12-Month-Old Sleep Schedule: Best Sleep Patterns for Your 1-Year-Old

First and foremost, welcome to toddlerhood. Can you believe that your baby is already 12-months-old? Time flies, so cherish every moment whether it’s easy or hard. You’ve probably noticed many changes in your new toddler - baby fat disappearing, new big emotions, changes in their eating habits, the list goes on - and it doesn’t stop with their sleep. As your baby gets older, their brain and body continue developing and sleep schedules can start to change. Just like any of the many changes your little one will experience, you may be left with some questions about their new sleep needs and habits. So what should a 12-month-old sleep schedule entail? And, how do you overcome 12-month sleep regression? Keep reading to find out.

What is the best sleep schedule for a 12-month-old?

As a growing toddler, your 12-month-old should be sleeping about 13.25 hours per day. In terms of a schedule, the 13.25 hours should be split into 11-12 hours during the night and 2-3 hours worth of nap time during the course of two naps per day. A 12-month-old should have wake times of 3.25 to 4 hours between periods of sleep. Just like adults, every toddler is different and their schedules may differ slightly. Additionally, their sleep schedules may be continually changing; as long as they’re getting enough sleep to support their rapid growth and development, variations of a “normal” sleep schedule are probably okay. Always double-check with your pediatrician if you’re unsure about how much sleep your little one needs.

What happens when a 12-month-old doesn’t get enough sleep?

Think of your 12-month-old’s sleep needs like a bank account. Toddlers need constant “deposits” to their “sleep bank” in order to grow bigger, stay healthy, and quite frankly, to not be cranky little handfuls. If that “account” becomes overdrawn due to lack of sleep, your little may not have the energy they need to thrive.

While everybody needs sufficient sleep in order to stay happy and healthy, it is astronomically more important for babies and toddlers. As adults, we’ll grab a cup of coffee or caffeinated tea and make do with whatever sleep we can get (we all made it through those sleepless nights with newborns mostly unscathed), toddlers experience such rapid growth and development that sufficient sleep is crucial. To put it simply (kind of), there is a growth hormone called somatotropin that is released throughout the day. In babies and toddlers, 80% of this hormone is released while they sleep. (1) Without sleep, their growth and development is literally restricted.

How do you get a 12-month-old baby on a sleep schedule?

The key to getting a baby on a sleep schedule for 12 months old is to put them down at the same time every day. If they are resistant to sleep, there are things you can do to relax them which we will go into in further detail later in the article. Once they get used to their schedule, they should start feeling tired at certain times of the day making it easier to maintain a routine. Consistency is key for schedules for both babies and adults. Of course, life doesn’t always go as planned and it may be difficult to maintain that schedule every single day. Keeping things as consistent as possible on the days that you can control may make it more likely that your little one will catch a stroller nap while at a poorly timed appointment or during whatever curve ball life has thrown during nap time. As long as they are in a safe sleep space, it doesn’t matter where they catch those ZZZs.

Is there a 12-month sleep regression?

Sleep regression can occur at any age starting around 4 months going to the 2-year mark and it can greatly interfere with a 12-month-old sleep schedule. The condition occurs when the baby starts to hit developmental milestones. At 12 months, sleep regression is often associated with:

Teething
The baby starting to walk and talk
Changing sleep needs
Nightmares
Greater awareness of the world around them
Separation anxiety

Babies going through sleep regression will likely fuss and cry resisting sleep during naptime and bedtime.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce sleep regression, such as:

#1. Stay on schedule: If your baby is not going down for naps and bedtimes, you may consider switching up sleep times. However, this is not recommended. While you can shift your timing, anything too dramatic is not advisable. It’s best to stick to the plan and allow your baby to adjust.

#2. Leave the baby in its crib: Parents may be tempted to pick their child up if it is crying. However, most experts recommend moving towards the self-soothing, cry it out method. Not only will this get the baby used to quieting itself at bedtime, but it also will keep them from encountering distractions that promote wakefulness and interfere with a sleep schedule for a 12-month-old.

#3. Take action to soothe teething pain: If you think your child may be wakeful due to teething, you can relieve pain by giving him or her a cold toy to chew on or by administering a gel or medication.

#4. Promote a soothing atmosphere in the bedroom: Make your child’s bedroom environment relaxing by keeping it dark. White noise machines can also help soothe your baby to sleep.

#5. Use a weighted sleep sack or swaddle: Weighted sleep sacks and swaddles can help calm your baby before bed. It can also let them know bedtime is coming. They will feel comforted from the sleep sack or swaddle which can help you overcome regression and get your baby to sleep.

What time should a 12-month-old go to bed?

The bedtime you set for your baby may vary according to what works for your family, but you should aim for something in the ballpark of 7:00 PM.

Here’s an example of a sleep schedule 12-month-old that may work for parents:

Baby wakes up at 6:30 AM
Baby’s first nap from 9:45 – 10:45 AM
Baby’s second nap from 2:15 – 3:15 PM
Baby goes to sleep at 7:15 PM

How long should a 12 month old sleep?

