a few days:
- Your baby regularly refuses the morning nap, even when it is well timed
- They cope well through the morning without becoming overtired
- The lunchtime nap and night sleep stay settled
If your baby is fighting the morning nap, keep offering it. A short sleep, or even quiet time in the cot, protects the rest of the day. Our guide to when babies drop to one nap explains the signs and how to make the move when the time comes, and the Little Ones® Sleep App guides you through the transition step by step.
Sample 11 Month Old Sleep Schedule and Daily Routine
Here is an example of a daily routine for an 11 month old who wakes at 7am, built around 2 naps. Use it as a starting point, not a rule book. If your baby wakes earlier or later, shift the whole day to match.
Text Version of 11 Month Old Sleep Schedule
| Time | What is happening |
|---|---|
| 7:00 am | Wake for the day and milk feed, then breakfast |
| 9:30 am | Nap 1: short morning nap |
| 12:30 pm | Nap 2: long lunchtime nap, around 2 hours |
| 6:30 pm | Bedtime routine and last milk feed |
| 7:00 pm | Asleep for the night |
This gives around 2.25 hours of day sleep and a 12 hour overnight sleep opportunity. The afternoon is the longest stretch of the day, so if your baby had a short lunchtime nap, bring bedtime earlier.
11 month old sleep and feeding schedule
At 11 months, most babies have milk on waking and before bed, three meals of solids a day, and a snack or milk feed mid-morning and mid-afternoon. A baby who eats well during the day is far more likely to sleep well overnight. A few simple habits help:
- Offer breakfast soon after the morning milk feed, well before the morning nap.
- Give lunch before the lunchtime nap so your baby goes down with a full tummy.
- Keep dinner early enough that the bedtime routine feels calm rather than rushed.
- If your baby is still waking to feed overnight, more food and milk during the day is often the first change to try.
If you are unsure how much your baby needs, check with your child health nurse, health visitor or GP.
Real days rarely run like a table. A short nap, a busy weekend or a rough night can throw everything out. The Little Ones® Sleep App rebuilds the rest of your baby’s day in real time when a nap runs short or long, so you always know what comes next.
“Nicky and Amanda have written scientifically informed, yet easy to read programs that cover all the major areas of concern for new parents - sleep, feeding and settling and, importantly, how these interact with one another. Finding this balance can be tricky and these programs take the guesswork out of it.”
Dr Kate Johnson, Ph.D. in Sleep Physiology, Harvard Medical School and Stanford Research Institute
Dr Kate Johnson is a sleep neurophysiologist with a Ph.D. in Sleep Physiology from the University of Melbourne and postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard Medical School and Stanford Research Institute. She discovered Little Ones® independently through her clinical work with families and endorses our methods unprompted. Read her full endorsement.
Night Sleep for an 11 Month Old
At 11 months, most babies need around 11 to 12 hours of sleep overnight, and most can sleep through the night without a feed, provided they are getting enough milk and solids during the day. Brief wakes where your baby resettles on their own are completely normal.
If your 11 month old is not sleeping through the night, it is exhausting, and you are not alone. The usual reasons at this age are:
- A day that is out of balance, often from dropping the morning nap too early
- Needing the same help to fall back asleep at every wake, like a feed, rock or dummy (sleep associations)
- Standing, cruising and first steps, which babies love to practise overnight
- Separation anxiety
- Teething, illness or not enough food during the day
Our guide to night waking causes and expectations by age explains what is normal and how to work out what is behind your baby’s wake-ups.
“I started using the program when my son was around 9 weeks old and it made such a difference to his sleep. I also felt more confidence as a first time mum as I had a schedule to follow and didn’t feel like I was winging it anymore. Highly recommend.”
Jemma dm, first-time mum to a son. 5 Star App Store review.
Is There an 11 Month Sleep Regression?
Lots of parents notice sleep getting harder around 11 months, and it is very real, even though it is not a separate regression of its own. Standing alone, first steps, first words, separation anxiety and teething can all land at once, and a baby who suddenly refuses the morning nap often ends up overtired. The result can look like short naps, standing in the cot and night wakes you thought were behind you.
It usually passes within a few weeks, especially when you keep 2 naps and stay consistent with settling. Our sleep regressions guide explains every regression by age, what causes them and how long they last.
