A 5 month old usually manages wake windows of 2 to 3 hours and takes 3 naps a day, each lasting about 45 minutes to 2 hours. Bedtime usually lands somewhere between 6pm and 8pm. Total sleep across 24 hours is typically 12 to 16 hours.
These numbers come from OBubba's own sleep engine for weeks 22 to 25. They are a guide to start from, not a target your baby has to hit.
At a glance
- Wake windows: 2 to 3 hours
- Naps: 3 naps a day
- Nap length: 45 minutes to 2 hours each
- Total day sleep: 2 to 4 hours
- Total sleep in 24 hours: 12 to 16 hours
- Bedtime window: 6pm to 8pm
A sample day
Here is one example of how a day could look, starting with a 7am wake up. It is just one example: babies vary, and so do days.
- 7:00am Wake up for the day, milk feed
- 9:00am Nap 1 (1 hour), after 2 hours awake
- 10:00am Awake
- 12:15pm Nap 2 (1 hour 15 minutes), after 2 hours 15 minutes awake
- 1:30pm Awake
- 4:00pm Nap 3 (45 minutes), after 2 hours 30 minutes awake
- 4:45pm Awake
- 7:30pm Asleep for the night, after 2 hours 45 minutes awake (bedtime routine starts around 7:00pm)
That adds up to 3 hours of day sleep. Notice the wake windows get a little longer as the day goes on. That pattern suits many babies, but not all.
What's changing at this age
Five months is often when a 3 nap rhythm settles in. Wake windows take another step up, to roughly 2 to 3 hours, so your baby can manage a proper morning of play before the first nap.
Many families find the first wake window is the shortest and the one before bed is the longest. The first two naps are often the more restorative ones, and the third nap is usually a short bridge to bedtime.
Rolling, reaching and a growing interest in everything around them can make sleep a little bumpy. Plenty of floor time during the day helps your baby practise new skills when it suits everyone.
Common sleep problems and gentle fixes
Fighting the third nap
The last nap is often the hardest to land. A short nap in the pram or sling counts. If it does not happen, an earlier bedtime within the window is a kind fix.
Rolling in the cot
Many babies practise rolling at night. Lots of rolling practice during the day often helps. Follow safer sleep advice and always place your baby on their back to sleep.
Short first nap
If the first nap is short, check whether the first wake window is a little long or a little short and adjust by 15 minutes.
Early waking
Keep early mornings dark and calm. If bedtime is very early, a slightly later bedtime within the 6pm to 8pm window may help.
If things feel hard, you are not doing anything wrong. Small, gentle changes made one at a time, and watched for a few days, are usually kinder for everyone than a big overhaul. Look after yourself too: rest when you can, and lean on the people around you.
How OBubba helps
An age chart can only tell you what is typical. OBubba predicts your baby's next nap and bedtime from their own rhythm, not just the numbers on this page, and adjusts through the day as naps run long or short. After around four days of logging, the guidance becomes personal to your baby.
Find out more about nap prediction and how OBubba works as a gentle sleep consultant app in your pocket.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a 5 month old be awake between naps?
Usually 2 to 3 hours, often shorter in the morning and longer before bed.
How many naps does a 5 month old need?
Typically 3 naps, lasting roughly 45 minutes to 2 hours each.
What time should a 5 month old go to bed?
Between 6pm and 8pm suits many babies at this age.
Safety and a gentle reminder
Every sleep, day and night, should follow safer sleep guidance. See The Lullaby Trust safer sleep advice and NHS: helping your baby to sleep. If your baby was born prematurely, use their corrected age when reading these ranges. The ranges are guides, not targets. If you are worried about your baby's sleep, feeding or health, speak to your health visitor or GP.
Keep reading
- Previous month: 4 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Wake Windows and Naps
- Next month: 6 Month Old Sleep Schedule, Wake Windows and Naps
- Every age on one page: wake windows by age
- Sleep changes around four months
- The clocks have just changed? Try our gentle reset after the clocks change
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