Hey mama, if you’re reading this I imagine you’re super tired trying to get your 6 month old baby on a sleep schedule & sleeping great, so I’m going to dive right in with some expert baby sleep advice. 

Content

• 6 month old baby sleep schedules
• 6 month old sleeping on stomach - should I turn them over?
• Is there a sleep regression at 6 months?
• 6 month old sleep training

6 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule

6 month old sleep schedule on 3 naps or 2 naps:

Here are two 6 month old sleep schedules, including wake up time, awake times, naps and bedtime.

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6 month old wake windows

As you can see in the schedules below, 6 month old wake windows are between 2-3.5 hours depending on how many naps they take. 

It helps to take a staggered approach to wake windows, meaning they start at 2 hrs and increase as the day goes on. 

What time should my 6 month old go to bed? 

Babies this age love early bedtimes, so I would aim for a 7 pm bedtime. However, anywhere between 6:30-7:30 pm is okay, as long as you stick to the same bedtime each night. 

And remember, bedtime is the time your child is fully asleep. Not the time you place them in the crib!

How much sleep is normal for a 6 month old?

A 6 month old sleeps 11-12 hours at night (with 1 or 2 possible night feeds) and the total time of all naps combined is around 3 hours. This results in 14-15 hours of total sleep in 24 hours. 

6 month old sleeping on stomach - should I turn them over?

We all know we should always put babies down to sleep on their backs, never on their stomach.

However, what happens if they’re able to roll onto their stomach in their sleep? Do you have to go in and roll them back?

The answer is no. If your child knows how to roll onto their back, they can roll onto their stomach, too. 

However, you should always place your baby down to sleep on their back first! No matter what they choose to do in the middle of the night. 

It’s also a good idea to practise rolling from stomach to back during the day, just to make sure they’re able to do it. 

Is there a sleep regression at 6 months? 

Yes, there is a sleep regression at this age, and it can definitely interfere with your child’s sleep. However, it’s nothing to be afraid of! With the right expectations, you will get through it. Also, remember that a sleep regression is a healthy sign that your baby is growing as they should - and sleep will only temporarily take a hit. (Even if it feels like forever.)

Problems and solutions for the 6 month sleep regression:

Problem: Your baby will resist sleep more, this goes for bedtime but especially naps. 

Solution: Be prepared for the resistance mentally. Have some ice cream waiting for you in the fridge for afterwards! And also have a longer nap and bedtime routine to help your baby relax more. 

Problem: Your baby will cry more. Sometimes a LOT more.  

Solution: This is hard for any parent to hear, especially if you’re sensitive to your little one’s cries. Since they will cry more, be prepared to do anything it takes to get your baby sleeping. Rock, feed or shush them to sleep for the time being (if necessary). Once the regression has passed, you can go back to sleep training.

Problem: Your baby might need more time to settle for sleep - it can sometimes take them up to 1 hour to fall asleep during the regression.

Solution: Put your baby in the crib 10-15 minutes before they normally go in, so they have time to prepare for sleep (and avoid getting overtired).

Problem: The 6 month sleep regression lasts for about 2.

Solution: Do whatever you can to get through these 2 weeks. Ask your partner or friends for help with bedtime (or daytime) so you can rest. Once the 2 weeks have passed, sleep train your baby so the coming regressions will be smooth sailing!

6 month old sleep training

If you’re wondering why your 6 month old keeps waking up at night, the reason might be because they’re not sleep trained. A baby that keeps waking at night is waking because they need their parents to resettle back to sleep. A sleep trained baby can calmly settle themselves to sleep, hence sleep all night!

Can you sleep train at 6 months old? YES! Whether you want to drop all night feeds or keep 1-2 of them, your 6 month old can absolutely be sleep trained. 

How do you sleep train your 6 month old? Here’s how:

1. You pick a sleep training method that suits your baby’s personality, your parenting style and the time you have.
2. You start sleep training your baby for nights (so at bedtime and during night wakings). 
3. Then, once nights are going well, you begin training during the day. We always deal with naps last!

Once sleep training is finished, your baby will be going down to sleep happily and peacefully without any crying for naps and bedtime. Who doesn’t want that, right?

If you’re interested in this, check out my sleep consultations. I’ve helped countless parents get their babies sleeping amazingly for years, and I’d love to help you, too. 

To sum up

Your 6 month old can definitely sleep great. I actually think it’s the perfect sweet spot to teach your baby healthy sleeping habits, because they’re not that mobile yet and still young. 

Just try to manage the 6 month sleep regression (if you haven’t sleep trained, in which case it’ll be way easier) and reach out to me in case you need any sleep support! I’m always here for you!