How Can I Improve My Baby’s Naps and Night Sleep?
Start with the day. When wake windows, nap lengths and bedtime fit your baby, naps lengthen and nights usually follow. If the morning nap is running long, or has been dropped too soon, a small adjustment often makes a big difference. Then look at how your baby falls asleep.
Babies who can fall asleep on their own are much more likely to link one sleep cycle to the next, day and night. Self-settling does not mean leaving your baby to cry alone. You can stay close, comfort them and step back gradually as they learn.
Sleep training an 11 month old
Many families start sleep training before the first birthday, once night feeds are no longer needed and the day is settled on 2 naps. There is no single right way to do it, and gentle approaches work well at this age. Our guide to sleep training and when to start explains the options, and these signs your baby is ready help you decide.
The Little Ones® Sleep App walks you through more gentle settling methods than any other app, matched to your baby’s age and how they currently fall asleep. And if you would like someone in your corner, you can add one-on-one support from a Little Ones® sleep consultant.
Bedtime and Bedtime Routine for an 11 Month Old
Most 11 month olds have a sweet spot bedtime between 6:30pm and 7:00pm, depending on how long their naps were and when the lunchtime nap ended. After a short lunchtime nap, go for the earlier end. Later bedtimes rarely mean a later wake-up. More often they lead to overtiredness, harder settling and more night waking.
A consistent bedtime routine is one of your strongest supports at this age. It tells your baby: this is the sequence, now we are winding down, now it is sleep time. A simple routine of 20 to 30 minutes might include:
- A bath or warm wash
- Pyjamas and sleeping bag
- A final milk feed
- A story or two
- A song or lullaby
- Cuddles, then into the cot awake
Putting your baby down awake gives them the chance to practise falling asleep on their own, which helps them through all the changes coming up in the toddler months.
Why Is My 11 Month Old Fighting Sleep?
If your baby has started protesting at nap time or bedtime, you are far from alone. At 11 months there is so much to practise and so much to see.
Standing, cruising and first steps
Many 11 month olds would rather practise standing and cruising than lie down. Give lots of floor time during the day, and at sleep time calmly lay them back down a few times without turning it into a game.
Separation anxiety
Many 11 month olds become upset when you leave the room. It is a sign of a healthy attachment, not a problem you have caused. A predictable routine, plenty of connection during the day and a confident, loving goodnight help your baby feel safe. Our guide to separation anxiety in babies has more ideas.
Nap resistance
Refusing a nap often means your baby is not quite tired enough or has become overtired. Look at the wake window before the nap first, and give any change a week or two before deciding they are ready for one nap.
My 11 month old won’t sleep unless held
If your baby will only fall asleep in your arms, you are in very good company. It often starts as the thing that worked during a rough patch. If it is no longer working for you, gently teaching your baby to fall asleep in the cot helps them link sleep cycles on their own. If your baby is sleeping in your bed and you would like that to change, our step-by-step guide to stopping co-sleeping walks you through it.
Early morning waking
Waking before 6am is usually linked to the day before: too much or too little day sleep, a bedtime that does not fit or light creeping into the room. Our guide to early waking walks through each cause.
Safe Sleep at 11 Months
Before any sleep schedule, settling method or routine, the foundation is always safe sleep. Place your baby on their back, on a firm flat mattress in a clear cot, and follow safer sleep guidance from Red Nose (AU/NZ), The Lullaby Trust (UK) and the AAP (US). See our full Safe Sleep Guidelines for region-specific resources, and our guide to setting up the ideal sleep environment.
Can my 11 month old sleep on their stomach?
Keep putting your baby down on their back for every sleep. Once your baby can roll confidently from back to front and back again on their own, it is fine to let them stay in the position they find.
Keeping the cot safe for a climber
Standing and cruising soon lead to climbing. Make sure the cot mattress is at its lowest setting and keep the cot clear of anything they could stand on, including large toys and bumpers.
Tips for Smoother 11 Month Old Sleep
- Keep morning wake-up time fairly consistent, even after a rough night.
- Hold on to 2 naps, with a short morning nap and a long lunchtime nap.