As stated above, ideally 12 month olds should be sleeping about 13.25 hours per day. This may look more like 12 hours one day and 14 the next, but that’s normal. These are simply guidelines, and some toddlers may need slightly more or less sleep in order to be fully rested. These needs may change on a daily basis as they reach new milestones, hit growth spurts, etc. Always pay attention to your little one’s behavior and sleep cues to determine if they are getting enough sleep - or if a longer nap is called for. Signs of getting the necessary amount of sleep may look like: waking up without too much grogginess, staying alert and active during their wake periods, and being in a good mood - at least most of the time.

How much nighttime sleep for a 12-month-old?

We mentioned earlier that 12-month-olds should aim to sleep 11-12 hours per night. This does not include any wake-ups. If your toddler is still waking at night, first off, that’s totally normal (though it can be a pain). Luckily, there are a few tips and tricks to reducing night time wake-ups!

Weighted sleep sacks: Our Dream Weighted Sleep Sack is designed to help your baby feel calm, fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer. The sack features our exclusive CoverCalm® Technology, evenly distributed weight from your baby’s shoulders to toes to naturally reduce stress and give your baby the feeling of security and comfort - just like a hug.
Blackout curtains: The world around us can be overstimulating, especially for toddlers and babies. Blackout curtains greatly reduce the amount of light let in through windows, allowing for a more restful slumber.
Sound machine: Similarly effective against external stimulation, a sound machine can block siblings fighting, neighbors honking, or dad listening to the game on a high volume. That way baby can sleep peacefully throughout the night and into the morning.

Achieving those 11-12 hours of sleep per night isn’t always easy and each night may look a little different, staying consistent with a schedule and incorporating some of the above tips can help!

How much daytime sleep for a 12-month-old?

Getting the 2-3 hours of recommended day time sleep for a 12-month-old can sometimes be even harder than catching up on those nighttime ZZZs. With so much going on in the world around them, many toddlers hate to feel like they’re missing anything during nap time! Try incorporating some of the same tips discussed above to squeeze those daytime sleep hours in for your 12-month-old.

How many naps should a 12-month-old take?

A 12-month-old should take two naps each day in accordance with the schedule listed above. Ideally, those naps will be at least 60 minutes long. This gives your baby’s body enough time to enter REM sleep and begin pumping out that growth hormone we talked about earlier. These naps may be better received if your toddler has 3.5-4 hours of active awake and play time between them. (2)

What are the signs that a 12-month-old is ready to transition to 1 nap?

Most babies transition to a one nap schedule at around 14 -18 months of age. However, some will begin needing less sleep around the 12-month mark.

You can tell your baby is ready to transition if he or she is:

Resisting naps
Skipping naps
Taking shorter naps
Waking early, going to sleep later, or waking up during the night

If your baby is exhibiting this behavior and seems well rested throughout the day, you should begin transitioning to a one nap schedule.

If your child attends daycare during the day, it is common for care providers to schedule just one nap period per day for 12 month olds. If this seems to be disruptive to your child’s sleep needs, you can try moving bed time up a little bit earlier to make-up some of that sleep deficit.

What should parents expect in the next stage of sleep?

While it’s difficult to target the exact age when children will need less sleep, you should see signs of increased wakefulness between the 1- and 2-year mark. Parents are advised to adjust to their child’s behaviors when it comes to creating a new sleep schedule. Eventually, you will be able to rework your routine accordingly. Trust your parental instincts and assess your child’s sleep needs, behaviors, and mood to hone in on when their sleep schedule may need adjusting. It can feel like a struggle to both “go with the flow” and maintain consistency simultaneously, but you got this!

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Tips for 12-month-old sleep schedules:

Here are some tips for keeping your child on their sleep schedule 12-month-old:

Stick to your routine:

Avoid feeding your child too close to bedtimes
Engage your baby in relaxing activities before bedtime such as reading or bathing
Keep your child active throughout the day so they are tired when it’s time to sleep
Give them a stuffed toy at bedtime
Use a weighted sleep sack, swaddle, or blanket

Some babies are fussier than others. Whether your baby has been fussy since the beginning or is showing signs of new behavior, trust us when we say a weighted sleep sack, swaddle, or blanket can be your saving grace. Ensuring your baby gets a full night of sleep (and goes down easy) is important for their health, and yours too. It wasn’t until baby #4 that Tara Williams struggled with getting her baby to sleep and keeping him asleep. After trying what felt like everything, she took matters into her own hands and Dreamland was born.

Dreamland’s mission is to use the highest quality materials and adhere to stringent safety standards to craft weighted sleep solutions that help babies feel calm, fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Dreamland offers a Weighted Sleep Sack, Weighted Swaddle, and Weighted Blanket, all featuring our CoverCalm Technology that evenly distributes weight from your baby’s shoulders to toes to naturally reduce stress and increase relaxation. Dreamland can make putting your baby to sleep a breeze, thus making it easier to get on a consistent schedule.

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