Decoding Newborn Wake Windows

What are newborn wake windows?

You may have heard a lot about following your baby’s wake windows, but what are wake windows and why do they matter? 

Simply put, wake windows are the time your baby is awake between periods of day sleep. Wake windows include everything you do with your baby from the minute they wake up in the morning (or from a nap) until the minute they fall asleep again for their next sleep. For example, if you have a 3-month old newborn, your baby’s wake window between when they wake up and when they’re sleepy again is probably between 60-90 minutes. During that time, you will probably:

• Change baby’s diaper
• Bottle or breastfeed
• Interact with your baby
• Offer floor playtime

During this time they’re being active they will be building up sleep pressure, getting ready for their next sleep. It might be tempting to wait until your baby starts showing sleepy signs. However, by then your baby may already be getting overstimulated which can lead to overtiredness and then fighting sleep. Babies often fight sleep when they’re overtired because they get a cortisol boost which looks like a second wind. Following your newborn’s wake windows will help you prevent having an overtired baby on your hands, and will hopefully help them sleep easier, and connect their sleep cycles more seamlessly. 

Recognizing tiredness in your newborn

To learn your baby’s ideal wake windows, be a detective and try to learn their sleepy cues. Before a baby gets overtired, they may show some telltale signs that they’re getting ready for another sleep session. Signs you might see:

• Fussiness
• Sudden inability to play independently
• Yawning
• Eye rubbing
• Glazed stare 
• Ear pulling

Examples of a Wake Window Schedule

Watch for these cues, and also watch the clock. What time did your baby wake up from their last sleep? How many minutes has it been until they’re showing sleepy cues? Your answers will help you get clear on the wake windows that are right for your baby. If you have a 4-month old and are on a 3.5-4-hour feeding schedule, your feeds, naps, and wake windows might look something like this:

7am – wake / feed

90-minute wake window 

8:30am – asleep for 1st nap

10-11am – wake / feed

2-hour wake window

12-1pm – asleep for 2nd nap

2-3pm – wake/feed

2-hour wake window

4-4:30pm – asleep for 3rd (cat)nap

2-hour wake window

6:30pm – feed

7pm – bedtime

If you have a 6-8 month old baby who’s on a 4-hour feeding + 2-nap schedule, your schedule may look something like this:

7am – wake / feed

2-hour wake window

9am – asleep for 1st nap

11am – wake / feed

2-3 hour wake window

1-2pm – asleep for 2nd nap

3pm – wake/feed

3-4-hour wake window

6:30pm – feed

7pm – bedtime

How do I know what my newborn’s ideal wake windows are?

Your baby’s wake windows start the minute you take them out of the crib, and end when you put them back in the crib. The ideal wake window is when your baby is getting tired but not over-tired. To discover what’s right for your baby, chart how much time they’re awake between sleeps for a few days. You’ll start to see a pattern. When they wake up from a great sleep, their wake windows might be slightly longer than when they wake up crying from a short nap. If you get your baby up from a short nap when they woke up crying, they’ll probably be fussy and sleepy, and the wake window between when they wake up and when they go back to sleep will probably be shorter than usual. Try to find the sweet spot where your newborn wakes up happy from restful sleeps, and gets plenty of activity during wake windows to find your ideal wake windows. 

How many wake windows should my baby have?

How many wake windows your baby has depends on their age and how many naps they take. If you look above you’ll see that a 3-month old might have 4 wake windows, between 75 minutes to 2-hours. However, if your 3-month-old is only taking 30-45 minute naps, they will likely need 4 naps daily, giving you 5 wake windows per day. A slightly older baby between 6-8 months who only takes 2 naps will have three wake windows of 2-4 hours, depending on the time of day. We often see that wake windows in the morning are shorter than towards the end of the day. Here’s a handy chart to see approximate wake windows based on your baby’s age.

Managing newborn wake windows

Managing your newborn’s wake windows isn’t rocket science. It’s just a matter of observing your baby and getting clear on what their ideal wake windows are, and how long they should be throughout the day. You can do this by charting your baby’s sleep and simply noting the time they’re awake between sleeps. If your baby is awake longer than usual and fights sleep harder than usual, then perhaps you’ve overshot the wake window and your baby is exhibiting overtired behavior (the 2nd wind). If that’s the case, try shortening that wake window the next day and testing different wake windows to see what works best for your baby. On the other hand, if you put your baby down for a nap and they drift peacefully off to sleep, you’ve probably got the wake window just right!

Note that a sleep-trained baby’s wake windows will likely be more clear. They will wake up feeling more rested, eat and play better during wake windows, and be ready to go down for their next sleep peacefully when you get their wake windows down Following your baby’s wake windows is also not a replacement for sleep training. You can follow wake windows and nap schedules until the cows come home, but your baby will need to learn to self-soothe and put themselves to sleep independently when you’re ready! When to sleep train your baby is a very personal decision but you can read more about choosing when to sleep train in this blog post right here. 

Optimizing your newborn’s wake windows for your baby’s needs

When you figure out your newborn’s wake windows, you’re more likely to be able to anticipate their needs throughout the day. You’ll know how much time they will be alert and happy before getting to that sweet spot where they’re ready to go down again. One thing that helps get into a predictable routine is to follow an EAT, PLAY, SLEEP routine throughout the day. By that, I mean feed your baby in the beginning of a wake window, shortly after they wake for the day or after a nap. Then give them time to digest and PLAY. Bive your baby time to hang out on the floor so they can practice their new tricks. Do tummy time and give them time for independent play. When it’s getting close to the end of your wake window, you can bring your baby to the nursery, dim the lights, and offer wind-down time with a couple of board books before putting them down for a nap. From there, you can repeat the WAKE, PLAY, SLEEP pattern throughout the day, putting your baby down in that sweet spot between being alert and overt-stimulated or overtired. 

If you’re struggling to find your little one’s wake windows, or want expert help getting your baby sleeping through the night and on an ideal feed/nap schedule, reach out to us today.