What are the wake windows for a 5 month old baby?

What the evidence says

At 5 months old, babies are moving toward a more predictable sleep pattern, but there isn't one official number of hours a baby this age should stay awake between sleeps. The Canadian Paediatric Society says that sometime after 3 months, sleep habits become more predictable and a regular nap schedule tends to develop.

International guidance backs this up with more detail. Around 4 to 6 months, babies often shift toward having 2 to 3 daytime naps, each lasting up to about 2 hours, with total sleep of around 12 to 15 hours in 24 hours including night sleep.

The popular 'wake window' charts that give exact hour ranges, like 2 hours awake at this age, come from parenting blogs and sleep-training resources rather than medical guidelines. They can be a helpful starting point, but they are not backed by the same kind of research as official sleep recommendations.

Instead of watching the clock, paediatric sources suggest watching your baby. Learning your own baby's tired cues, like rubbing eyes, fussing, or losing interest in play, is a more reliable way to know when it's time for a nap.

If your baby seems overtired, is not napping at all during the day, or you have concerns about their sleep, it is reasonable to keep a simple sleep diary for a week and share it with your doctor or public health nurse.