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How many naps do babies need by age? A month-by-month nap chart
Naps step down as babies grow. Find your baby's month in one chart: the usual number of naps, how long each one lasts and when the next transition tends to arrive.
General Information: General information only; it may vary from child to child. Talk to your doctor or a specialist before making decisions.
In short
- Naps step down with age: many and irregular in the early months, about two to three around 6 months, two by 9 to 12 months and usually one by 18 months.
- During the first year, 1 to 4 naps a day is common, each lasting 30 minutes to 2 hours, according to MedlinePlus.
- The short late-afternoon nap tends to disappear between 6 and 12 months; most toddlers then drop the morning nap.
- Countries publish different numbers, so the chart shows averages and a few weeks ahead or behind is normal.
Lumiya Editorial TeamBased on 8 sourcesOur editorial standards
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How many naps a baby needs depends on their age in months: in the early weeks, naps are frequent and irregular; around 6 months most babies take two to three; by 9 to 12 months, two is typical; and by about 18 months, most toddlers need just one.
These are averages, so your baby may run a few weeks ahead or behind.
How many naps should my baby take at this age?
Find your baby's age in the chart below. The ranges come from US and European pediatric sources; where a cell shows two numbers, the sources disagree for that age.
| Age | Naps per day | Each nap | What the day looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 months | Many, irregular | Varies | No day-night pattern yet |
| 4–6 months | 2–4 | 30 min–2 hrs | Naps become countable |
| 6–9 months | 2–3 | About 1–2 hrs | Morning and afternoon, sometimes a short late-afternoon nap |
| 9–12 months | 2 | 30 min–2 hrs | Morning and afternoon |
| 12–18 months | 2 → 1 | Varies | The morning nap shortens and fades |
| 18–36 months | 1 | About 1.5–2 hrs | Midday nap |
The daytime total shrinks too. France's official health portal Santé.fr charts two naps of 1 to 2 hours each between 6 months and 1 year, so roughly 2 to 4 hours of daytime sleep, and a single nap of about 2 hours at ages 2 to 3.
“My 5-month-old naps four times a day — is that too much?” The chart answers it: four naps still sits inside the 4–6 month range. If your baby fights every nap or only catnaps, our practical guide to daytime naps from 0 to 12 months walks through what helps.
When do babies go from three naps to two, and from two to one?
Nap transitions don't happen overnight; they stretch over a few weeks. The timeline shows the usual ages and how wide the normal window is.
Nap transitions
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No pattern yet
Naps are scattered across the day, and their number and length change from one day to the next.
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Three to two
The short late-afternoon nap drops off; the Netherlands Youth Institute says most babies nap about twice a day by around 9 months.
-
Two to one
The morning nap goes; MedlinePlus says children only need one nap a day by around 18 months.
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Last nap
The World Health Organization says that at ages 3 to 4, sleep may still include a nap, but it no longer always does.
“She's fighting her morning nap. Should we drop it?” Check her age first: before the second half of the second year, a few rough weeks are often just a phase. Our family plan for naps from ages 1 to 3 covers what the two-to-one switch looks like at home.
Why do babies nap less as they grow?
As nighttime sleep gets longer and more settled, less sleep is left for the daytime. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that newborns sleep about 16 to 17 hours a day but only 1 or 2 hours at a time, which is why their days are full of short naps.
Recommended total sleep in 24 hours (naps included)
-
14–17 hours
0–3 months
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12–16 hours
4–11 months
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11–14 hours
1–2 years
So the number of naps isn't a goal on its own; it's one piece of your baby's 24-hour sleep. How night and day add up is covered in our guide to building a calm family sleep routine.
Is it normal if my baby is outside the range?
Part of the spread comes from the countries themselves. For babies around 6 months, France's official health portal Santé.fr lists three naps, while Italy's Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital says nearly all babies aged 4 to 7 months need a couple of naps a day.
Russia's National Medical Research Center for Children's Health goes further and lists three to four naps at 6 to 9 months.
In the US, MedlinePlus keeps it broad: 1 to 4 naps a day is common during the first year. With this many different numbers side by side, there is clearly no single correct schedule. If your baby has settled into a rhythm within these ranges, running a few weeks ahead or behind is normal.
“Everyone at daycare is on one nap, and ours still wants two.” Look at where your child sits in the 12–18 month window; both patterns show up there. More articles on the topic are collected under daytime naps.
How can you tell your baby is ready for a nap transition?
The signs that a transition is coming usually repeat for a few weeks:
- Falling asleep for one particular nap takes much longer than it used to, or your baby plays through it.
- One nap, often the last one of the day, keeps getting shorter.
- The afternoon nap is pushing bedtime later; MedlinePlus advises keeping a toddler's nap away from bedtime.
- On days a nap gets skipped, your baby stays in good spirits until the evening.
If these signs show up for a day or two and then disappear, the transition probably hasn't started yet.
When should you call the pediatrician about naps?
Most differences in nap counts are normal. The table below separates them from the signs that are worth an appointment; if you notice one of these, contact your pediatrician.
| Watch — talk to your pediatrician | Usually normal |
|---|---|
| Loud snoring with long pauses in breathing, followed by snorts or gasps | A nap count a few weeks ahead of or behind the chart |
| Your child seems sleepy or drowsy throughout the day | A long nap one day and a short one the next |
| Breathing mainly through the mouth, with restless sleep and frequent waking | Fussiness and earlier bedtimes during a transition |
The U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus) advises contacting your child's health care provider if you notice signs of sleep apnea, such as loud snoring with long silent pauses in breathing. Start with your pediatrician or family doctor; in an emergency, call 911.
General Information: This content offers general information based on expert sources. Every child, family and situation is different, so what is described here may vary from person to person. Talk to your doctor or a qualified specialist before making decisions about your child.
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Editorial Note
This article offers general information, and every baby's sleep develops at its own pace. If you are worried about your baby's naps or sleep, talk to your pediatrician or family doctor.
Other situations in this topic
Dealing with a different side of the same topic? Each situation has its own guide.
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