An 11-month-old needs about 12 to 15 hours of total sleep per day, including nighttime sleep and naps. Most babies this age get around 11 hours at night and 2.5 to 3 hours during the day, split across two naps. That said, every baby is different, and anywhere from 10 to 18 hours falls within a range that sleep experts consider potentially appropriate depending on the child.
Recommended Sleep Totals
The National Sleep Foundation places 11-month-olds in the 4-to-11-month infant category, with a recommended range of 12 to 15 hours in a 24-hour period. Sleeping 10 to 11 hours or 16 to 18 hours may be appropriate for some babies but falls outside the typical range. Fewer than 10 hours or more than 18 hours is not recommended for this age group.
In practice, most 11-month-olds settle into a pattern of roughly 11 hours of nighttime sleep plus two daytime naps totaling 2.5 to 3 hours. If your baby consistently falls well outside those numbers but seems happy, alert, and growing normally, the total may simply be their personal normal. Persistent sleepiness or extreme fussiness during the day, though, can signal that something is off.
Naps and Wake Windows
Two naps a day is standard at 11 months: one in the mid-morning and one in the early afternoon, each lasting about 1 to 1.5 hours. The time your baby can comfortably stay awake between sleep periods (often called a “wake window”) is roughly 3 to 4 hours. Those windows tend to get slightly longer as the day goes on, so the stretch before bedtime is usually the longest.
A typical day might look something like this:
- 6:00 a.m. Wake up
- 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. First nap
- 1:45 to 3:15 p.m. Second nap
- 7:00 p.m. Bedtime
A bedtime between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. works well for most babies this age. The exact times will shift depending on when your baby wakes in the morning and how long each nap runs, but keeping those 3-to-4-hour awake stretches consistent matters more than hitting specific clock times.
The 11-Month Sleep Regression
Just when you think you’ve figured out your baby’s sleep, an 11-month sleep regression can shake things up. This temporary disruption typically lasts 2 to 6 weeks and is tied to the massive developmental leaps happening at this age, like pulling to a stand, cruising along furniture, and understanding more language.
Common signs include:
- Nap refusal. Your baby may fight the second nap or take only a short catnap instead of a full rest.
- More night wakings. Babies who were sleeping through the night may start waking once or several times again.
- Restlessness in the crib. You might see your baby rolling, sitting up, or pulling to stand instead of settling down.
- Harder bedtimes. Increased fussiness, crying, or agitation at bedtime even after a full wind-down routine.
Some babies flip the pattern entirely and nap longer during the day to make up for fragmented nighttime sleep. The regression can feel like a step backward, but it resolves on its own. Keeping your routines consistent through this stretch helps your baby return to their normal pattern faster once the developmental burst settles.
Resisting the Switch to One Nap
Nap refusal during the regression sometimes looks like a baby who’s ready to drop to one nap a day. At 11 months, that transition is almost always premature. Most children aren’t truly ready for a single nap until 13 to 15 months. If you drop a nap too early, your baby will likely become overtired, which actually makes nighttime sleep worse. Stick with two naps and adjust the wake windows slightly if needed.
Night Feedings at 11 Months
Formula-fed babies over 6 months are unlikely to need nighttime feeds for nutritional reasons, since formula digests slowly enough to keep them satisfied through the night. For breastfed babies, the picture is a little different. Most healthy breastfed children are getting enough daytime calories for growth by around 12 months, so night weaning is reasonable to consider right around this age.
That doesn’t mean every night waking requires a feed. At 11 months, babies often wake because they want comfort, not because they’re hungry. If your baby takes a full feeding overnight, they may genuinely still need it. If they latch or take a bottle for just a few minutes and drift off, comfort is the more likely driver. Gradually reducing the length or volume of overnight feeds is one way to ease out of the habit if you’re ready.
Safe Sleep at 11 Months
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ safe sleep guidelines apply to all babies under 1 year, which means your 11-month-old still needs a bare crib. No blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, bumper pads, or loose bedding. The mattress should be firm and flat with only a fitted sheet.
By 11 months, your baby is almost certainly rolling both ways on their own. You don’t need to reposition them if they roll onto their stomach during sleep. Just continue placing them on their back at the start of every sleep period. A sleep sack or wearable blanket is the safest way to keep them warm without loose fabric in the crib.
Signs Your Baby Isn’t Sleeping Enough
Occasional rough nights are normal, especially during a regression. But consistent sleep deprivation shows up in predictable ways. A baby who isn’t getting enough sleep may be unusually cranky or clingy during the day, have trouble focusing on play, or fall asleep at odd times (in the high chair, in the car on a short trip). Paradoxically, overtired babies often fight sleep harder, creating a cycle where less sleep leads to even less sleep.
If your baby regularly sleeps fewer than 10 hours in 24 hours, wakes excessively throughout the night beyond a regression window, or seems constantly exhausted despite what feels like adequate sleep time, those patterns are worth discussing with your pediatrician. Conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, iron deficiency, or chronic ear infections can quietly interfere with sleep quality even when the total hours look reasonable on paper.