Baby Wake windows By age; from newborn to 20 months
By: evelyn parkar * Updated 16 August 2024
Ohh boy! What a topic, the most challenging thing for new parents, Putting the baby to sleep and scheduling his sleep time is tough. If the baby sleeps comfortably, he feels stress-free, and our work is also done to a great extent.
It is crucial to know about the baby’s wake window, depending on the baby’s age, so you neither over-feed the baby nor suffer from stress due to less sleep.it is because of false bedtime.
In this article, I will briefly introduce the wake window, I will share my experience with the wake windows routine of my children and now Jake, who is three months old. Why the wake window is important when parents should pay attention to the wake window, baby sleep signs, and the complete list of the wake window for children by age.
so, let’s get started!
Quick guide about baby’s wake window
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What is a wake window?
The wake window is the time when your baby is awake between naps. Usually, we take the baby or toddler out of his stroller or pram. And do not lie in it to sleep again. Learn more about Pram vs stroller which one is good for your little one.
Why wake windows are important for babies?
We adults get sleep at night after working all day; apart from humans, animals also need sleep to refresh themselves. We work all day and sleep at night, but children sleep and stay awake all day so that they can eat their food again and again.
The longer we work, the more we want to sleep. Infants and toddlers have high sleep pressure, so they sleep frequently during the day and night.
If you don’t let your child play, don’t interrupt his wakefulness, and repeatedly try to put him to sleep, he will refuse to sleep, which will be a waste of time for you.
Similarly, if you keep him awake with you and spend much time with him on hobbies, he will remain tired, which has many disadvantages. You have to balance the baby’s sleep and wake up.
When is the best time for wake windows for babies?
My babies are quite fussy in the first four months, and even after my best efforts, they can’t get into a routine; no matter how hard I try, they roll over and sleep through the day and wake up at night, and when it comes to just waking up, it’s still fine. But they also cry while waking up. And until I wake up, sleep, and calm down the baby, my condition becomes like a zombie in the morning. No matter how much eye serum you use, the dark circles will not disappear. Ah!😭
The sleeping period of a 4-month-old baby is long, which makes it difficult to set any routine. The mother begins to understand the baby’s sleep time by four months. Babies take naps, too, so that’s the best time to start creating baby nap times. And you can easily begin to wake windows.
You have to understand your baby’s sleep signals
Understanding your baby’s sleep cues will make it easier for you to expand your baby’s wake window. Until you understand your baby’s sleep cues, you’ll either keep them awake or try to put them to sleep repeatedly.
I will tell you the signals I used to understand my baby’s sleep, and many mothers have been guided by the signals I have told you. I am sure these signals will help you know your baby’s wake window.
- Yawning: Yawning is a sign of tiredness for everyone, young and old, and it’s a clear sign that your baby is ready to enter the valleys of sleep.
- Crying: This happens in very few children but my children used to cry themselves to sleep.
- Less interest in the surroundings: As the child gets tired and wants to sleep, he loses interest in his surroundings with his toys.
- Swallow or Red eyes: From staying awake for too long and going to sleep, you will notice that the lower part of the eyes turns red and slightly swollen from the normal routine, which is an important sign of sleep.
- Slowing down: As sleep dominates the child, the children become slow in their movements. Their mischief is reduced. Movement is reduced.
- Irritable.: Children are confused to sleep, if you try to open with them, they are annoyed instead of happy.
- Sucking thumb: A sign of sleep for some babies is that they start sucking their thumb or finger to calm themselves.
Most of the children do not sleep because of their teething pain, read this article on how to help a teething baby to sleep.
Every child is unique; waking and sleeping times are different. These symptoms are given for an estimate. But some children also use these signs when hungry, restless, or sick. You need to know your baby’s wake window and how long he is awake after going to sleep. Many people count the waking hours from taking the baby out of the crib to putting it back in it.
But I count from when the baby’s eyes open until the eyes are closed. This time estimate is for you to determine. And it has to be set according to the age of the baby.
