What is a wake window?
A wake window is the amount of time your baby stays awake between sleeps. It’s counted from when they wake up to when they fall asleep again.
How wake windows work
Babies can only stay comfortably awake for so long before they need to sleep again, and that stretch gets longer as they grow. Offering a nap while your baby is still within their window, before they’re overtired, often makes it easier for them to settle.
Everything in between counts: feeding, burping, changing, cuddles and play. So does the time it takes to get ready for the nap, which is why it helps to start winding down a little before the window opens.
Counting one, with an example
Say your 4-month-old woke from a nap at 10:10 AM. Their typical wake window is 1 hr 15 min to 2 hr, so the next nap window runs from 11:25 AM to 12:10 PM. When they wake from that nap, you start counting again.
That’s all the wake window calculator does: it adds the range for your baby’s age to the time they woke.
How long they last at each age
- Newborn30–60 min
- 1 month60–90 min
- 2 months60–90 min
- 3 months1 hr 15 min – 2 hr
- 4 months1 hr 15 min – 2 hr
- 5 months2 hr – 2 hr 45 min
- 6 months2 hr – 2 hr 45 min
- 7 months2 hr 30 min – 3 hr 30 min
- 8 months2 hr 30 min – 3 hr 30 min
- 9 months2 hr 30 min – 3 hr 30 min
- 10 months3 hr – 4 hr
- 11 months3 hr – 4 hr
- 12 months3 hr – 4 hr
The clock and the cues
A wake window tells you roughly when to start watching. Your baby tells you the rest: a yawn, rubbed eyes or a sudden interest in the ceiling can all mean they’re ready sooner. If the clock says one thing and your baby says another, go with your baby. See signs your baby is tired.
Common questions
When does a wake window start?
The moment your baby wakes up, whether that's in the morning or at the end of a nap.
When does it end?
When your baby falls asleep, not when you start the bedtime or nap routine.
Do I need to follow wake windows exactly?
No. They're a guide for when your baby is likely to be ready for sleep. Plenty of families use them loosely, alongside their baby's tired cues.
Do wake windows matter overnight?
Wake windows are mostly used for daytime naps and the stretch before bedtime. Night feeds and wake-ups work differently, and it's normal for young babies to wake overnight.
