8 Month Old Sleep Schedule: The Secret To Peaceful Nights

Healthy sleep patterns start with a schedule. Here’s how to get your baby onto a regular 8 month old sleep schedule with top tricks to make maintaining healthy sleep habits as easy as possible.

How Much Should An 8 Month Old Sleep?

An 8 month old baby needs around 14 to 16 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. They will take 10-12 hours at night and the remaining 3 to 4 hours of sleep will be taken across 2 or 3 daytime naps.

8 Month Old Wake Window

At 8 months, your baby will have around 2.5-3.5 hours of awake time between their naps.

This ensures that your baby has enough awake time during the day to meet their developmental milestones and to consume enough daytime calories to grow at a rapid rate.

Make the most of these awake times to offer your little one lots of stimulating play and opportunities to learn new skills.

TOP TIP: If your baby had a quick nap and is showing signs of being tired during their wake window (having only been awake for a short period of time…) then let them go to sleep again and DO NOT wait for ‘nap time‘. Trying to keep your baby awake will only lead to them getting overtired and being unable to settle.

Sample 8 Month Old Sleep Schedule

By 8 months old, your baby will be sleeping for longer stretches at night… sometimes at least 6 hours or more in one go at night without waking!

Be aware that at 8 months old, your child may go through a nap transition so you will have to adjust their sleep schedule to ensure they don’t get overtired before going to bed.

Here’s a sample 8 month old sleep schedule with 2 and 3 naps to give you a guideline for how your baby’s day can flow:

REMEMBER: This 8 month old sleep schedule is a guideline and will differ from baby to baby. As you become more in tune with your baby’s needs and learn what works for them, you will find a sleep schedule that meets your needs.

Nap Schedule For An 8 Month Old Baby

As your baby begins to transition from 3 naps to 2, there are some daytime sleep guidelines that you should follow when implementing a nap schedule at 8 months of age.

Remember to keep an eye out for your baby’s sleep cues and follow their lead by taking naps at regular intervals and never forcing your baby to stay awake if they are tired.

Here are 2 sample nap schedules for an eight month old baby:

3 Nap Schedule For 8 Month Old Baby

2 Nap Schedule For 8 Month Old Baby

How Many Naps Should An 8 Month Old Baby Take?

Your 8 month old baby should take between 2 and 3 naps per day.

REMEMBER: While nap transitions can be challenging… you must let your little one take the lead when it comes to sleep. Don’t delay naps in the hope that they will sleep later, as this often backfires on you and results in an overtired baby.

Bedtime For 8 Month Old

For an 8 month old sleep schedule, your baby’s bedtime routine should now be firmly in place and it will not change much from now on.

A simple bedtime routine will consist of:

Having a bath,
Followed by a massage,
Cosying up together with a suitable baby book and singing a lullaby,
Having a feed,
And finally, settling baby down to sleep in their crib.

The entire bedtime routine should start between 6pm and 6.30pm and take no longer than 30 minutes.

REMEMBER: The bedtime routine should follow the same steps and be repeated at the same time every evening to ensure your 8 month old can recognise the signs that bedtime is coming to help them settle and fall asleep more easily.

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What Time Should My 8 Month Old Go To Bed?

For an 8 month old sleep schedule, you should aim to your baby in bed by 7pm each evening.

If you want to adjust your schedule to make bedtime a little later you must change your daily nap times accordingly.

But no matter what, your baby should not be in bed any later than 8pm to ensure your baby gets enough sleep to support their brain’s growth and development as well as their physical development.

REMEMBER: The last awake window is the longest stretch of alert time during the day, which means your baby will probably fall asleep best if they have had 2.5 – 3.5 hours of awake time between the last nap of the day and their bedtime.

Is There An 8 Month Old Sleep Regression?

YES. There is an eight month sleep regression.

Typically the 8 month sleep regression can happen anywhere between 7 and 10 months, however, it usually coincides with when your baby learning to crawl or pulling to stand.

If your 8 month old is going through a sleep regression, they may experience sleep issues such as:

fighting bedtime,
waking from naps early,
experiencing sleep disturbances due to an active mind and energetic body from learning new skills
or increased night waking.

Your best defence is knowing the signs of sleep regression, what can trigger them and how to handle them. So, be sure to take a look at my post on how to survive and handle the 8 month sleep regression.

REMEMBER: Sleep regressions can occur at any age. However, they are more common when your baby is 4, 6, 8 or 12 months old, and will usually occur when your baby reaches certain developmental milestones.

8 Month Old Sleep Tips

Establishing and maintaining an 8 month old sleep schedule will make your day much easier to manage because after all… Everything starts and ends with sleep.

Here are some of my top sleep tips to make creating and maintaining an 8 month old sleep schedule as simple as possible:

Have a regular bedtime routine.I cannot emphasise how important it is to have a consistent bedtime routine. Start the routine at the same time every day and aim to have your baby in bed at the same time each evening.
Lower the energy at the end of the day.By 8 months old, your baby is more aware of what is going on around them and can be more easily distracted… So prepare your baby for sleep by not letting things get too exciting before bedtime. Keep your interactions calm and low-key.
Get some fresh air every day. Fresh and natural light will help to regulate your baby’s melatonin levels, circadian rhythm and internal clock. Taking your baby outside every day for a walk in their pram or simply by sitting in the garden to play on a blanket will definitely help establish a healthy 8 month old sleep schedule.
Keep nighttime interactions short and sweet.If your 8 month old wakes at night keep your interactions quiet and low-key. Wait a while before going to them to see if they self-soothe back to sleep. If you do have to go to them then offer comfort without picking them up such as patting their tummy.
Check the sleep environment. Have a room thermometer to check that the room is at the correct temperature and ensure your baby is wearing the correct sleep sack for the weather. Install a night light so you don’t have to turn on bright lights to deal with nighttime wakings and use a white noise machine to help drown out background noises and create strong sleep associations.

