How much should a 1-year-old sleep?

Eleven to 14 hours across 24 hours. About 10 to 12 of those are at night and the remainder comes from 2 naps. The total drops at 12 months compared with the previous months, and the reduction happens during the day rather than at night. Ranges are wide on purpose — some one-year-olds are naturally at the lower end and thrive there.

How many naps does a 12-month-old need?

Two. The move to a single nap typically starts between 13 and 15 months, so at 12 months both naps still earn their place. Many one-year-olds go through weeks of refusing one of them; treating that as a phase and continuing to offer the nap usually works better than dropping it. On a genuine one-nap day, bring bedtime forward.

Can my baby have a pillow and blanket now that they are one?

After 12 months the strict bare-crib rule relaxes, and a small thin blanket or a comfort object is generally considered acceptable. Pillows are usually left until closer to 18 months or two years, and there's no need to rush any of it — a sleep sack is still a perfectly good option. Ask your pediatrician what is appropriate for your child before you make changes.

Should I stop the bedtime bottle at 12 months?

Not necessarily stop, but it's a good time to move it. Giving milk earlier in the routine, so that teeth are brushed afterward and your baby is not falling asleep with a bottle, protects teeth and separates milk from the act of falling asleep. If you want to change what your baby drinks or how much, that is a conversation for your pediatrician.

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Baby sleep schedule at 12 months: two naps, wake windows and what changes at one year

At 12 months the daily total steps down to 11 to 14 hours. Night sleep holds at 10 to 12 hours, so the reduction comes out of the day, and 2 naps still cover the rest. Wake windows run 3 to 4 hours. Your baby is a year old, and the daily total drops for the first time since 4 months.

The first birthday is also when several safe-sleep restrictions lift. From 12 months a small blanket or a comfort object can go in the crib, and cow's milk becomes an option alongside solid food. None of that is urgent — check with your pediatrician about what suits your child before changing anything.

11–14 h

Total sleep / 24 h

10–12 h

Night sleep

Naps per day

3 h–4 h

Wake window

Twelve months is not a nap transition. Two naps is still the norm, and it usually stays that way until somewhere between 13 and 15 months. What does change is the pull of everything else: walking, words, and a strong preference for being wherever you are. Naps get resisted not because they're unnecessary but because they interrupt something more interesting.

If your baby still takes a bottle to fall asleep, the first birthday is a sensible moment to move it earlier in the routine, before teeth brushing rather than after. Milk pooling around teeth overnight is a dental issue rather than a sleep one, and shifting the order is easier now than it will be in six months. Your pediatrician or dentist can tell you what is right for your child.

A sample day

The day below shows a 12-month-old on 2 naps, with wake windows of 3 to 4 hours. It is a guide, not a rule — most one-year-olds have one long nap and one short one, and which is which varies from baby to baby.

Time	What happens
7:00	Wake-up and first feed
10:00	Nap 1 · approx. 75 min
14:30	Nap 2 · approx. 90 min
19:30	Bedtime routine and lights out

A sample day to give you a rough idea — every baby is different. Adjust the times to your child's sleep cues, and talk to your pediatrician about anything that worries you.

Does this 12 months schedule match your day?

Lulla times the naps and tells you when the wake window is closing, so you do not have to keep count in your head.

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Tips for this age

Keep offering both naps; skipping one at 12 months is usually resistance rather than readiness, and the transition can wait a few months.
If you add a lovey or small blanket now that your baby is one, keep it small and breathable and leave the rest of the crib bare.
Move any bedtime bottle earlier in the routine, so that teeth are brushed afterward.
A year of habits is hard to hold in your head, and Lulla's daily summary shows at a glance whether the total is landing in the 11 to 14 hour range.
Bring any sleep questions to the 12-month check-up; it is the natural moment to ask about night feeds, milk and the crib setup.

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Common questions

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Sources

The figures on this page follow the guidance of these organizations. This information is educational and does not replace advice from your pediatrician.