How To Plan a Nap Schedule Around 3 Month Old Wake Windows

Babies spend a lot of their time sleeping, especially during the newborn stage. As they grow and adapt to life outside the womb, their bodies slowly begin to adjust to their new environment and routine. A “wake window” refers to the period of time that a bub can comfortably stay awake in between sleep sessions.

Creating a routine that accommodates your little one’s needs and optimizes activity during 3 month old wake windows can help prevent overtiredness and encourage healthy circadian rhythm development and maturation.

How Long Are 3 Month Old Wake Windows?

Wake windows vary by age. At 3 months old, babies typically have shorter wake windows than older infants and toddlers. While newborns may only stay awake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at a time, a 2 year old may only nap once per day. 3 month old babies’ wake windows usually only last approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. 

During this time, your baby is going through major developmental changes, and their sleep cycles are still maturing. Most three-month-olds need between three and five naps every day. 

Navigating 3-month-old wake windows can be a challenge, especially for families with multiple kids and busy schedules. It takes a lot of work and dedication. Fortunately, there are some tried and true ways to prioritize your little one’s sleep and make the most of their wake times without upending your entire family’s routine.

Tips for Creating a 3 Month Old Sleep Schedule

Watch for Sleepy Cues

One of the most reliable ways to ensure your little one is on a good sleep schedule is to pay attention to their behavioral cues. If your baby is showing signs of sleepiness, they’re probably trying to tell you that it’s time for a nap. 

A sleepy 3 month old may:

  • Rub their eyes and/or ears
  • Flutter their eyelids
  • Become droopy or heavy
  • Yawn
  • Clench their fists
  • Suck on their hands and fingers
  • Cry or fuss 

Trying to keep your baby awake during the day is actually more likely to result in difficult, sleepless nights, so it’s important to listen and respond to these cues. 

Create a Calming Nap Environment

The environment in which your baby sleeps can have a big impact on the quality and duration of naps. Try to give your baby their own separate room away from main living areas to sleep during the day.

Some things that can help create a good nap environment include:

  • Their own crib with a soft fitted crib sheet
  • A white noise machine to mask background noise
  • A soft, breathable swaddle
  • Blackout shades to keep the room dark during the day

Incorporate a Feeding Routine

Feeding can make your baby sleepy. In fact, it’s common for babies to fall asleep while nursing. This is partially due to the fact that breastmilk contains melatonin, which can promote sleep and a healthy circadian rhythm. Babies also get sleepy because of the warmth of the milk, the full feeling in their bellies, and the comfort of being close to their parent.

Whether you’re nursing, using infant formula, or doing a combination of both, scheduling feeding times just before naps is a great way to help your baby sleep peacefully.

Have a Set Bedtime and Morning Wake-Up Time 

Babies thrive on routine, especially as they exit the newborn stage and start to become more aware of their environment. Try to stick to set wake-up and bedtime routines. This can help your bub get into the rhythm of consistent naps and wake windows.

Try to wake them up and put them down at roughly the same time each day and night. Specific bedtime rituals, such as reading a book, singing a song, or telling a bedtime story, can also be a big help.

Be Flexible

With a new baby, things often don’t go according to plan. 

While trying to stick to a nap schedule can help encourage good sleep and make your daily life easier, it’s okay if your baby doesn’t always fall asleep at their scheduled time. Staying flexible, adaptable, and patient is the best way to navigate these stages of infancy.

Example Nap Schedule for a 3 Month Old

Every baby has their own individual sleep, feeding, and developmental needs, so don’t worry if your bub’s schedule doesn’t line up with this example or with their friends’ or siblings’ routines. Here’s a breakdown of how your 3 month old’s nap schedule could look on an average day:

  • Morning wake-up (first wake window): 6:30 to 7:30 AM
  • First nap: 7:30 to 8:30 AM
  • Second wake window: 8:30 to 10:00 AM
  • Second nap: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
  • Third wake window: 12:00 to 1:00 PM
  • Third nap: 1:00 to 3:00 PM
  • Fourth wake window: 3:00 to 4:00 PM
  • Fourth nap: 4:00 to 4:45 PM
  • Fifth wake window: 4:45 to 6:30 PM
  • Bedtime: 6:30 or 7:00 PM

      Final Thoughts

      New parenthood is a huge undertaking and a transformative experience. You’ll go through ups and downs with your bub on a daily basis. There’s no shortage of strong opinions out there on the internet about how to take care of your infant, from sleeping arrangements and schedules to decisions about feeding and nutrition. 

      At the end of the day, the important thing is that you have all the information, resources and support you need to make the right decisions for your baby and family. 

      Bubs makes clean, wholesome, and nutritious products for babies and toddlers around the world. Our goat milk and cow milk infant formulas offer healthy nutrition and are free of harsh and unnecessary additives.

      Not sure exactly what you’re looking for? Take our formula quiz to find out which Bubs formula is right for your little one!