Wake windows and the nap ladder

Wake windows are the time between naps, and they lengthen predictably with age. Rough ladder: 45–60 minutes for newborns, 60–90 for 2-month-olds, 2 hours at 3 months, 2.5–3 hours at 6 months, 3–4 hours at 9 months, 4+ hours by the toddler year. Start the wind-down at the beginning of the window, not the end. A baby who catches sleep at the right moment falls asleep in minutes; one who misses it can take 45 minutes of fighting to settle. Nap counts drop with age too: 4–5 short naps at newborn, 3 by 4 months, 2 by 6 months, one long midday nap by 12–18 months. Follow the pattern loosely — this is a rhythm, not a schedule.