14 Month Old Sleep Schedule

Fourteen months is often when the big nap change of toddlerhood arrives. Some babies are still happily on two naps, others are moving to one, and many are somewhere in the middle, alternating from day to day. It can feel unsettled while it sorts itself out, but with a flexible framework and an early bedtime as your safety net, you can navigate it smoothly. Here is a realistic 14 month old sleep schedule for both patterns, plus clear guidance on the two-to-one nap transition.

Every toddler is different, so use this as a flexible framework and let your child's tired signs guide the day.

How Much Sleep at 14 Months?

Most fourteen month olds need about 13 to 14 hours of sleep across the full day and night. That usually means around 11 to 12 hours overnight, plus roughly 2 to 3 hours of daytime sleep, spread across one or two naps depending on where your toddler is in the transition. Total sleep is what matters, so as the day sleep reshapes, keep an eye on the overall balance rather than any single nap. As always there is a healthy range, and a toddler who is happy, active and thriving is doing just fine even if their numbers sit slightly outside these figures.

Wake Windows

Wake windows depend on which nap pattern your toddler is on. Still on two naps, the windows sit around three and a half to four hours, much as they were at twelve months. Once on one nap, the windows lengthen considerably, to around five to five and a half hours, with the morning window usually a little shorter than the afternoon one that leads to bedtime. During the transition, your toddler may need shorter windows on two-nap days and longer ones on one-nap days, so stay flexible and watch for tired signs.

Sample Daily Schedule

Here is a sample one-nap day, which many toddlers are moving toward at fourteen months. On days your toddler still needs two naps, simply offer a short morning nap and an early afternoon nap with slightly shorter windows.

• 6:45am Wake and milk
• 7:30am Breakfast
• 12:00pm Lunch
• 12:30pm Nap (about 2 to 2.5 hours)
• 2:45pm Wake and milk or snack
• 5:15pm Dinner
• 6:15pm Bedtime routine and milk
• 6:45pm Bed

On one nap, an early bedtime keeps the long afternoon-to-bed window from tipping your toddler into overtiredness.

1-Nap Life: Tips for the Transition

The move from two naps to one is one of the trickier toddler transitions, so it helps to have a plan. Signs of genuine readiness, seen consistently over two or three weeks rather than on the odd day, include fighting the morning nap, the morning nap pushing the afternoon nap too late, or early morning waking creeping in. When you see that lasting pattern, make the change gradually: push the morning nap steadily later, by fifteen minutes every few days, until it drifts toward midday and becomes the single nap. Expect a bumpy fortnight while the timing settles. Let your toddler alternate between one and two naps as needed during the changeover, and lean heavily on an early bedtime to soak up any lost sleep. Within a couple of weeks the single midday nap usually clicks into place, and the days feel simpler again.

Handling the Bumpy Transition Weeks

It is completely normal for the transition to be uneven. One day your toddler sails through on a single nap, the next they clearly need two, and that back and forth can last a few weeks. Rather than forcing a rigid pattern, follow your toddler's lead day by day. If the single nap comes too early and your toddler is flagging by late afternoon, an early night bridges the gap. If they skip the nap entirely, do not panic, simply bring bedtime forward significantly that evening. Keeping the wind-down routine consistent through all of this gives your toddler a familiar anchor while the daytime sleep reshapes around them.

Toddler Sleep Beyond the Nap Change

The nap transition tends to dominate this age, but a few other things are worth keeping in view. Molars are often still coming through, so the occasional unsettled night from teething is common and best met by treating the discomfort rather than changing the routine. Big emotions and a growing sense of independence can show up at bedtime, and warm, consistent boundaries serve you well. And as your toddler becomes more active and verbal, plenty of physical activity and connection during the day supports better sleep at night. Through all of it, a steady, predictable bedtime routine remains your most reliable anchor.

The Bottom Line

Fourteen months is a transitional stage, and a little flexibility goes a long way. Follow your toddler's tired signs rather than a fixed clock, protect enough total sleep, and keep an early bedtime in your back pocket for the days the nap falls short. Hold the bedtime routine steady through the change, and within a few weeks the single midday nap settles into a comfortable new rhythm that carries you well into toddlerhood.

When to Seek Help with the Transition

Most families manage the two-to-one nap change at home, but support is there if you want it. It is worth reaching out if the transition drags on for many weeks with your toddler stuck uncomfortably between one and two naps, if early waking or night waking has become entrenched, or if the daily guesswork is wearing you down. A single consultation can replace weeks of trial and error with a clear, personalised plan for exactly where your toddler is. There is no prize for struggling through alone, and a little expert guidance at a tricky transition often makes the whole thing far smoother.

Keeping Bedtime Consistent Through Change

When the daytime sleep is in flux, a steady bedtime routine becomes your anchor. However the naps fall on a given day, keeping the same calm, predictable wind-down in the same order tells your toddler that the day is ending and sleep is coming. Adjust the timing of bedtime to match the day, earlier when the nap was short or skipped, but hold the routine itself constant. That consistency gives your toddler something familiar to rely on while everything else about their daytime sleep is shifting, and it makes the eventual settling into one nap noticeably smoother.

Frequently Asked Questions