Wake Windows and By-the-Clock Schedules
For new parents, one of the most challenging chapters of parenting is undoubtedly baby sleep. The quest to quality sleep for your family can feel like a never ending rollercoaster and amidst the chaos, two key concepts emerge as potential solutions: wake windows and by-the-clock schedules. If you’re ever wondered what either of these strategies are and how they work, stick around and let’s figure them out.
What you’ll learn from this blog:
- Understanding the factors that contribute to baby sleep
- What are wake windows and what is a by-the-clock schedule?
- Benefits to wake windows and by-the-clock schedules
- What method works best for what age
- How to use both methods for your baby’s sleep journey
- Wake window recommendations
Understanding Baby Sleep
Before we dive into wake windows and by-the-clock schedules, it’s imperative to grasp the basics of baby sleep patterns. Unlike adults, who typically experience consolidated periods of sleep in the night only, babies have a strong need for daytime sleep as well, and this is a result of the homeostatic sleep drive. This is also known as “sleep pressure” and builds during awake time and is relieved during sleepy time.
As babies grow, their sleep patterns evolve, influenced by various factors such as age, developmental milestones, and individual differences, which makes sleep pressure such a unique experience. Understanding these nuances is essential for devising an effective sleep strategy tailored to your baby’s needs.
Wake Windows vs By-The-Clock
Wake windows refer to the period of time a baby can comfortably stay awake between naps or bedtime without becoming overtired. These windows are influenced by age, with younger infants requiring shorter wake periods and older babies capable of staying awake for longer stretches. Wake windows are not evidence-based and can vary significantly from baby-to-baby, even when they’re the same age. I would encourage using wake windows as a guide along with your baby’s unique sleepy cues.
For example, a newborn may only tolerate being awake for 45 minutes to an hour before needing to nap again, while a six-month-old might manage two to three hours of wakefulness before becoming tired. And another six-month-old may be on a completely different schedule than yours – and that’s ok! By observing your baby’s behaviour and cues, you can identify their optimal wake windows and structure their sleep schedule accordingly.
In contrast to wake windows, by-the-clock schedules involve adhering to predetermined nap and bed timing based on the time on the clock rather than the amount of time your baby has been awake. I like to advise a 30-minute range when on a by-the-clock schedule to create space for daily differences and baby’s needs.
Both wake windows and by-the-clock schedules will provide your baby opportunities for daytime sleep which can improve their overall sleep quality (less likely to be overtired), support their development with opportunities to rest and recharge and promote your well-being as a parent – who doesn’t love a hot tea and a moment of silence before you tap into full-blown parent mode again.
The Benefits of Wake Windows and By-the-clock Schedules:
Implementing wake windows offers one key benefit for both babies and parents:
- Flexibility: Establishing a schedule based on wake windows helps create a loose schedule for your baby that fluctuates based on how their day is going. It gives you flexibility as your baby isn’t routined on a specific schedule.
Implementing a by-the-clock schedule can offer these benefits for both babies and parents:
- Predictability: your baby will be primed for sleep at specific times of the day making it easier to make appointments and plan outings.
- Routine: your baby’s internal clock will become routined in when it expects sleep (naps and bedtime) which will lessen the “nap math” many families get frustrated with at some point in their baby’s sleep journey.
What method should I use with my baby?
Two factors to consider when deciding which method to use with your baby and their sleep journey.
- Age – most babies on a 3+ nap schedule, have limited ability to handle longer wake windows with variance so having them on a by-the-clock schedule may result in more challenges than benefits. I encourage by-the-clock schedules once a baby is comfortably on 2 naps (usually around 8 months old).
- Family lifestyle – do you prefer a bit more structure and predictability or do you prefer more flexibility? If you like structure and predictability, you may consider giving the by-the-clock schedule a go. If you prefer more flexibility and go-with-the-flow, you may consider sticking with a wake window approach.
How to use both methods for your baby’s sleep journey
Wake windows
For either method, I generally suggest having a consistent (when possible) wake time in the morning. This means, if your baby wasn’t awake by a specific time (e.g., 7am), you’d wake them at that time. This strategy can help regulate their circadian rhythm and set the stage for daytime naps to happen.
When using wake windows, it may require a bit of experimentation to find your baby’s sweet spot.
For many babies, a wake window gradually gets longer throughout the day (shortest one in the morning and longest one before bedtime). For other babies, they will have an equal length of wake windows throughout the day. Neither is better than the other, just important to recognize that your baby will have a unique response to this strategy.
When finding your baby’s sweet spot, allow for 2-3 days on a WW timing before making another change. If a change is made too quickly, there’s a risk of missing out on their sweet spot.
Another consideration for wake windows, and a tip to prevent early morning wakings from being persistent, is no matter what time your baby woke in the morning, anchor their first nap from 6am. So if your baby woke at 5:30am and is on a 2-hour wake window usually, you’d offer their nap at 8am, rather than 7:30am.
By-the-clock
If looking to trial a by-the-clock schedule, you’d anchor their naps to begin around the same time every day.
For example, every morning at ~9:30am, your baby is offered the first nap and every day ~2pm, you’d offer the second nap. Bedtime may be ~7:00-7:30 pm depending on your child’s needs.
An example of a 1-nap schedule would be offering nap ~12pm every day, and bedtime ~7:30-8pm depending on your child’s needs.
No matter how long a nap went for (you can read more about short naps on this blog), the nap time wouldn’t change by too much. You can offer a bit of wiggle room based on how your baby is doing. So the 9:30 am may be a 9:15am nap some days and the 2pm may be a 1:30pm if they’ve had a very stimulating middle part of their day.
When starting a by-the-clock schedule, it may take your baby a few week to get confident with the routine – give it time for things to adjust.
Wake window recommendations
You’ll see a variety of timings out there in the baby sleep world because wake windows are averages and not evidence-based.
This freebie resource I’ve created will breakdown every wake window for each baby age to support their sleep journey and help you navigate the journey of parenthood – one nap at a time.
Regardless of the approach you choose, consistency is important and being responsive to your baby’s evolving needs. You may find their sleep routines evolve as they get older and their ability to handle more variance in timing grows.
Navigating the intricacies of baby sleep can be so challenging and you don’t have to do it alone. If nap time feels like a total dumpster fire and you’re looking for more predictability and longer naps for your baby’s sleep journey, let’s connect and see how my support and guidance can get you the rest and rejuvenation you and your baby both deserve.
Happy Napping!
Chelsea
Chelsea is Mom of 2 and a Certified Baby, Toddler and Child Sleep Consultant supporting families within Hamilton and beyond with hands-on, no cry-it-out, responsive methods. She has a Master’s of Professional Education and over 10 years of professional experience supporting families in the community. She works collaboratively with families to empower them with the confidence and tools they need to reach their unique sleep goals. Hear from other rested families here and book a free call with Chelsea here to discuss how she can support your family’s journey to more sleep.