At 10 months your baby may be pulling up on everything, cruising along the couch and protesting the second nap you were sure they still needed. If you’ve searched 10 month old sleep schedule, you’re probably trying to work out whether this is the moment to switch to 1 nap, or whether the hard days are just a phase. Short answer: most 10-month-olds still do best on 2 naps, with about 3 to 4 hours awake between sleeps, and a shaky second nap at this age is common. Below you’ll find two sample days, a “2 naps or 1?” check, a guide to the night waking parents ask about most, and when to call your pediatrician.
This page is part of our baby sleep schedule by age guide. One month back is the 9 month old sleep schedule; two months back, the 8 month old sleep schedule.
Quick answer: 10 month old sleep schedule
- Total sleep: the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends 12 to 16 hours in 24 hours for babies 4 to 12 months old, naps included. The CDC gives the same range.
- Naps: 2 a day is the usual pattern at 10 months. Many babies keep 2 naps until after their first birthday.
- Wake windows: about 3 to 4 hours is a common rough guide, with the longest stretch before bedtime. Wake windows are not an official AAP measure.
- Nap strikes: refusing one nap for a few days is common around now. A pattern that lasts a couple of weeks tells you more than one bad day.
- Night waking: the AAP says it’s normal for babies this age to wake in the night and go back to sleep after a few minutes, and advises not rushing in to soothe right away.
- Safety: back to sleep, a firm, flat surface and a bare crib (AAP). Now that your baby pulls up to stand, check the mattress height.
What changes at 10 months
Ten months sits between two CDC checklist ages, 9 months and 1 year. The CDC doesn’t have a separate 10-month list, so the table below uses skills from the 1-year checklist that many babies are working on now. Your baby doesn’t need to do all of them yet.
| Skill on the CDC 1-year checklist | How it can show up at sleep time | What can help |
|---|---|---|
| Pulls up to stand | Your baby stands up in the crib at bedtime or in the night and cries to get down | Practice sitting down from standing during play. At night, lay them down once, calmly. |
| Walks while holding on to furniture | A busy, active day. Some babies sleep better, some are too wound up to settle. | Plenty of floor time earlier in the day, and a calmer last hour before bed |
| Waves “bye-bye” | Your baby now understands goodbyes, and may protest them | Make “bye-bye, see you in the morning” part of the routine |
| Looks for things they see you hide | Your baby knows you’re still there after you leave the room, and may call for you | Hide-and-find games in the daytime |
| Picks up small bits of food with thumb and pointer finger | Meals get more regular, which can shift when your baby is hungry | Offer meals after naps rather than right before them |
For the rest of this month’s development, see our 10-month milestones guide.
Sample 10 month old sleep schedules
The 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. wake-ups are two of the most searched versions, so here are both, plus a “short nap day” for when the second nap doesn’t happen. These are examples, not rules.
| What happens | 6 a.m. wake-up | 8 a.m. wake-up | Short nap day (7 a.m. wake-up) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake up, milk feed | 6:00 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. |
| Breakfast and play | 6:45 a.m. | 8:45 a.m. | 7:45 a.m. |
| Nap 1 | 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. | 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. (short) |
| Lunch, milk feed, time outside | 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. | 10:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. |
| Nap 2 | 1:45 to 3:00 p.m. | 3:45 to 5:00 p.m. | 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. (short or skipped) |
| Play, dinner, milk feed | 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. | 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. | 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. |
| Bedtime routine starts | 6:15 p.m. | 8:15 p.m. | 5:45 p.m. |
| Asleep | about 6:45 p.m. | about 8:45 p.m. | about 6:15 p.m. (earlier than usual) |
On a short nap day, an earlier bedtime is often the simplest fix, and you can go back to the usual times the next day. Very early mornings are covered in baby wakes up at 5am.
2 naps or 1 nap at 10 months?
“10 month old sleep schedule 1 nap” is one of the most common searches for this age, often after a week of a baby fighting the afternoon nap. There’s no official age for the switch, and many babies keep 2 naps until after their first birthday. Switching early can leave a baby overtired by dinner. Use this check before you change anything.
| What you’re seeing | Often means | What to try first |
|---|---|---|
| Your baby fights nap 2 for a few days, then takes it again | A new skill, teething or a busy week | Keep offering 2 naps. Some quiet time in the crib still helps, even without sleep. |
| Nap 1 runs long and nap 2 never happens | The morning nap is taking the afternoon’s sleep | Shorten nap 1 a little and see if nap 2 comes back |
| Nap 2 is so late that bedtime keeps drifting later | The whole day has shifted | Start the day and nap 1 a little earlier |
| Your baby skips nap 2 and is cheerful until bedtime, day after day for a couple of weeks | Your baby may be one of the few who are ready early | Try a single midday nap with an earlier bedtime at first. Ask your pediatrician if you’re unsure. |
Wake windows for a 10 month old
A common rough guide is about 3 hours before nap 1, 3 to 3.5 hours between naps and 3.5 to 4 hours before bedtime. These numbers come from common practice, not from the AAP, so let your baby’s tired signs lead: rubbing eyes, staring off, fussing or getting clumsy. Our guide to baby cues has more.
Why is my 10 month old waking up at night?
