5 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule: Wake Windows, Naps & Sleep Training

Baby sleep at 5 months is a mix of things finally starting to feel more predictable with a few new curveballs that can pop up just when you think you have a rhythm going. Many babies stabilize after the 4-month sleep shift, become more alert during awake time, and start showing clearer patterns in naps and bedtime. But this age also brings developmental leaps, rolling practice, distractible feeding, and emerging separation awareness, all of which can influence sleep.

The goal of this guide is to help you understand what’s typical for a 5-month-old’s daytime and overnight rhythm, how to time wake windows, and how to build routines that support smoother naps and nights. We’ll walk through the range of normal sleep, sample schedules, and practical tips you can start today.

This guide pairs well with our other age-based resources, including our newborn sleep challenges guide, four month sleep regression info, and overview of baby wake windows by age. Looking for a guide for a different age? We have those too! Check out our guides to sleep at one month, two months, three months, and four months. 

What does a 5 month old baby’s daytime & overnight sleep look like? 

Daytime Sleep

At 5 months, most babies take 3 naps per day, though some still benefit from a shorter fourth nap. Naps may be uneven in length due to increased alertness and mobility, but a typical day might include:

• 2 longer naps in the morning and midday
• 1 shorter late-afternoon nap

Expect naps to range between 30 and 120 minutes. Shorter naps are common when babies are practicing new skills or are distracted by a stimulating environment.

Overnight Sleep

Nighttime sleep is still consolidating. Many 5-month-olds:

• Sleep a longer first stretch at night
• Wake 1–2 times for feeds (especially breastfed babies or those going through a growth spurt)
• Benefit from a predictable bedtime routine

Even if your baby isn’t sleeping through the night yet, establishing a routine and consistent wake windows during the day helps encourage longer nighttime stretches over time.

Sample 5 Month Old Sleep Schedules

At five months, most babies need about 13–15 hours of total sleep in a 24-hour period, including 3–4 naps during the day. You can start leaning into a more consistent daily rhythm, as many babies are showing longer stretches at night and slightly longer wake windows during the day. These sample schedules are meant as helpful starting points rather than strict rules. Watch your baby’s cues and adjust as needed to keep naps and bedtime predictable and stress-free.

Early Riser

6:00am – Wake & first feed

7:15–8:15am – Nap 1 (1 hr, longest nap)

8:15am – Feed & playtime

10:00–10:45am – Nap 2 (45 min)

10:45am – Feed & floor play / tummy time

12:30–1:15pm – Nap 3 (45 min)

1:15pm – Feed & interactive play / stroller walk

3:30–4:00pm – Nap 4 (30 min, last nap)

4:00pm – Feed & light play

5:30pm – Start winding down, final feed, bedtime routine 

6:00pm –Asleep

Later Riser (With 3 Naps)

7:30am – Wake & feed

8:30–10:15am – Nap 1 (longest nap, 1 hr 45 min)

10:15am – Feed & play (stroller walk or floor time)

12:30–1:30pm – Nap 2 (1 hr)

1:30pm – Feed & interactive play

3:30–5:00pm – Nap 3 (1 hr 30 min, last nap)

5:00pm – Feed & light play

6:15pm – Start bedtime routine (bath, lotion, final feed, short book)

7:30pm – Asleep

It’s normal for some babies to be up earlier than others, but if your baby is waking before 6 AM, try implementing the tips in our guide to Fixing Early Morning Wake Ups. 

How long should 5 month old babies sleep?

Sleep is still a critical part of growth and brain development at 5 months. Babies need a balance of daytime naps and overnight rest to consolidate memory, support cognitive skills, and restore energy. On average, a 5-month-old sleeps 14–15.5 hours in 24 hours, which usually breaks down to:

• 2.5–4 hours of daytime sleep
• 10–12 hours overnight (with 1–2 feeds for some babies)

While many babies start consolidating longer stretches of nighttime sleep after the 4-month sleep regression, variability is normal. Some babies may nap in longer stretches, while others continue to have shorter, interrupted naps due to rolling, teething, or distractibility. The goal is to create a rhythm that feels consistent and responsive to your baby’s cues.