Wake window by baby’s age
Depending on the age, the wake window of children varies, and the wake window also changes with their growth. After a lot of research by my team and me, I will tell you the age-wise of Wake Windows.
- Newborn ( 0 t0 4 months)
Newborn babies sleep a lot in the first twelve weeks and wake up for a very short time, usually 45 to 120 minutes.
Wake window; 45 minutes to 2 hours
Per day naps; on-demand
24 hours of sleep; 14 to 17 hours
You need to know when does newborn stage ends to schedule your baby’s wake window or sleeping time routine.
- 4 to 6 month old
By 4 to 6 months, babies’ waking windows increase to 180 minutes, and they start taking three naps daily. The first and last naps are slightly longer than the naps in between.at this stage baby starts to explore things around him and starts learning crawling.
Wake window ; 2.5 hours
Per day naps ; 3
24 hours of sleep; 13 to 15 hours
- 6 to 9 month old
A nine-month-old baby’s waking window will be 3 to 4 hours.
Wake window; 3-4
Per day naps; 2
24 hours of sleep; 13- 14
- 9 to 12 months old
Some days from nine to 12 months, they take 3 naps, but my children sleep less, so they used to sleep only once a day. And their waking windows will increase to 3-4 hours.
Wake window; 3-4
Per day naps; 2
24 hours of sleep; 13 – 14
- 12 to 18 months old
Children at this age take a nap every day. But often this nap is expensive for the parents because then they stay up late at night.
Wake window; 4 to 6 hours
Per day naps; 2
24 hours of sleep; 13 to 14 hours
- 18 to 16 months
At this age, your child takes a nap every day and his routine is pretty much set.
Wake window ; 4 – 6 hours
Per day naps; 1
24 hours of sleep; 13 to 14 hours
Conclusion
Depending on the age, you have to understand your baby’s wake windows; your little one’s sleep is very important for his growth, development, and development. By sleeping and waking up on time, your baby will stay fresh, his mood will be cheerful, and he will be able to eat food and drink well.
FAQ’s
How long should babies be awake by age?
At the age of six months, babies’ waking hours increase. And their sleeping hours are two to three times a day, in which they often complete their deep sleep for one or two hours. And their waking hours are three more. Sometimes consists of four hours. I share one of Pinterest video about babies waking hours with you guys I love it.
Does feeding count in the wake window?
Many parents do not understand the meaning of wake windows, and people also make it very complicated. In simple words, any activity that the baby does after waking up is the wake window. It includes feeding, nappy change, bath, and changing clothes. Change is all-inclusive.
What happens if the baby sleeps through feeding time?
Newborn babies sleep peacefully during feeding and leave their hunger. With such short naps, their sleep cycle is not completed, and they stay awake at night and sleep restlessly. And falling asleep while feeding like Jack and I happen to wake him up and tackle my unfinished business.
When should we stop waking the baby to feed overnight?
Three 6-month-old healthy babies weighing 12 to 13 pounds can eat and sleep through the night without getting up. So, if your baby sleeps peacefully throughout the night, you don’t need to worry. New born babies need proper sleep but you should have clarity about newborn stage.
How can I keep my baby awake longer?
It’s not about keeping kids awake for long; it’s about making their waking hours attractive. I share my methods here. First thing in the morning, make the baby have breakfast in a place where the sun shines. You can also open the terrace or the window. It will make you and your baby feel happy.
Increase his waking time by 15 minutes a day and try hard to make these 15 minutes pleasant for him, like taking your baby for a short walk while sitting in a pram or stroller. Sing a lullaby. We are devoted to our children, so give them as much time as possible. Reduce TV use because excessive TV use and noise are unsuitable for your child.
What happens is baby wake window too long?
Staying too long produces fight hormones in babies that keep them awake long after bedtime. My children do this very often. Sometimes at a function or home, they would be late to put them to sleep, so it was not like they fell asleep comfortably, but they would stay awake for an hour or two after that, and they even more demanding to wake up was that I should hold them while standing.
Why is the baby awake all night?
Do not play overstimulated games with the baby when putting it to sleep. Instead, tell a small story by drumming lots.