- Watch wake windows so your baby is tired, but not overtired, at each sleep.
- Bring bedtime earlier after a short lunchtime nap.
- Give plenty of floor time so standing, cruising and first steps get practised in the day, not the cot.
- Use the same short wind-down before every nap and bedtime.
- Keep night wakes calm, dark and boring so day and night feel different.
- Be flexible during illness, teething and big developmental leaps, then go back to the rhythm.
“Little Ones® is honestly my bible for whenever someone close to me has a new baby. The program helped me to get both my children (now 7 and 2) to sleep through the night at as young as 2 months old. It’s honestly my flex when my friends tell me how tired they are because they were up with the baby. Not me! And this is why, and I show them the app. Absolute game changer!”
Taleisha, mum to two (7 and 2). Google Play review.
Key Takeaways: 11 Month Old Sleep Schedule
- Total sleep: around 13.5 to 14 hours in 24 hours.
- Naps: 2 a day, a short morning nap and a long lunchtime nap, adding up to around 2 to 2.5 hours.
- Wake windows: around 2.25 to 3.5 hours, with 3.5 hours as the upper limit, and a longer stretch before bed.
- Bedtime: between 6:30pm and 7:00pm.
- Night feeds: most babies no longer need one.
- One nap? Not yet for most babies. Most move to one nap between 13 and 18 months.
If your baby has only just turned 11 months, our 10 month old sleep schedule shows where they have come from. As their first birthday arrives, our 12 month old sleep schedule covers what changes next.
And if you are tired of guessing, the Little Ones® Sleep App gives you an age-matched daily schedule, sleep tracking and step-by-step settling support, trusted by 1 Million+ families.
Frequently Asked Questions About 11 Month Old Sleep
How long should an 11 month old be awake between naps?
Most 11 month olds do well with around 2.25 to 3.5 hours awake between sleeps, with a longer stretch before bed. The top end is an upper limit rather than a target, and many babies are ready for sleep sooner. The Little Ones® Sleep App sets your baby’s wake windows for their exact age and adjusts them using the sleep you track.
How many hours should an 11 month old sleep?
Most 11 month olds sleep around 13.5 to 14 hours in 24 hours, including around 11 to 12 hours overnight and around 2 to 2.5 hours of daytime sleep. That sits within the 12 to 16 hours recommended for babies aged 4 to 12 months by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
How many naps should an 11 month old take?
Most 11 month olds take 2 naps a day: a short morning nap and a long lunchtime nap of around 2 hours.
How long should an 11 month old nap?
A typical 11 month old naps for around 2 to 2.5 hours in total, usually a short morning nap of around 10 to 20 minutes and a lunchtime nap of around 2 hours.
Is my 11 month old ready for one nap?
Most babies are not ready for one nap until somewhere between 13 and 18 months. Morning nap refusal at 11 months is often a short phase. Look for consistent signs over two weeks or more before dropping a nap, and keep offering a short morning nap in the meantime.
What time should an 11 month old go to bed?
Most 11 month olds do well with a bedtime between 6:30pm and 7:00pm. The best time depends on when the lunchtime nap ended. After a short nap, an earlier bedtime helps prevent overtiredness.
Why is my 11 month old not sleeping through the night?
The most common reasons are a day that is out of balance (often from dropping the morning nap too soon), needing the same help to fall back asleep at every wake, new skills like standing and first steps, separation anxiety, teething or not enough food during the day. Start with naps, wake windows and bedtime, then look at how your baby falls asleep.
Is there an 11 month sleep regression?
Many babies have a patch of unsettled sleep around 11 months, driven by new skills, separation anxiety, teething and morning nap refusal. It is not a separate regression of its own, and it usually passes within a few weeks with 2 naps and consistent settling.
Is 11 months a good age for sleep training?
Many families start sleep training before the first birthday, once day sleep is settled on 2 naps and night feeds are no longer needed. Sleep training does not have to mean leaving your baby to cry. The Little Ones® Sleep App matches a gentle settling method to your baby’s age and how they currently fall asleep.
Bibliography
The sleep needs, nap patterns and safe sleep guidance in this article draw on peer-reviewed research into infant sleep, international health guidelines and the clinical experience behind the Little Ones® Sleep App.
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