Most babies sleep longer with an earlier bedtime. Many parents are afraid to put their baby to bed so early, thinking that they will then face a 5 a.m. wake up call. But keeping your little one up too late backfires, and more often, a late night is the one followed by that early morning awakening.
Bedtime in newborns is naturally late, usually around 9:00pm or later, but it is important to start moving the bedtime earlier around 6/8 weeks. By 2 months, baby's last nap should be ending by 6:30pm.
To help your baby sleep until 7am, it's essential to develop a calming and predictable bedtime routine, such as bathing, reading a story, or singing a lullaby. This routine will signal to your baby that it's time to sleep and make the transition to bedtime more comfortable.
Newborns (0 - 3.5 months) - 7:30-9:30pm (later because newborn sleep cycles aren't yet in place and circadian rhythm isn't driving sleep) 3.5 - 6 months old - 7-8:30 pm. 6 - 12 months old - 6-8pm. 12 - 24 months old - 6:-7:30pm.
An ideal bedtime for a 3 month old baby is between 7:30 – 9:30 pm. This is based both on the developing circadian rhythm (or body clock) of a 3 month old and also fits in with the 9 – 11 hours of nighttime sleep needed.
It is usually best not to start an evening nap after 5-6 pm and – instead, move bedtime up a little during the transition phase. Most babies are sleeping about 3 hours total during the day at this point. By 18 months children drop down to one nap. This nap often occurs mid-day and may vary in length from 1-3 hours.
Don't be afraid of a 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. bedtime. This earlier bedtime can lead to a more consolidated night's sleep and therefore a later rising. Although it may seem counterintuitive, early bedtimes always translate into longer sleep periods at night.
Babies over 9 months of age should not sleep after 3.30 pm in the day. Older children should avoid naps after 3.30 pm as it can lead to a later bedtime.
Some babies also need a late-afternoon nap. You might aim to have your baby nap at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Let your baby nap for as long as he or she wants, unless your baby has difficulty falling asleep at night. If your baby is taking a third nap in the late afternoon, try to eliminate that nap around age 9 months.
Newborns follow an irregular schedule, but by six months, most children have developed a regular sleep-wake cycle influenced by daylight, or their circadian rhythm. A consistent, early bedtime is the only way to both honor that internal clock and make sure your child gets enough sleep.
so don't be afraid of an earlier bedtime. Find your child's “sleep sweet spot”, then stick to it – for babies younger than 12 weeks, bedtime should be around 9PM to 10PM. Babies older than 12 weeks do best with bedtime around 7PM to 8PM.
What time should a 3 month old go to bed? At this age, we start to see bedtimes shift earlier. Plan for bedtime to be 12 - 14 hours after waking for the day but no earlier than 6:00 PM. That means an optimal bedtime for a baby waking around 6:00 AM will be between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
Babies optimal sleep is between 6pm-8pm bedtime until 6am-8am waking in the morning.
You can start a bedtime routine whenever you're ready. It's never too early (or too late!) to start implementing a consistent bedtime routine with your baby or toddler.
In other words, expect bedtime to still vary at this age. While the start of night sleep should remain somewhat flexible, earlier bedtimes between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM are common. They can also ensure that your 4 month old gets enough sleep and remains well-rested.
Many four month olds do best with that 7 to 8 pm bedtime. However, some babies do hold on to a later bedtime just a bit longer. So please know, if your baby is thriving with a bedtime between 8 and 10 pm, there's no need to change anything yet.
Around 6 months you may notice a more predictable time that your baby gets tired or fussy at night. Often babies between 6-11 months old the ideal bedtime is between 7-7:30pm but wake up time and naps must be factored in.
School-age children should go to bed between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. Teens should try to go to bed between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. Adults should try to go to sleep between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m.
Most commonly, babies and toddlers naturally become drowsy between 7-8 pm, which is why this is the perfect window to get them into bed! Waiting until later in the evening will likely leave them overtired which can often cause a bedtime struggle.
Don't Allow Stimulating Activities Before Bed
Especially if your child has trouble falling asleep, it's usually best to stop stimulating activities, such as roughhousing, running around, playing video games, or watching TV, 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
Most will explain the Hour Rule to mean one hour in the crib. If your child falls asleep prior to that hour ending, then you get your child up the moment they wake. If they don't sleep at all for the full hour, you get them up at the hour. This is about the extent to the Hour Rule for most.
What is the 2,3,4 schedule? The 2,3,4 schedule for napping is pretty simple - two hours after your baby wakes for the day, you put them down for their first nap. Three hours after that nap ends, you put them down for their second nap. Then 4 hours after that 2nd nap ends, you'd put them down for bed.
Babies take their cues from you and what you do together; if you do the same thing each nap and bedtime, they'll start to realize it's time for sleep. Routines are how babies know day from night, and when to transition from one to the other.