---
title: "11-month-old sleep: schedule and what to expect"
description: "How much an 11-month-old sleeps, the 2 naps and wake windows, a flexible schedule, first steps shaking up nights, and how to recognize the real transition to 1 nap."
canonical: https://buppi.baby/en/blog/baby-sleep-11-months/
last-updated: 2026-10-20
---

# 11-month-old sleep: schedule and what to expect

> How much an 11-month-old sleeps, the 2 naps and wake windows, a flexible schedule, first steps shaking up nights, and how to recognize the real transition to 1 nap.
>
> Canonical: https://buppi.baby/en/blog/baby-sleep-11-months/

At 11 months, sleep keeps the shape that carried most of the first year — one long night stretch and **2 naps** — but with the energy of a baby who is **days (or centimeters) away from first steps**. It's a phase of intense motor practice, still-strong separation anxiety, and the question starting to circle every parents' group: *"when do we drop to 1 nap?"*. This guide covers how much an 11-month-old usually sleeps, wake windows, a flexible schedule, how first steps shake up nights and — importantly — how to tell the **real transition** to 1 nap from a passing strike.

## How much an 11-month-old sleeps

The National Sleep Foundation recommends, for this age, **12 to 15 hours a day** counting night and naps (the American Academy of Sleep Medicine works with 12 to 16) — and observational studies show many babies closer to **13 hours**. Night holds most of it — usually **10 to 12 hours** — and the day splits into **2 naps**.

The range of normal stays wide: the best thermometer isn't hitting a number, but a baby who **eats well, gains weight, and is active and curious** awake. (For the full picture across ages, see the [how much sleep by age table](/en/blog/how-long-should-baby-sleep-by-age/).)

## Wake windows at 11 months

The **[wake window](/en/blog/wake-windows-by-age/)** — how long your baby can comfortably stay awake between sleeps — usually sits between **3h30 and 4h** at 11 months. Windows are **practical reference ranges**, not a clinical parameter: the range is the starting point, your baby is the fine-tuning. The **last window of the day** remains the longest.

The pattern holds from previous months: windows cut too short produce shallow naps; stretched too long they leave the baby **overtired** — and an overtired baby sleeps worse at night and tends to wake earlier. **Sleep cues** (yawning, eye-rubbing, losing interest, fussiness) beat the clock.

## Naps: still 2 — and how to spot the REAL transition to 1

At 11 months, most babies still need **2 naps a day**, around **1h to 1h30 each**. The transition to **1 nap** usually comes between **12 and 18 months** — for many babies only around 14–16 months.

With the first birthday approaching, it's worth learning the difference between a **strike** and a **true transition** — the table below is a practical rule of thumb, not a clinical criterion:

| Sign | Passing strike (protect the 2 naps) | Real transition (start adjusting) |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Days, up to ~2 weeks | Consistent for 2+ weeks |
| Which nap suffers | Any, irregularly | Typically the morning one shortens or drifts later every day — and, drifting, starts swallowing the afternoon one |
| Context | Motor leap, tooth, separation, routine change | No obvious event; everything else is fine |
| Nights | Get worse too (overtired baby) | Stay good, or even improve |
| Daytime mood | Exhausted by late afternoon | Handles the longer window without melting down |

When in doubt, **protect the 2 naps** — for most babies, dropping one too early tends to worsen the night and pull the morning wake-up earlier. And even when the real transition arrives (probably in the coming months), it's usually gradual: 1-nap days and 2-nap days coexist for weeks. (If your baby is in daycare and the group already does 1 nap, a mixed scheme is common — 1 at daycare, 2 at home on weekends — and that's fine: compensate with an earlier bedtime on daycare days.)

## A flexible one-day schedule

No fixed agenda at 11 months. This example uses **2 naps and ~3h30–4h windows**:

| Time (example) | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:45–7:00 | Wake up and milk |
| 8:00 | Fruit or breakfast (solids) |
| 10:30–11:30 | 1st nap |
| 11:45 | Milk, awake time |
| 12:45 | Lunch (solids) |
| 15:15–16:15 | 2nd nap |
| 16:30 | Milk, snack |
| 17:45 | Dinner (solids) |
| 19:00 | Milk, calm routine |
| 19:45–20:15 (varies) | Night sleep begins |
| Overnight | 0–2 wakings |

At 11 months, **solids** typically fill 2 main meals and 1–2 snacks (some families include breakfast), with **milk (breast or formula) still a central part of nutrition** until the first birthday. With teeth in the mouth, **brush them after the last milk** before bed — true for breast and formula alike (your pediatrician or dentist guides technique and toothpaste). Milk sitting on teeth overnight, bottle milk especially, is the main driver of early childhood caries — one more reason the feed shouldn't be the very last thing before lights-out.

## First steps: the milestone that invades the night

Between 11 and 14 months, many babies take their **first unassisted steps** — and like every big motor milestone, the practice doesn't respect schedules. For a few days to a few weeks it's common to see:

- **More wakings**, with the baby standing (or "cruising" along the rail) in the middle of the night;
- **Nap resistance** — lying down feels like a waste when there are steps to practice;
- **More restless sleep** on nights after days full of novelty — the association between new motor milestones and temporarily more fragmented sleep is described in the developmental literature.

The management is the same that worked at 10 months with standing in the crib: **plenty of daytime practice** — free barefoot floor time, cruising along furniture, pushing a **stable push wagon with firm wheels** (one that won't shoot off), and, if you offer your hands, hold them at his shoulder height without pulling the arms upward (yanks can injure the elbow). **No wheeled baby walkers**: they're advised against by the AAP and other pediatric societies for accident risk, and they don't help walking. At night, a calm repetitive response — lay back down once, few words, low light — and **no new habits** you don't want to keep (like reintroducing a feed at every practice waking).

