Look out world! Your 15 month old is growing physically, cognitively, and emotionally. With all of these big developments, you may see some changes with your little one’s sleep. I’d love to share my most frequently asked questions about 15 month old sleep, including 15 month old sleep schedules, how to handle the transition to one nap (if your baby is ready), regressions, naps, and more!
What are the wake windows for a 15 month old? #
Wake windows for 15 month old babies can be different from one baby to another depending on their individual needs. At 15 months, some babies have transitioned or are ready to transition to one nap, while some still take two naps each day.
Wake windows for a 15 month old taking two naps are 3-4 hours. A daily routine for a 15 month old taking two naps might look like:
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About 3 hours after Wake Time = Nap 1
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About 3-3.5 hours after the end of Nap 1 = Nap 2
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About 3.5-4 hours after the end of Nap 2 = Bedtime
Wake windows for 15 month olds taking one nap are 4-6 hours. A daily routine for a 15 month old taking one nap might look like:
How long should a 15 month old nap? #
Whether your 15 month old is taking one nap or two naps each day, the goal for their total amount of daytime sleep is 2-3 hours. Let me show you how that looks depending on the number of naps your baby needs:
15 Month Old Sleep Schedule with Two Naps: We’ll want to divide your little one’s 2-3 hours of daytime sleep between 2 naps. Now, for some 15 month olds, a 2 hour nap and a 30-45 minute nap is just right. For others, two naps of 1.5 hours each works great. The “best” way to divide our goal daytime sleep between these two naps will depend on what works for your baby. We do want at least one of those naps to be an hour or longer (this is good restorative sleep). We also want to be sure no single nap exceeds two hours. This gives your baby plenty of active awake time to protect night sleep and to hit that sweet spot of 7:00-8:00 pm.
15 Month Old Sleep Schedule with One Nap: Our goal is for your little one’s nap to be 2-3 hours long. I do encourage capping that nap at 3 hours in order to preserve nighttime sleep and maintain a healthy bedtime between 7:00-8:00 pm.
Know that if 2-3 hours of daytime sleep seems like a dream, I can help with those naps. My Conquering Naps class will teach you how to achieve the restorative daytime sleep your little one needs.
How many naps should a 15 month old take? #
It depends! Some 15 month olds do well on one nap, while others still need two naps per day.
If you’re considering transitioning from two naps to one, keep in mind that it’s a big transition! In order to be ready for one nap, your little one will need to be able to handle a morning wake window of about 5-6 hours without becoming overtired. Some 15 month olds can do this without any issue, while others simply struggle to stay awake this long.
Please know, this change is easier to make when your baby is truly ready. How do you know when your little one is truly ready? I like to see consistent signs of readiness for about 1-2 weeks.
Here are the signs your 15 month old may be ready to transition to one nap:
This transition can take 2-4 weeks. So if you’re seeing some tough days, hang in there! If you need more help, my Conquering Naps class can walk you through this nap transition and help you have a great little napper.
What is a sample sleep schedule for a 15 month old?#
Below are sample 15 month old sleep schedules. These sleep schedules are based on wake windows for 15 month old babies. Please remember, your days may look a bit different depending on what time your little one wakes in the morning, how long your 15 month old naps, and when they’re hungry.
This is one possible daily routine for a 15 month old. Notice, we are still offering food and drink about every 2-3.5 hours.
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