Struggling to balance daytime naps and nights? Our 24-hour newborn care team can help.

Safe Sleep Habits for 5 Month Olds

As your baby grows and becomes more mobile, prioritizing safe sleep is more important than ever. Even as they start to roll, move, and explore, keeping their sleep environment safe helps reduce the risk of sleep-related accidents and promotes better rest for everyone.

• Back sleeping: Always place your baby on their back for naps and nighttime sleep. Once they can roll on their own, you don’t need to reposition them, but back sleeping remains the safest starting position.
• Swaddling & rolling: If your baby can roll both ways, it’s time to transition out of swaddles and into a sleep sack or wearable blanket that allows free movement but keeps them cozy.
• Dressing for sleep: Choose breathable layers appropriate for the room temperature to prevent overheating. Avoid hats, blankets, or extra padding in the crib.
• Sleep surface: Use a flat, firm mattress with a fitted sheet, and avoid wedges, mesh guards, or positioners. Keep the crib clear of pillows, toys, or loose bedding.
• Pacifier use: Pacifiers can still be a safe, helpful sleep tool if your baby accepts them, and offering one at nap or bedtime may reduce the risk of SIDS.

Following these practices helps create a safe, predictable sleep environment while supporting your baby’s developmental milestones. For a deeper dive, check out our full guide on Safe Sleep Practices.

5 Month Old Wake Windows & Daily Routine

Wake windows, the periods your baby is awake between naps, help build sleep pressure, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. At 5 months, typical wake windows are 1–2.5 hours, with shorter windows in the morning and longer ones in the afternoon and evening.

To find your baby’s ideal wake window, observe cues like eye rubbing, turning away from stimulation, or slower movements, and look for a window where your baby can fall asleep within 10–15 minutes, nap at least 45–60 minutes, and wake up content. Adjust by 10–15 minutes as needed until you discover the “sweet spot.”

During wake windows, focus on a balance of play, movement, and calm connection: tummy time, stroller walks, reading, singing, and practicing new skills. End the window with a short, predictable nap routine to prevent overtiredness, including dim lights, a diaper change, sleep sack, and brief cuddle or calm feed. If you think your baby is tipping into becoming overtired, it’s a great time to implement some classic soothing techniques like shushing or rocking. 

Activities for daytime fun with a five month old

At five months, your baby is becoming more interactive, curious, and engaged with the world. Playtime is about connection, exploration, and practicing new skills, not just entertainment. Encourage your baby to reach, grasp, roll, and kick through age-appropriate activities. Singing or talking to your baby, spurts of tummy time, offering soft or colorful objects to track and grab, or letting your baby splash safely in the bath are all ways to build hand-eye coordination, visual focus, and emotional security.

These playful moments also help regulate sleep: balanced activity during wake windows encourages your baby to be ready for naps and supports longer nighttime stretches. Think of daytime fun as a gentle mix of stimulation and bonding that sets the stage for healthy development and better sleep.

Nap Schedule for a 5 Month Old

Around five months, most babies take 3–4 naps per day. Naps are still essential for brain development and emotional regulation, and many babies are starting to show slightly longer wake windows between naps. The first nap is usually the most restorative, while later naps may be shorter “bridge” periods leading to bedtime.

How long should naps be for a 5 month old?

Most naps range between 45–120 minutes, though individual lengths vary. Shorter catnaps are normal, especially for later naps, and keeping naps under about 2.5 hours helps protect nighttime sleep and supports circadian rhythm development.

How many naps should my 5 month old take?

Three naps are increasingly common by five months, but some babies still benefit from a fourth shorter nap depending on their total daytime sleep and wake window patterns.

