A sleep schedule that works for a 6 month old

Typical numbers at 6 months

Measure	Typical range
Sleep across 24 hours	12–16 hours (AASM, ages 4–12 months)
Findings from studies of healthy babies	Averaged 12.9 hours from 6 months; at 6–11 months babies took 2.2 naps a day on average, ranging from about 1 to 3.5 (Galland 2012)
Overnight sleep (common practice range)	11–12 hours
Naps (common practice range)	3 (2 on some days), adding up to about 3–3.5 hours
Wake windows (a rule of thumb, not a research finding)	2–3 hours; shorter in the morning and longer ahead of bedtime
Night feeds	Often 0–1 a night, though some babies still take 2. The way night feeds are handled depends on your baby’s age and is decided in your custom plan.

Where a row says AASM, it reflects the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommendation, which has the AAP’s support. Rows labeled Galland 2012 draw on a systematic review of observational studies. Everything else is a common practice range rather than a research finding. All of these describe an average baby, and healthy babies fall on either side of each one.

The longest stretch of sleep usually grows to about 6 hours by 6 months. That means if your 6 month old follows a textbook schedule and still wakes every 2 hours, the schedule is seldom at fault; the way your baby falls asleep usually is. Changing that is what Actually Sleeping does, through a plan Dr. Sam writes for your baby and bootcamp-style coaching before night one.

Development at this age

Babies are sitting, rolling at will and grabbing at everything in reach. On some days the third nap starts meeting resistance, which is the earliest hint of the 3-to-2 transition. The main nutrition is still breast milk or formula; according to the AAP, a baby’s digestive system is not thought to be ready for cereal until around 6 months. A large UK trial found that babies started on solids early (around 16 weeks on average) slept roughly 17 minutes more per night at 6 months. That is a small gap, and not grounds for starting early without your pediatrician’s guidance.

When the average 6-month schedule does not fit your baby

Waking every 2 hours: read why a 6 month old wakes every 2 hours.
Refusing the third nap: some days call for 3 naps and others for 2, so one fixed timetable will not cover the whole week. Read about nap transitions.
Needing a feed to fall back asleep at every waking: read about the feed-to-sleep association.
Starting the day at 5 a.m.: read about early morning waking.

Put two babies on an identical schedule and they can still have opposite problems. A custom plan starts by figuring out which problem is yours.

Keeping sleep safe at 6 months

Place your baby on their back for every sleep until the first birthday, on a surface that is firm, flat and empty. The AAP recommends sharing a room for at least the first 6 months.
Drop the mattress before your baby can sit without help, and move it to the lowest setting before they can stand (MedlinePlus).

Can you sleep train at this age?

For most healthy babies, yes, and 6 months is among the most common ages for families to begin. The way night feeds are handled depends on your baby’s age and is decided in your custom plan. An Actually Sleeping plan teaches independent sleep, and daily 1:1 check-ins continue until naps are solid as well. We guarantee that your baby will sleep 8–12 hours through the night within 14 days of consistent, correct implementation of your sleep plan. Hear from other parents of 4 to 6 month olds on our reviews page, read up on the best age to sleep train, and book a free consultation with Dr. Sam.

Want us to solve this for your baby?

Actually Sleeping provides 1:1 coaching: Dr. Sam writes your baby’s sleep plan, you receive bootcamp-style coaching ahead of the first night, and we check in daily until it is working. With 700+ families coached and 129 video reviews, we back it with a written guarantee: 8–12 hours through the night within 14 days, or a full refund.

Book your free consultation → Read what families say

Questions parents ask

Does a 6 month old need 2 naps or 3?

Three is still the common pattern for most, while studies found that babies aged 6 to 11 months averaged about 2 naps a day. Whether your baby is ready for 2 comes down to nap length and bedtime, and Dr. Sam tracks both with you in daily check-ins.

Will starting solids help my 6 month old sleep through the night?

Not in any meaningful way. One large trial linked earlier solids with roughly 17 extra minutes of sleep per night at 6 months. Milk is still the main source of nutrition, so take your pediatrician’s lead on when and how to start.

How many hours should a 6 month old sleep overnight?

A common practice range is about 11–12 hours. Including naps, the AASM recommends 12–16 hours in 24. Whether a feed is part of the night varies from baby to baby. The way night feeds are handled depends on your baby’s age and is decided in your custom plan.

When should bedtime be for a 6 month old?

A common rule of thumb is between 7 and 8 p.m. Your baby’s ideal bedtime shifts with naps and the nap transition, which is why an Actually Sleeping plan sets it for your baby and fine-tunes it along the way.