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Avoid your baby getting overtired. As your baby becomes more active and stays awake for longer periods of time it is very easy for them to become overtired, resulting in them fighting sleep. So, watch for sleep cues and ensure your little one has timely daytime naps and a regular bedtime as a part of their 8 month old sleep schedule.
Make naps a priority. Try and make sure that your baby takes most of their naps at home. The occasional nap on the go is inevitable and OK, but try not to do this on a daily basis.
Encourage your baby to spend some time in their crib whilst awake. I have always found it useful to let your baby spend a few minutes every day playing in their crib while awake. Putting your little one in the crib to look at an interesting mobile, like this one from Manhattan Toys while you take a quick shower is a good way of getting them used to being awake alone in their sleep space. This can help with teaching them to self-soothe and to not always cry out on waking too.

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TOP TIP: Remove your crib mobile as soon as your little one has learnt to pull to stand to reduce the chance of injury. Leave them in their crib to play with a couple of favourite toys or cloth books instead.

Common 8 Month Old Sleep Problems

The most common sleep problems that your baby may encounter when establishing and maintaining an 8 month old sleep schedule are:

Experiencing a sleep regression.
Nap transitioning and struggling to settle for naps and nighttime sleep.
Early morning wakings because they are more aware of the light and sounds that surround them.
Restless settling because they are feeling discomfort from teething.
Crying when away from you due to separation anxiety.
Night-time waking because they are used to being fed during the night.
Inability to self-soothe. Check out the video below if you need to teach baby to self-settle.

REMEMBER: Quality sleep is vital to every person’s overall health, children included.

Frequently Asked Questions About An 8 Month Old Sleep Schedule

Looking for more help with creating your baby’s 8 month sleep schedule? Find answers to the most common questions here.

How Much Nighttime Sleep Is Appropriate For An 8 Month Old?

During this long stretch of sleep, your 8 month old baby should be able to sleep between 9-12 hours at night.

They will also be following a 3-meal-a-day feeding routine which is supplemented with milk feeds so your baby may no longer need to be fed at night.

TOP TIP: With the introduction of solids at this age, many 8 month olds can sleep all night without needing night feedings (even if they wake up). You may also find that you don’t need to dream feed either. However, bear in mind that some babies will still wake up to be fed up until 9 months of age.

Can You Sleep Train An 8 Month Old Baby?

Yes, you can sleep train an 8 month old baby. I prefer the “Gradual Retreat” and “I’ll Be Back” sleep training methods.

Having a healthy and regular sleep routine will set your baby on the right path to good sleep habits and a consistent sleep cycle for years to come.

Should Babies Nap After 5pm?

No. Babies should not nap after 5pm.

In an ideal 8 month old sleep schedule, your baby needs to be awake for at least 3 hours before their regular bedtime in order for them to be ready for sleep and settle nicely.

Therefore, if your baby’s bedtime is 7pm they should not be napping after 4pm (otherwise you will experience many sleepless nights!)

TOP TIP: If your 8 month old baby takes a late 3rd nap… it’s OK to wake them up after 30 mins but I would not advise letting them sleep for longer than 1 hour.

Is A 3 Hour Nap Too Long For An 8 Month Old?

Not exactly… Most 8 month old babies will fall into a 2 or 3 nap schedule that will add up to 3 hours in total.

However, all babies are different and you may have an 8 month old baby who takes one afternoon nap of 3 hours or has a long morning nap with a short 30 minute late afternoon nap.

REMEMBER: The truth is that you have to find out what works best for your baby and that the total amount of sleep taken in daytime sleep is more important than how it is broken down.

Is 8pm Too Late For An 8 Month Old’s Bedtime?

An 8pm bedtime is a personal preference and is fine if the rest of the day is adapted to this bedtime accordingly.

Personally, I believe an earlier bedtime of 7pm works best as this is the preferred bedtime for toddlers and it’s, therefore, much easier to stick to if it has always been a 7pm bedtime from early on.

It also means that you get some all-important child-free quality time at the end of the day!

When Do I Need To Talk To A Doctor About My 8 Month Old’s Sleep Patterns?

If you are unsure if your baby’s experiencing a change in sleep patterns alongside the following, then you should seek out medical advice from a doctor, sleep expert or sleep consultant to rule out anything more sinister:

Your baby is eating less.
Your baby is not gaining weight.
Your baby is having fewer than 4 wet diapers and 3 bowel movements a day.
They are regularly sleeping for less than 6 hours at night.
They are not falling into a consistent sleep pattern at all.

Sleep Schedules Further Reading

Here are some more sleep schedules to help you get the most out of helping your little one sleep as best they can.

After all…

Sleep breeds sleep!

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Paula McLaren is the founder of Teething to Tantrums and a highly qualified childcare expert with over 40 years of experience as a Norland Nanny. She holds a BA (Hons) in Early Years Development & Learning (0-6 Years) and the prestigious Norland Diploma. Paula has worked as a night nanny, run a successful daycare center in London, and helped raise countless children using her tried and tested developmental and guidance methods.