How do I know when to drop a nap?

If your baby begins fighting a late nap or bedtime keeps shifting later, it may be time to transition to fewer naps. Pay attention to signs of overtiredness—short naps, increased fussiness, or longer settling times are all indicators that nap schedules may need adjustment. For tips on short naps or managing overtired cues, see our guide to  Napping 101, or connect with our team for personalized support and 24-hour newborn care.

Feeding & Sleep at 5 Months

At five months, feeding patterns continue to influence daytime and nighttime sleep. Babies are more alert, may become easily distracted during feeds, and many families start exploring solid foods around this age.

Breastfeeding or Bottles: How Feeding Styles Affect Sleep

• Nursing on demand: Breastfed babies often continue frequent feeds, both day and night. While this may make sleep less predictable, nursing supports emotional regulation and bonding.
• Structured bottle or formula feeding: Scheduled feeds can create a more consistent nap and bedtime pattern, but growth spurts or developmental leaps may temporarily increase appetite, so staying flexible is key.

Starting Solid Foods: How Will It Impact Sleep?

Some families introduce tastes or small amounts of solids around five months. Solids usually do not yet replace milk or formula as the main source of nutrition, but early introduction can help babies explore new textures and flavors while building oral skills. Continue to focus on responding to hunger cues and keeping nighttime feeds low-stimulation to support better sleep patterns.

Whether you’re nursing, formula feeding, or a combination, consistency, connection, and calm routines are more important than perfect timing. Our Newborn Care Specialists can help with overnight support during breastfeeding or formula feeds, giving parents a chance to rest while ensuring baby’s sleep feeding needs are met.

When Is a Good Bedtime for a 5 Month Old?

The typical bedtime for a five-month-old generally falls between 6:00–8:00 PM, though individual rhythms vary. Look for early sleepy cues such as eye rubbing, zoning out, or mild fussiness, and start bedtime when you see them. Waiting too long can lead to overtiredness and harder sleep (often resulting in the dreaded witching hour). Circadian rhythms are maturing, so you may notice earlier bedtimes becoming easier to maintain. Aim for consistency in both bedtime and morning wake-up to support daytime naps and overall sleep patterns.

5 Month Old Bedtime Routine

At this age, babies thrive on predictability and gentle cues that sleep is coming. Keep routines short (about 20–30 minutes) and consistent each night. Repetition builds trust and helps your baby learn to self-soothe.

Here’s an example of a short and cozy bedtime routine:

• Quiet, dimmed lights and soft voices for 10–15 minutes before starting
• Bath or wipe-down (optional — some babies still do better with every-few-days baths), lotion
• Diaper change and pajamas
• Swaddle or arms-out sleep sack, depending on whether baby is rolling
• Feed in a calm, dim space
• A short book or soft lullaby to cue “bedtime”
• Snuggle, then place baby in the crib drowsy but awake, turn on sound machine

If your baby experiences “false starts,” where they wake shortly after falling asleep, a consistent routine can help. Avoid skipping steps, as predictability itself signals bedtime. For additional guidance, our Newborn Care Specialists can help create a simple, effective routine and provide overnight support.

The Four Month Sleep Regression (and What It Means at 5 Months)

By five months, most babies have either gone through the four-month sleep regression or are experiencing its tail end. This is a common milestone that signals rapid neurological growth rather than a step backward. Around four to five months, your baby’s sleep cycles mature from the simple newborn “deep/light” pattern into a more adult-like rhythm with multiple stages of sleep.

The challenge? Babies at this age are learning to transition between these stages on their own, which often leads to shorter naps, more frequent night wakings, and longer bedtimes. This is all part of your baby’s brain practicing new skills (like rolling, grasping, and noticing the world in new ways) so while they may appear restless, they’re actually developing faster than ever.

