Swaddle
How the calculator works
It looks at bedtime two ways and you can use whichever fits your day:
- Usual bedtime counts back from the morning wake-up by the typical night sleep for your baby's age, plus about 30 minutes to fall asleep, kept close to the age's usual bedtime.
- Tonight adds the last wake window of the day (usually the longest one) to the end of the last nap. On a day of short naps, it is often earlier than usual, and that is fine.
If the two disagree by a lot, go for the earlier one. Overtired babies tend to fall asleep harder and wake more, while a bedtime that is a bit early rarely causes problems.
Bedtime by age
Example bedtimes for a 7:00 am wake-up, from the same model as the sleep schedule maker:
| Age | Sample bedtime | Typical night sleep |
|---|---|---|
| 3 month old | 8:25 pm | about 7 h 45 min |
| 4 month old | 7:45 pm | about 10 h |
| 5 month old | 7:10 pm | about 10 h 20 min |
| 6 month old | 7:45 pm | about 10 h 40 min |
| 7 month old | 6:30 pm | about 11 h |
| 8 month old | 6:30 pm | about 11 h |
| 9 month old | 6:40 pm | about 11 h 5 min |
| 10 month old | 7:15 pm | about 11 h 5 min |
| 11 month old | 7:45 pm | about 11 h 5 min |
| 12 month old | 7:45 pm | about 11 h 10 min |
| 15 month old | 6:30 pm | about 11 h 15 min |
| 18 month old | 6:30 pm | about 11 h 20 min |
| 2 year old | 7:10 pm | about 11 h 30 min |
Before about 3 months, most babies have no set bedtime. Their longest stretch of sleep often starts late in the evening, and that is normal.
Signs bedtime is too late
- Your baby cries hard at bedtime or fights the routine.
- They wake 30 to 60 minutes after going down (a false start).
- They wake very early, before 6 am.
Signs bedtime is too early
- Your baby lies awake happily for a long time at bedtime.
- They are awake for an hour or more in the middle of the night (a split night).