These are the night-waking questions parents ask most at this age. Find the one that fits, try one change, and give it about a week before you try something else.
| Your question | Common reasons at 10 months | What can help |
|---|---|---|
| “Why is my 10 month old waking up crying?” | Separation anxiety, which the AAP says can disrupt sleep in the second half of the first year, or standing up and not knowing how to get down | A short, predictable goodbye. Give your baby a few minutes before going in, as the AAP suggests, then keep the visit brief and calm. |
| “Why is my 10 month old waking up every hour?” | Often linked to how your baby falls asleep at bedtime. A baby who is rocked or fed fully to sleep may look for the same help after every wake-up. | The AAP advises putting babies to bed drowsy, not already asleep. See baby won’t sleep without being held. |
| “Is my 10 month old waking up hungry, or for the bottle out of habit?” | Either is possible. Some babies this age still feed at night and some don’t. | Ask your pediatrician whether your baby still needs a night feed. If you feed, keep the lights low and the room quiet. |
| “My 10 month old wakes up at night to play” | A new skill your baby wants to practice, or a nap that ended late in the day | Lots of practice time in the day. At night, keep it dark and boring, and check the gap between nap 2 and bedtime. |
| “My 10 month old wakes up screaming” | Many possible reasons, from a bad dream to pain or illness | See baby wakes up screaming. Check for fever, ear pulling or a stuffy nose. |
| A few rough nights with drooling and chewing | Possibly teething | See teething symptoms and safe remedies |
Some parents call this the 10 month sleep regression. “Regression” isn’t a medical term, and these weeks often settle as your baby gets used to a new skill. For more, see why babies wake up at night and our guide to sleep regressions.
How much sleep does a 10 month old need?
| Sleep | At 10 months | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total in 24 hours | 12 to 16 hours, naps included | AAP, for ages 4 to 12 months (also on the CDC’s 1-year page) |
| Naps | Usually 2 | Common pattern, not an official measure |
| Wake windows | About 3 to 4 hours | Rough guide, not an official measure |
| Night feeds | Varies from baby to baby | Ask your pediatrician |
Babies differ. A baby who is mostly content when awake, eating well and growing as expected is usually getting enough sleep, even near the low end of the range.
A calm bedtime for a busy 10 month old
- Same steps, same order. For example: wash, pajamas and sleep sack, a feed, a book, a song, into the crib. The CDC notes that consistent sleep times make it easier to get enough sleep. Our baby bedtime routine guide has a simple version.
- Get the standing practice in early. A last round of floor play after dinner, then only the quiet steps.
- Put your baby down drowsy. The AAP advises not waiting until your baby is fully asleep.
- Say goodbye clearly. A matter-of-fact goodbye usually works better than slipping out. See also stranger anxiety in babies.
- Thinking about sleep training? Compare the options in our sleep training methods guide and talk with your pediatrician first.
Safe sleep for a baby who stands up
- Place your baby on their back to start every sleep. If they roll over on their own, the AAP says you don’t need to turn them back, as long as the crib is bare.
- Keep the crib bare: no pillows, blankets, bumpers or stuffed toys (AAP).
- Now that your baby pulls up to stand, set the mattress at the height your crib’s instructions give for a standing baby, usually the lowest setting.
- Use a wearable blanket on cold nights instead of a loose blanket. See the sleep sack TOG chart and how to dress a baby for sleep in winter.
Our full safe sleep practices guide has the rest.
When to talk to your doctor
- Your baby is unusually sleepy, hard to wake or too sleepy to eat.
- You hear loud snoring, gasping or pauses in breathing during sleep.
- Night waking comes with fever, ear pulling, poor eating, fewer wet diapers or slow weight gain.
- Your baby loses skills they used to have, or you’re worried about their development. The CDC advises talking with your child’s doctor and not waiting.
- You’d like help with night feeds, dropping a nap or sleep training.
- You feel exhausted or low and it’s hard to cope. Your pediatrician can help or point you to support.
- Call 911 if your baby stops breathing, turns blue or gray, or can’t be woken.
Frequently asked questions
How many naps does a 10 month old need?
Most need 2. A few move to 1 nap before their first birthday, but most switch later. If nap 2 has gone missing, look at the length of nap 1 and the timing of the day before you drop it.
What is a good bedtime for a 10 month old?
There’s no official bedtime. Many families aim for about 3.5 to 4 hours after the end of nap 2, which often lands between about 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. depending on the wake-up time.
What is the wake window before bed for a 10 month old?
Often the longest of the day, about 3.5 to 4 hours. It’s a rough guide, not an official measure, so watch for tired signs.
Why does my 10 month old stand up in the crib and cry?
Many babies learn to pull up before they learn to get back down. Practice sitting down from standing during the day. At night, lay your baby down once and give them a moment to settle, and check that the mattress is at the right height.
Should my 10 month old still wake up for a bottle?
It varies. Some babies this age still feed at night and others don’t. Your pediatrician can tell you whether your baby needs a night feed based on their growth. Our baby feeding schedule by age shows typical daytime amounts.
Is it OK if my 10 month old sleeps on their stomach?
Always place your baby on their back to start. If they roll onto their tummy on their own, the AAP says you can leave them that way, as long as there’s nothing soft in the crib.
Coming up: our 12-month milestones guide shows what the next two months may bring. Browse more sleep guides on our baby sleep page.
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Sources
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP): Healthy Sleep Habits: How Many Hours Does Your Child Need?
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP): Getting Your Baby to Sleep
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP): Separation Anxiety and Sleeping
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP): How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe
- CDC: Important Milestones: Your Baby By One Year
- CDC: Important Milestones: Your Baby By Nine Months
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you’re worried about your baby, call your pediatrician, or 911 in an emergency.