Sleep Regression Symptoms

• Naps suddenly shorten to 30–45 minutes.
• Bedtime takes longer, with more rocking, feeding, or fussing needed to fall asleep.
• Night wakings increase, sometimes every 1–3 hours.
• Early-morning wake-ups are common (5–6 a.m.).

How to Support Your Baby Through It

• Stick with routines. Predictable nap and bedtime rituals help your baby recognize when sleep is coming and reduce overstimulation.
• Watch wake windows. Overtiredness often worsens sleep struggles. Aim for wake windows around 60–120 minutes, adjusting based on your baby’s cues.
• Encourage self-settling gently. Place your baby down drowsy but awake once or twice a day; even short practice sessions help build independent sleep skills.
• Stay consistent with your responses. Comforting, rocking, or feeding are all okay, but consistency helps your baby understand sleep patterns.
• Give it time. The regression typically lasts 2–4 weeks, but the skills learned form the foundation for more consolidated sleep in the months ahead.

Remember: this “regression” is really growth in disguise. While it can feel disruptive, steady routines and calm responses make it gentler for both you and your baby. If night wakings are taking a toll, our team can provide overnight support to help your family get rest while reinforcing healthy sleep habits.

Can I Start Sleep Training at 5 Months?

By five months, many babies are developmentally ready for sleep training. Most have gone through the four-month sleep regression, which means their sleep cycles are more established and they’re beginning to practice self-soothing naturally. This makes it an ideal window to start introducing consistent sleep patterns without doubling your efforts due to regression disruptions.

Regardless of whether you formally sleep train your baby, you can continue or begin gentle sleep shaping through:

• Consistent routines for naps and bedtime
• Age-appropriate wake windows to ensure optimal sleep pressure
• Putting baby down drowsy but awake to encourage self-soothing
• Offering brief opportunities to self-settle before intervening
• Predictable bedtime cues like dim lights, quiet play, or soft music

While some families start earlier, we typically encourage waiting until around five months before beginning formal sleep training. By this age, most babies have moved through or are nearing the end of the four-month regression, and their circadian rhythms are more mature. Many infants are also biologically more capable of longer stretches without overnight feeds, depending on growth and pediatric guidance, which makes training smoother and more sustainable. Waiting also allows time for secure attachment and responsive caregiving patterns to be well-established, helping babies feel safe as they learn new sleep skills. Gentle routines, drowsy-but-awake moments, and age-appropriate wake windows can absolutely begin earlier, but families often see faster progress and less stress when formal training begins closer to 5 months.

Not sure if your baby is quite ready yet? Our guide,How To Gently Sleep Train A Newborn Baby (Without Crying Yourself To Sleep), walks you through responsive methods. When you’re ready, our sleep training services provide expert guidance, helping your baby learn independent sleep while giving you confidence and peace of mind.

Frequently asked questions about sleep schedules at 5 months

Looking for quick answers? Here’s our rapid-fire guide to sleep at three months old. 

How many naps should a 5 month old take?
Most take 3–4 naps per day, gradually shortening through the day.

How long should naps last?
Individual naps usually range from 45 minutes to 2.5 hours, depending on your baby’s sleepiness and age-appropriate wake windows.

When do babies sleep through the night?
Some babies begin sleeping 10–12 hour stretches at five months, but every child is different. Night wakings for feeds or comfort are still common.

What time should a 5 month old go to bed?
Bedtime typically falls between 6:00–8:00pm, depending on your family’s schedule and the baby’s last nap.

Does it get easier after  the 4 month regression?
Nearly all experience it to some degree, though some may have already recovered by five months and others are still working through it.

Can I start sleep training at five months?

Yes—most babies are developmentally ready after the four-month regression, and gentle sleep training can help establish independent sleep skills.

What if my baby’s schedule doesn’t match this one?
Every baby is unique. Focus on total sleep, consistent routines, and age-appropriate wake windows rather than strict clock times.For more support, explore our overnight newborn care, 24-hour newborn care, and sleep training services to help your whole family get a great night’s sleep.