How much should your 9-month-old be sleeping? Is it normal for him to start waking through the night, even if he used to snooze just fine? And above all, what should you be doing about it so you can get some rest?
At 9 months, your adorable baby is likely passing through some major milestones, and his sleep patterns might change as a result.
His daytime naps may have gotten pretty predictable, and he might be sleeping through the night (at least most of the time). However, you may also experience days — or weeks! — when your baby has a harder time settling down or seems to sleep fitfully.
So what’s par for the course, and what can you do when things start to veer off track? Here’s everything you need to know about 9-month-old sleep.
How much should a 9-month-old sleep?
By 9 months, babies typically snooze for around 14 hours each day, though anywhere from 12 to 16 hours is normal.
Your little one will likely log 10 to 12 hours of sleep at night, and there’s a good chance it’ll be uninterrupted: At this age, nearly 75 percent of babies sleep through the night. He’ll also take two naps during the day usually.
Sample sleep schedule for a 9-month-old
The specifics might vary from baby to baby and from family to family, but in general, most 9-month-olds keep a fairly routine sleep schedule.
He will likely wake on the early side, take a morning and an afternoon nap (lasting between one and two hours each) and go to sleep early enough to log 10 to 12 hours of shuteye.
Although every baby is different, this sample sleep schedule for a 9-month-old can be a helpful reference.
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- 7:00 a.m.: Awake
- 9:30 a.m.: Nap
- 11:30 a.m.: Awake
- 2:00 p.m.: Nap
- 3:30 p.m.: Awake
- 7:00 p.m.: Bedtime routine
- 7:30 p.m.: Bedtime
What is the 9-month sleep regression?
Sleep regressions are temporary disturbances in a baby’s usual sleep routine. If your little one is going through a regression, he may have a harder time settling down to sleep or wake up more frequently at night.
Your baby might have had his first sleep regression experience around the 4-month mark. And between 8 and 10 months, it’s common for these kinds of sleep disruptions to happen again.
Why? Sleep regressions tend to strike when your sweet pea is mastering an important developmental milestone, since figuring out a major new skill can be a recipe for restlessness. And at 9 months, your baby may be working on some seriously awesome accomplishments — like crawling, pulling up or even saying his first word.
Thankfully, these sleep interruptions don’t tend to last long. Once he’s checked the new skill off his list, naps and nighttime sleep should go back to normal.
In the meantime, continue to follow a consistent sleep routine and don’t introduce any new habits when he wakes in the night — like rocking or playing games.
Sleep training a 9-month-old
By 9 months, most babies can snooze through the night without interruption (barring normal hiccups due to teething, illness and yes, sleep regression). But if your little night owl hasn’t quite gotten the message and you’re craving more shuteye, you may want to consider sleep training.
While it's not necessary to sleep train your baby, many parents find that these methods help their babies develop better sleep habits. Most pediatricians will give you the green light to try sleep training once your baby is between 4 and 6 months old. By that age, most babies are developmentally capable of learning how to self-soothe.
It's perfectly fine to sleep train at the 9-month mark, too. It just might be a little harder these days. The reason? Now that your baby has had more time to get used to his current routine — and the middle-of-the-night snacks and snuggles that come with it — he might have a tougher time learning to go without.
There are a few different ways to sleep train your baby, including the cry it out (CIO) method, the Ferber method and the chair method. Each is slightly different, but the goal is the same: teaching your baby how to fall asleep with less help from you.
Whichever method you choose, consistency is the key to success. Your baby might protest for a few nights, but eventually, he’ll get the hang of the new system.
9-month-old sleep tips
Your baby needs plenty of rest to feel his best. Still, the world around him is an awfully exciting place — so getting him to settle down, doze off and stay asleep isn’t always easy. These strategies can help.
- Be all about the bedtime routine. Aim for a series of predictable activities that help your baby wind down and signal that it’s time to sleep. A final feeding, bath and snuggles plus a story or a song all work.
- Try not to let him get overtired. Overtired babies tend to be both cranky and revved up. That can make it harder for them to settle down and could cause them to sleep more fitfully. Put your baby to bed early enough so he can get 10 to 12 hours of sleep at night. If he’s zonked during the day, try to offer a little more nap time or an even earlier bedtime.
- But don’t let him sleep too much, either. On the other hand, too much napping might mean your baby isn’t as tired at night, so consider capping daytime sleep at four hours total per day.
- Stick with crib naps when you can. Occasional on-the-go naps aren’t a big deal, just try not to make it a habit. Your baby will sleep more soundly in his crib than a stroller.
- Keep it consistent. If your baby fusses during the night, you can go in to soothe him but try not to rock him or take him out of his crib to play. After a few nights, you might accidentally end up forming a new habit that he won’t want to give up.
9-month-old sleep problems
Rough patches in the sleep department are a perfectly normal part of babyhood, even among little ones who normally snooze through the night without a problem. Around 9 months, your baby might encounter the following speed bumps:
- Teething. By now, you probably know the signs that your baby is sprouting a new pearly white: Drooling, irritability, rashes, ear pulling or cheek rubbing, and yup, sleep disturbances. If teething rings don't provide relief, ask your pediatrician about infant acetaminophen.
- Trouble falling asleep. Your 9-month-old is capable of learning how to self-soothe. If he tends to fuss a lot before bed, sleep training may help him fall asleep on his own.
- Waking in the middle of the night. Your 9-month-old probably doesn't need to eat during the night (although you should check with your pediatrician to make sure). But he has probably gotten used to his late-night snacks and may not be happy about giving them up. Again, sleep training can help.
- Waking up too early. Babies are naturally early risers. But if your 9-month-old is regularly waking really early — like at the crack of dawn — you might need to adjust his schedule or make his room more light- or sound-proof.
- Other temporary disruptions. You’re likely wise to the fact that even small changes can impact your baby’s sleep. Illness, travel and other changes to your routine (like going back to work) can all have an effect. But once life gets back to normal, his snoozing should, too.
Although many 9-month-old babies can sleep through the night and may have adopted a predictable schedule by now, it’s still very normal for your baby to hit the occasional sleep speed bump.
To power through, be patient and stay consistent with his nap and nighttime routines. Staying the course will help him get more of the sleep he needs to feel rested — and stave off any bad habits that could keep you both awake down the road.
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