Can you believe your 10-month-old has almost reached her first birthday? As your baby approaches toddlerhood, you might notice that her sleep patterns are changing yet again. In particular, she may fight naps or bedtime more than before.
That might leave you wondering if it’s time for a change in her sleep schedule as well as what you should be doing to handle her mounting sleep protests.
Here's a look at what's normal when it comes to sleep for older babies, including a sample schedule to figure out whether you’re on the right track. Plus, the best way to cope if your 10-month-old is having a tough time in the sleep department.
How much should a 10-month-old sleep?
At 10 months (and 11 and 12 months too), your baby's sleep needs are probably pretty similar to what they were at 9 months. Your little one is likely snoozing for about 14 hours a day, although anywhere from 12 to 16 hours is within the realm of normal.
She's probably logging 10 to 12 hours of sleep at night along with two naps, each lasting somewhere between one and two hours.
Sample sleep schedule for a 10-month-old
The exact timing for bedtime and naps varies from baby to baby. But when it comes to sleep schedules, your 10-month-old has probably fallen into a fairly predictable pattern.
Babies this age usually wake on the early side, take a morning and an afternoon nap, and go to bed between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., getting 10 to 12 hours of sleep during the night. At 11 and 12 months, they will likely follow similar schedules.
Here’s an example of what your 10-month-old's sleep schedule might look like:
- 7:00 a.m.: Awake
- 9:30 a.m.: Nap
- 11:00 a.m.: Awake
- 2:30 p.m.: Nap
- 4:00 p.m.: Awake
- 7:00 p.m.: Bedtime routine
- 7:30 p.m.: Bedtime
What is the 10-month-old sleep regression?
At this point on your parenting journey, you're probably all too familiar with sleep regressions — those temporary disruptions to your baby’s sleep routine. When she's going through a regression, your baby likely struggles to fall asleep or wakes more often during the night.
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Many babies experience the first sleep regression around 4 months, and they often crop up again at 6 months and between 8 and 10 months.
Here’s why: Sleep regressions tend to strike when your baby is passing through a big developmental phase or mastering a new skill. These advances can lead to restlessness, which can make it harder for her to snooze soundly.
And developmentally, the 8- to 10-month period has a lot going on. At 10 months, some babies are still getting the hang of crawling, pulling up or saying their first words.
What's more, separation anxiety may also appear around this time. As your baby’s memory improves and her sense of self matures, she's more likely to feel upset when you're not around — including at bedtime and during the night.
Can you sleep train a 10-month-old?
If you haven’t already sleep trained your baby and she continues to struggle to fall asleep or often wakes during the night, it might be worth trying this month.
Most pediatricians give parents the green light to sleep train between 4 and 6 months, but you can start later too. Just keep in mind that sleep training at 10 months might be a little more challenging. With her sharper memory and increased attachment to you, your 10-month-old will likely have a harder time giving up those middle-of-the-night snacks and snuggles that she's grown used to.
That’s not to say sleep training can’t work. It can, and many parents say these methods help their babies learn how to self-soothe — it just might take longer for your 10-, 11- or 12-month-old to get the hang of her new nighttime routine.
In the meantime, your best course of action is to stick with your baby's bedtime routine and whichever form of sleep training you choose, whether it's cry it out (CIO), Ferber or one of the other sleep training methods. The more consistent you are, the sooner she'll come to accept the change.
10-month-old sleep tips
At 10 months, much of the same sleep advice that you’ve likely already been following still applies. But if a sleep regression or separation anxiety seems to be causing your little one’s sleep snafus, you now have some additional tools in your toolbox to help her cope.
- Keep a bedtime routine. By now, you probably know that you should establish a calm, predictable groove to help your baby wind down at the end of the day. A bath, final feeding, story or a song and plenty of snuggles all work.
- Introduce a lovey. If you suspect separation anxiety is affecting your little one’s sleep, try offering a transitional object like a favorite small, snuggly item. (Avoid big blankets at least until your child’s first birthday.) Cuddling something cozy and familiar might make it easier for her to fall asleep without you.
- Be consistent in how you offer comfort. If your baby cries, it's fine to go in and calmly reassure her. Just stick with the same approach every time — use the same words, and try not to resort to picking her up to rock, feed or play with her. Your goal is to offer a little less comfort each night, not form new habits that could potentially make it even harder for her to fall asleep without you.
- Resist the urge to drop the morning nap. While some 10-month-olds start to fight their morning nap, the vast majority still need two snooze sessions per day. Dropping the morning nap at this age usually results in an overtired baby, which can make it even harder for her to settle down and sleep well. If your baby absolutely refuses to nap in the morning, try bumping her afternoon nap up and aiming for a slightly earlier bedtime.
- But don’t let your baby nap too much either. Too much daytime dozing might mean your baby isn’t as tired at night, so consider capping naps at four hours total per day.
- Encourage crib naps. Your baby will sleep more soundly in her crib than she would in her stroller, and making crib naps part of her routine will help her sleep better at night. Of course, occasional on-the-go naps are inevitable, but try not to make it a habit.
10-month-old sleep problems
Though you could do without them, sleep-related speed bumps are part of babyhood — especially around the 8- to 10-month mark.
These days, it's perfectly normal to experience temporary sleep disruptions. A few possible problems that might arise this month:
- Separation anxiety or other developmental milestones. Mastering crawling, pulling up, saying first words or just wanting to be near you all the time can trigger a sleep regression. Be consistent with your baby's bedtime routine (and consider sleep training, if you haven't already).
- Teething. As you probably know by now, a sprouting tooth can be uncomfortable — and the painful process may interrupt baby’s sleep. Offer teething rings, and if they don't seem to help, ask your pediatrician about infant acetaminophen.
- Waking up at the crack of dawn. Most babies are early risers, but if your 10-month-old regularly wakes before 6 a.m., you may need to tweak her schedule. Try putting her to bed a little earlier or later, or encouraging more daytime sleep.
- Trouble falling asleep on her own. If your 10-month-old is used to being rocked or fed to sleep, she might struggle when you decide to stop. Again, if you haven't tried it yet, sleep training may help her learn how to self-soothe.
Sleep speed bumps aren’t uncommon in older babies, who may be getting their first taste of separation anxiety or passing through some major physical developmental milestones.
While you can’t make your 10-month-old’s sleep disruptions disappear instantly (wouldn’t that be nice?), continuing to encourage good sleep habits can help you both get through a rough patch sooner rather than later.
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