A Realistic 12-Month-Old Sleep Routine
You’ve made it a whole year with your little one, but suddenly sleep feels harder than ever. What’s the deal?
If you’ve been wondering whether your 12-month-old should be switching to one nap, if they’re waking up too often at night, or why they’re suddenly acting like naps are optional, this is for you.
Let’s dig into what’s normal, what’s not, and how to navigate the 12-month sleep routine and nap schedule.
How many naps should my 12-month-old be taking?
Two naps. I know, I know, I’m sorry…
Many parents look forward to the one-nap transition, and while it can make 12-month-old nap schedules simpler, if your baby isn’t ready, it will actually make sleep more difficult.
Most babies still need two naps at 12 months old. The typical age range for dropping down to one nap is between 13–18 months, with most babies doing best holding onto two naps until closer to 14–15 months.
Is my 12-month-old ready for only one nap?
Maybe... but probably not.
Here’s what often happens at 12 months:
Your baby starts fighting one nap, usually the second one. They take a lovely morning nap, then completely reject the afternoon one, and bedtime starts creeping earlier and earlier.
It’s tempting to think this means they’re ready to drop a nap, but in most cases, this is just a nap refusal phase, not a true sign they’re ready for the 2-to-1 transition.
A baby is likely not ready for one nap if:
They can’t tolerate wake windows longer than 4 hours without becoming overtired.
Nighttime sleep is challenging when they skip a nap.
They’ve only been skipping a nap for a few days or a week. This is often temporary!
What should you do instead?
Try tweaking your two-nap schedule:
Cap the first nap to build sleep pressure for the second nap.
Add some wake time between naps so baby is truly ready for that second nap.
Push bedtime later.
Give these changes 7-10 days before deciding to drop a nap altogether. For most families, these adjustments help preserve that precious second nap juuuust a little longer until your baby is fully ready for one nap.
What does a two-nap schedule look like for a 12-month-old?
Here’s a sample 12-month-old nap schedule.
7:00 AM – Wake up
10:00–11:00 AM – Nap 1 (capped at 1 hour if needed)
2:30–3:30 PM – Nap 2
7:30 PM – Bedtime
Wake windows: 3–4 hours
Total daytime sleep: 2.5–3 hours
Total sleep in 24 hours: 13–15 hours
How do I get my 12-month-old on a better sleep schedule?
This is a great age to transition to a clock-based schedule instead of relying solely on wake windows.
Start by:
Waking your child at the same time each day
Anchoring Nap 1 and Nap 2 to consistent time slots
Keeping bedtime predictable
A consistent rhythm makes it easier for your baby’s body to anticipate, to settle into sleep, and eventually sleep better at night.
Why is my 12-month-old still waking up at night?
This usually comes down to one of two things:
1. Sleep pressure
If your child is napping too long or going to bed exhausted, their nighttime sleep will likely be disrupted.
Think of it as a delicate balance: too much daytime sleep steals from the night, and not enough leads to restless nights.
It’s tough to hit just right, I know. Be patient with yourself and your baby as you work through the trial and error.
2. Sleep associations
If your baby is falling asleep with a bottle, a cuddle, or rocking, they’ll often wake in the night needing that same support to fall back asleep.
Babies naturally wake and have partial arousals through the night. If your baby isn’t confident in the crib, this can lead to lots of night wakings that require a parent's settling support and leave everyone exhausted.
Sleep training to get your baby confident settling and re-settling in their crib with ease is a game changer.
Is it too late to sleep train at 12 months?
Not at all.
In fact, most of my clients come to me during the 8-15 months range to work on independent sleep.
If you’re ready to make changes:
Assess your current routine: What’s your baby relying on to fall asleep?
Optimize the schedule: Are wake windows too short or too long? Is nap timing consistent?
Balance daytime feeds: Make sure they’re eating well and not relying on nighttime feeds for calories.
Choose a consistent sleep time response: Whether that’s regular check-ins, staying in the room, or a gradual exit, the key is consistency.
Cry-it-out isn’t the only method! You don’t need to be worried about sleep training.