## Nights at 11 months

At 11 months, many babies get through the night in one **long stretch** without feeding — while others still need night feeds, depending on each baby's growth and history (preemies and babies with slow weight gain in particular). And **wakings remain common**: in observational studies of this age range, the average runs from under 1 to about 2–3 **signaled** wakings per night — the ones where the baby calls out; brief quiet wakings where they resettle alone are even more frequent. Breastfed babies usually feed more often. This window also brings lateral incisors and, soon after, first molars erupting — brief discomfort on eruption days can add wakings.

**Separation anxiety** is usually strong — the peak falls between 9 and 18 months, and for many babies it intensifies right around the first birthday (with wide individual variation). The helpful package doesn't change: predictable routine, short calm goodbyes, peekaboo games during the day. (A transitional object — a lovey — is a tool for after 12 months; before that, only during the ritual, out of the crib at sleep time. Almost there.)

On **night feeds**: many 11-month-olds with good weight gain drop the overnight feed naturally. To reduce it actively, align the plan with your pediatrician — especially for preemies or babies gaining weight below expectations.

## Safe sleep at 11 months (yes, still)

With the birthday coming, it's tempting to "promote" the crib — resist. The rules cover the **whole first year**:

> A **bare** crib: no pillows, cushions, bumpers, loose blankets or large toys (nothing that could serve as a step — a nearly-walking baby is a climber in training). Mattress **on the lowest setting**. Keep **placing your baby down on their back** — if they roll both ways and choose another position, no need to flip them back. A **sleep sack** for warmth — properly sized; for babies who stand and cruise the rail, prefer models that free the feet, so it doesn't become a tripwire. And check the surroundings: furniture that could be climbed from the crib, cords and curtains out of reach.

Pillow and blanket come much later, at the transition to a bed — not now.

## What helps sleep at 11 months

- **A light, predictable routine** before bed (bath, milk, tooth-brushing, dim light, a song), in the same order
- **Protecting the 2 naps** and respecting the windows — especially in motor-leap weeks
- **Walking practice galore during the day** — daytime training declutters the night
- **A truly dark room** at the end of the night, against very early waking (the full playbook is in the [10-month guide](/en/blog/baby-sleep-10-months/))
- **Putting your baby down drowsy but awake**, when it works — for many families it helps the baby re-settle alone (a tool, not a requirement)

About **sleep training**: more structured methods can be considered from 4–6 months, and the decision belongs to the family — worth discussing with your pediatrician. None of it is mandatory.

## When to talk to the pediatrician

- Your baby is **very sleepy**, hard to wake, or **not gaining weight** as expected
- Your baby **snores loudly**, pauses breathing or seems to work hard to breathe while asleep — pauses and labored breathing deserve prompt evaluation, don't wait for the routine visit
- Sleep trouble comes with **fever, extreme irritability** or other signs something is off (ear infection remains a classic cause of bad nights)
- Your baby **doesn't stand with support, point, or babble varied syllables** — milestones expected around 12 months; not a diagnosis, but worth bringing to the 1-year visit to assess the whole picture
- You are **exhausted beyond coping** — asking for help is also caring for your baby

## What to expect ahead

Eleven months closes the first year's cycle with a baby in motion: first steps on the way, separation at its height, and the 2 naps still doing the heavy lifting. Just ahead come the first birthday, the 1-year check-up (a great moment to review sleep and development) and, in the following months, the real transition to 1 nap — which you now know how to recognize. The spirit remains that of the series ([9 months](/en/blog/baby-sleep-9-months/), [10 months](/en/blog/baby-sleep-10-months/)): follow your baby's pace, with consistency and safe sleep.

## FAQ

### How much does an 11-month-old sleep per day?

The National Sleep Foundation recommends 12 to 15 hours a day counting night and naps (the AASM works with 12 to 16); observational studies show many babies closer to 13 hours. Night holds most of it, in one long stretch, and the day splits into 2 naps. The range of normal is wide — weigh sleep together with feeding, weight gain and energy, and bring questions to the routine check-up.

### My 11-month-old is refusing a nap: is this the transition to 1 nap?

Most of the time, not yet. The real transition usually happens between 12 and 18 months (for many babies only around 14–16 months) and gives consistent signs for 2 weeks or more: the morning nap shortens or keeps drifting later every day, the afternoon one stays solid, and nights stay good. Three bad days in a motor-leap week aren't a sign — they're a phase. When in doubt, protect the 2 naps.

### Do first steps disturb sleep?

They often do — temporarily. Big motor milestones (standing alone, first steps) come with an intense urge to practice, crib included, and can bring extra wakings or nap resistance for a few days to a few weeks. Lots of walking practice during the day and a predictable routine help the phase pass without creating new habits.

### My 11-month-old still wakes at night. Is that normal?

Yes. Many 11-month-olds get through the night without feeding, and others still wake — in observational studies of this age range, the average runs from under 1 up to about 2–3 signaled wakings per night, with breastfed babies feeding more often. The need for night feeds depends on each baby's growth and history; to reduce them actively, align the plan with your pediatrician.

### Can I add a pillow or blanket to the crib near the first birthday?

Not yet. Safe-sleep guidance covers the whole first year: a bare crib (no pillows, cushions, bumpers, loose blankets or large toys), baby placed on their back, and a sleep sack for warmth. Pillow and blanket come much later, at the transition to a bed — not in an 11-month-old's crib.