Published by Actually Sleeping · Reviewed by Dr. Samantha Abrahamson, PharmD · Review policy · Updated 2026-11-10

Sleep at 11 months: what’s normal, what’s hard, and when to talk to your pediatrician

At 11 months, the AASM range is 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours, including naps. Most babies still take 2 naps: a large review found the big shift to one nap happens between 12 and 18 months. Nap refusal at this age rarely means a baby is ready for one nap. Keep the crib empty and your baby on the back to start until the first birthday.

What is changing at 11 months

Your baby is close to the CDC’s 1-year milestones: pulling up to stand, walking while holding furniture, waving bye-bye, understanding “no”, and playing games like pat-a-cake. That is a lot of new ability and a lot of new reasons to stay awake.

Separation anxiety is often near its peak; the AAP places the usual peak between 10 and 18 months.

Sleep need does not fall off a cliff at the birthday. A review of studies found babies from 9 months averaged 12.6 hours per 24 hours and babies from 12 months averaged 12.9 hours, so expect much the same total sleep for the next few months.

Two naps or one	More likely a phase	More likely real readiness
Age	Under 12 months	12 to 18 months, when most babies shift (review of studies)
Pattern	Refuses a nap for a few days, then takes it again	Refuses the second nap most days for two weeks or more
Mood	Cranky by late afternoon	Copes well until bedtime on one nap
Nights	Night waking or early waking increases	Nights stay steady

Nap strikes and early waking at 11 months often feed each other, and the fix that suits one baby makes another worse. Actually Sleeping works out which pattern your baby is in and writes a plan for it, with Dr. Sam checking in with you 1:1 every day.

The age row comes from a systematic review of napping studies. The other rows are a rule of thumb many families find useful, not a study finding.

What parents find hardest

Nap strikes. Babies who drop to one nap too early commonly start waking at night or very early in the morning.
Bedtime battles. More awareness, more protest.
Illness. Each cold can bring rough nights, and the extra help given while a baby is sick can outlast the illness.
Dreading the first birthday change in daycare rooms, which often move to one nap at a set age.

Safe sleep at 11 months

The AAP’s safe sleep recommendations cover babies up to 1 year. Keep the crib empty and start every sleep on the back until then.
No bottle in bed. The AAP advises against putting a baby to bed with a bottle, as part of its tooth decay prevention advice.
Mattress at the lowest setting. Check the rail height against your baby as they grow.
Keep the crib away from windows and blind cords, and anchor nearby furniture.

Night feeds

Ask your pediatrician at the 12-month check about night feeds and the move to whole milk; both are their call. Changes to night feeds should follow that advice, not a birthday.

When to talk to the pediatrician

Snoring most nights, pauses in breathing, or daytime sleepiness that seems excessive.
Night waking with fever, ear pulling, or crying that suggests pain.
Your baby is not yet pulling to stand, babbling, or using gestures like waving as 12 months approaches.
Night terrors or screaming episodes that keep happening.

Where to go from here

If short naps and early waking are feeding each other, the answer is a daily rhythm built around your baby rather than an average 11 month old. Actually Sleeping sets that up in a written plan with bootcamp-style coaching before night one. We guarantee that your baby will sleep 8–12 hours through the night within 14 days of consistent, correct implementation of your sleep plan. Families describe what changed on our 10 to 12 month reviews. Related: nap transitions, the 10 to 11 month schedule, and getting sleep back after illness. Book a free consultation with Dr. Sam to start.

Want this fixed for your baby?

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Frequently asked

Is my 11 month old ready for one nap?

Probably not yet. A systematic review of napping studies found the big shift away from two naps a day happens between 12 and 18 months. Short spells of nap refusal are common at 11 months, and dropping a nap early often brings night or early waking.

Can my 11 month old have a blanket in the crib?

The AAP’s safe sleep recommendations apply until the first birthday and call for a crib with no blankets, pillows, bumpers or soft toys. Use a wearable blanket or sleep sack instead. Ask your pediatrician about changes after age 1.

How much sleep does an 11 month old need?

The AASM recommends 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours, including naps, for babies 4 to 12 months. A review of studies found babies from 9 months averaged about 12.6 hours, with healthy babies on both sides of that.