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

Sleep at 6 months: what’s normal, what’s hard, and when to get help

At 6 months, the AASM range is 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours, including naps. The AAP says it is normal for a 6 month old to wake briefly at night and go back to sleep within a few minutes. In studies, babies 6 to 11 months averaged about 2 daytime naps. The AAP recommends room-sharing for at least the first 6 months.

What is changing at 6 months

By 6 months, the CDC lists rolling from tummy to back, leaning on the hands to support sitting, knowing familiar people, and laughing. Sitting and rolling give your baby new things to practise at 2 a.m.

Several things also wind down around now. The AAP says periodic breathing of infancy is generally outgrown by about the middle of the first year, and colicky crying, which can last until 6 months, is usually over. Separation anxiety can begin in the second half of the first year, and the AAP notes that nightmares can start as young as 6 months.

At about 6 months	Figure	Source
Recommended total sleep	12 to 16 hours per 24 hours, including naps	AASM
Average total in studies, from 6 months	12.9 hours (spread about 9 to 17)	Galland 2012
Daytime naps, 6 to 11 months	2.2 on average (about 1 to 3.5)	Galland 2012
Longest stretch, 6 to 24 months	8.3 hours on average (about 3 to 14)	Galland 2012
Room-sharing	At least the first 6 months	AAP

By 6 months many babies are physically able to sleep a long stretch, so a 6 month old who still needs a parent at every waking is usually showing a sleep habit rather than a need. Most families who come to Actually Sleeping at this age have already tried things on their own. Dr. Sam writes a plan for your baby that can keep a pediatrician-approved feed and still teach independent sleep.

Many 6 month olds take 3 naps and are heading toward 2. That is a common pattern, not a rule.

What parents find hardest

Waking every 2 hours. Brief waking is normal; needing a full rescue every time usually points to how your baby falls asleep at bedtime.
Sitting up in the crib and not knowing how to lie back down.
The room-sharing decision. The AAP minimum is about to pass. Some families move the crib now, others later. Both are reasonable if the sleep space is safe.
New foods causing a few unsettled nights or changes in digestion.

Safe sleep at 6 months

Back to sleep until the first birthday. If your baby rolls both ways, you can leave them in the position they choose, with nothing else in the crib.
The NICHD reports more than 90% of SIDS deaths happen before 6 months, but it and the AAP both say safe sleep practices continue to age 1.
Lower the mattress before your baby can sit unassisted, and to the lowest setting before standing.
No bottle in bed. The AAP advises against putting a baby to bed with a bottle, as part of its tooth decay prevention advice.

Night feeds

Some healthy 6 month olds still take a night feed. Whether to keep it, reduce it or drop it is your pediatrician’s decision, and any change should follow their advice. A sleep plan is built around that decision, not the other way round.

When to talk to the pediatrician

Frequent snoring, gasping, or loud or heavy breathing in sleep. The AAP lists snoring and sleep apnea among common childhood sleep problems.
Fever above 101°F (38.3°C), or waking with ear pulling and fever.
Not rolling, or not reaching for toys, by 6 months.
Any question about starting solids or how your baby is eating.

Where to go from here

If your baby wakes often and needs you to get back to sleep, the change that matters usually happens at bedtime, and how to make it depends on your baby’s temperament and feeds. Actually Sleeping builds that change into a written plan with bootcamp-style coaching before night one and daily 1:1 check-ins. 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 it in their own words on our 4 to 6 month reviews. Related: a 6 month old waking every 2 hours, the 6-month schedule, and night weaning, if your pediatrician agrees. Book a free consultation with Dr. Sam to get a plan for your baby.

Want this fixed for your baby?

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Frequently asked

Is it normal for a 6 month old to wake at night?

Yes. The AAP says it is normal for a 6 month old to wake during the night and go back to sleep after a few minutes. Studies of babies 3 to 6 months recorded 0 to 3 wakings as within the normal range. Frequent wakings that each need a parent are what Actually Sleeping helps families change.

Should my 6 month old move to their own room?

The AAP recommends room-sharing for at least the first 6 months. After that it is a family decision. Wherever your baby sleeps, keep them on the back on a firm, flat, empty surface until the first birthday.

How many naps should a 6 month old take?

There is no rule. In a review of studies, babies 6 to 11 months averaged 2.2 daytime naps, with a normal spread from about 1 to 3.5. Many 6 month olds take 3 naps and move to 2 over the next couple of months.