Is there a sleep regression at 12 months?
Yes, and it’s usually tied to developmental leaps:
Teething
Gross motor milestones (hello standing, cruising, and walking!)
Increased independence (exploring the world more, but needing that assurance from their caregiver)
A 12 month old often wants to keep playing and fights naps, leading to crankiness and difficulty at bedtime, and we can't forget teething as a culprit either.
All of these factors can temporarily affect sleep, but treat it like you would any regression: consistency and extra connection during the daytime.
How do I drop the last night feed?
If your baby is still feeding at night:
Move the bottle or nursing session earlier in the bedtime routine (before books, bath, etc.)
Separate feeding from sleep entirely.
Then drop the feed cold turkey and offer alternative settling support instead of the feed.
Most 12-month-olds no longer need night feeds for nutritional reasons; it’s usually just a habit.
Bottle to sippy cup:
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends introducing a sippy cup around 12 months to support oral motor development and prevent overconsumption of milk.
To introduce a sippy cup or straw cup at bedtime:
Start by moving the bedtime bottle earlier in the routine (e.g., before bath or in the living room before bath.)
Once it’s no longer part of the sleepytime process, offer milk in a sippy cup or straw cup instead.
Don’t worry if they don’t finish it; this is just a transition.
Formula to cow’s milk:
At 12 months, your child will be getting more of their nutrition from balanced meals, along with about 16 ounces of whole cow’s milk per day and water offered with meals and snacks.
To make the transition to cow’s milk, try a gradual approach:
Start by mixing formula and milk (e.g., 4 oz formula + 2 oz cow’s milk)
Over time, increase the milk and decrease the formula
Eventually, they’ll be drinking all cow’s milk
12-Month-Old Wake Window Scenarios
These are real questions I get asked all the time. If your baby is struggling with sleep around the 12-month mark, you aren’t alone.
My 11-month-old is on 2 naps, sleeps 3.5 hours total, but is up at night for 1–2 hours. Why??
It’s likely too much daytime sleep. Try capping naps at 3 hours total. If night waking continues, ask your pediatrician to check ferritin levels and consider teething or developmental milestones as possible culprits.
My 12-month-old still wakes 2–3 times a night. Falls asleep on their own but wakes for cuddles/feeds.
If you want to reduce night wakes, it’s time to actively wean the nighttime cuddles/feeds. If you want to see a change, you’ll need to make a change! Even independent sleepers can hold onto those middle-of-the-night habits unless we change the routine.
My 12-month-old is suddenly refusing a second nap. Goes to bed at 6:30. Wake window from 11–6?!
Your little one may be testing the boundaries or needs a tweak in their schedule. Try capping their first nap or extending the wake window before their second nap.
Change them into pajamas before their second nap and ensure they have ample wind-down time. If the nap is consistently skipped, a one-nap schedule might be worth exploring, but not before troubleshooting first.
11.5-month-old suddenly waking at night and nursing again. Regression?
Totally possible. Sleep regressions can come around the same time as developmental changes:
Teething
Walking
Talking
Separation anxiety
Check daytime sleep, increase connection, and when you’re up for it, wean the night feeds gently.
Baby sleeps great until 3–4 AM, then wakes every hour. Why??
The second half of the night has lighter sleep pressure. Check that the last nap ends early enough and that bedtime is appropriately timed. If sleep associations are at play, they’ll often show up most in the early morning hours.
Still feeling stuck getting into a new 12 month sleep routine?
You’re not alone, and your baby isn’t behind.
My client Danielle was in the same spot:
"Before working with Ella, my 12-month-old was waking every two hours through the night and didn’t follow a nap schedule. Over the two weeks we worked together, everything was tailored to our family’s needs, and her daily check-ins and ongoing support were exceptional. After just one week, my baby was sleeping through the night and following a consistent nap schedule.”
If you're navigating night wakings, nap refusals, or you’re just so ready to sleep through the night again, I’m here for you!
Take the first step in finding your sleep bliss by booking a consultation call!
To better sleep,
Ella