5 Month Old Sleep Schedule

If you have a 5-month-old right now, you’re likely in a unique transition phase—they’re no longer a newborn, but they’re not quite a full-fledged “baby” yet.

You might be wondering, “What should my baby’s sleep schedule look like at this stage?”

If that sounds like you, we’re so glad you found this blog post! We’re here to guide you through everything you need to know about establishing a sleep schedule for your 5-month-old.

Quick Facts

Before we take a deeper dive into the 5 month old sleep schedule, let’s take a look at some quick facts.

Quick Fact #1: The 5 month old sleep schedule can begin 20 weeks from baby’s due date. 

Quick Fact #2: Aim for 3 naps a day totaling 3.5 hours of daytime sleep.

Quick Fact #3: Think routine, not schedule (just like the 4 month sleep schedule!)

5 Month Sleep Schedule Explained

To establish a successful sleep routine for your 5-month-old, the first step is to understand their specific wake windows.

What Is a Wake Window?

A wake window is the amount of time your baby can handle being awake before they need to go back to sleep. These wake windows are essential for building the right amount of sleep pressure between naps.

In order for your baby to nap long enough, they need to be awake long enough to build sleep pressure—but not so long that they become overtired.

The appropriate wake window for a 5 month old is 2-2.5 hours maximum.

We don’t want to push them to stay awake longer than that, otherwise they will become overtired. Building the right amount of sleep pressure with the right wake window length will allow your 5 month old to take restorative naps AND sleep soundly through the night.

Timing Wake Windows

For a 5-month-old, the wake window begins when they are taken out of their crib, not when their eyes open.

Here’s an example of how to structure their morning:

1. Morning wake-up: When your baby wakes, take them out of their crib.
2. Get ready for the day: Change their diaper, feed them, and engage in a bit of playtime.
3. Prep for nap #1: After approximately 2 hours (not 2.5 hours), do a quick nap routine and put them down for their first nap.

By following this rhythm, you’ll help your baby build just the right amount of sleep pressure for longer, more restorative naps without becoming overtired.

Remember, the morning wake window is always the shortest one of the day because nap 1 acts as an extension of your baby’s nighttime sleep. For bedtime, your 5 month old is capable of sleeping 11-12 hours through the night with one optional waking for a night feed.

Below is the 5 month old sleep schedule in detail.

Throughout the day, your 5-month-old will follow 2-2.5 hour wake windows before each nap. The goal is to offer 3 naps totaling 3.5 hours of daytime sleep.

Wake Window Guidelines

• Before Nap 1: 2-hour wake window.
• Before Nap 2 & Nap 3, and bedtime: 2.25-2.5 hour wake windows.

Nap Lengths

Your baby’s nap lengths will naturally vary from day to day, and that’s completely normal!

• Some days, all 3 naps might be 1-1.5 hours long.
• Other days, the first two naps may be longer (1-1.5 hours) while the 3rd nap is a short “cat nap” (20-30 minutes), often on the go, to get through dinner and bedtime.

Total Daytime Sleep

The most important goal is to ensure your baby gets 3.5 hours of total daytime sleep, spread across their 3 naps. The breakdown of nap lengths can differ—it’s the total that matters.

By honoring wake windows and aiming for consistent daytime sleep, you’ll help set your baby up for restful nights and a predictable routine.

Don’t let your baby tank up on nap 1, otherwise, they won’t take nap 2 or 3 as easily and that will lead to over-tiredness before bedtime. 

Find a rhythm on the 3 nap schedule that works for you and your little one and use their wake windows as your guide.

When Do I Feed My 5 Month Old?

It’s easy to feel attached to the Eat-Play-Sleep rhythm when managing your baby’s feeding schedule. However, it’s important to remember that this rhythm won’t always work perfectly throughout the day—and that’s okay!

Letting Go of the Rhythm

If Eat-Play-Sleep doesn’t work after the first nap, don’t stress. In fact, it might only align in the morning before Nap 1, and that’s perfectly fine. Your baby isn’t a robot, and they may sometimes need a feeding right before going down for a nap.

Feeding Guidelines

At 5 months old, the key is ensuring your baby is feeding every 3-4 hours throughout the day. This helps them stay nourished and supports better sleep overall.

Preventing a Feed-to-Sleep Association

If you want to avoid feeding your baby to sleep, simply add a short buffer between the feeding and their nap. For example, after they finish eating, spend a few minutes doing a quiet activity or a brief nap routine before placing them in their crib.

By staying flexible and prioritizing your baby’s unique needs, you can maintain a balanced approach to feeding and sleep.

We want to openly acknowledge that this 5 month sleep schedule will feel really fleeting because in the near future (around 6-7 months of age) your baby is going to experience yet another schedule change, the 3-to-2 nap transition.

Your baby was on a 4-nap schedule at 4 months, a 3-nap schedule currently at 5 months, and will soon be on a 2-nap schedule at 6-7 months.

You and your baby are experiencing continual changes right now and it’s okay if it feels a little crazy!

You are going to have a set schedule soon, PROMISE.

For now though, your 5 month old needs this 3 nap daily routine based around their wake windows.

Rest easy knowing that this really is a short season and that we are here to help you make and keep sleep a thing, every step of the way.

Conclusion

Your 5 month old can make sleep a thing and have an ideal, predictable nap schedule for days and nights.

• Replace the word “schedule” with routine and focus on structuring your baby’s day around wake windows of 2-2.5 hours.
• The 5-month-old sleep routine can be implemented as early as 20 weeks from your baby’s due date.
• Aim for 3 naps per day, totaling 3.5 hours of daytime sleep.

By following this flexible routine, you’ll help your baby build healthy sleep habits while adapting to their developmental needs.