Baby sleep at 12 months
one nap or two?
At one year, a child still sleeps 11 to 14 hours a day according to the WHO. Most keep two naps for several more months, even when one of them starts being refused.
The ranges at 12 months
| Range | At 12 months |
|---|---|
| Total sleep over 24 h | 11 to 14 hours |
| Naps per day | Usually 2 |
| Wake window | 2 h 45 min to 5 hours |
One nap or two?
The switch to a single nap most often happens between 15 and 24 months. A few refused naps at 12 months are not enough to decide: teething, illness or a new skill often upset the rhythm for a few days. It is repetition over one to two weeks, outside illness and changes of setting, that signals a real transition. The signs and the gradual method.
The bedtime routine, more useful than ever
At one year, children anticipate: a sequence of steps that never changes (bath, pyjamas, story, cuddle) tells them night is coming. Four steps every evening are better than ten every other evening. What the studies show.
Sleep setup
The HAS guidelines are written for infants: on their back, in a cot with bars, in a sleeping bag, with no pillow, duvet or objects in the cot, in a room at 18 to 20 °C. Ask your paediatrician when and how to adapt them.
When to talk to a doctor
See a doctor if your baby consistently sleeps much less than these ranges, is hard to wake or drowsy all the time, or if their sleep comes with loud snoring, pauses in breathing or a drop in their growth curve.