Updated October, 2021
So you have made it to 9 months! At this point, your child’s sleep has likely (hopefully) taken on a relatively predictable pattern. At 9 months we should be over the 8 month sleep regression (if you had one) and sleeping solidly through the night in whatever way that looks for you. Your first year is almost over and you should be settled into a routine that works for your family.
What to Expect
Sleeping through the night at 9 months can be anywhere from an 8-13 hour stretch, depending on you and your family’s needs. We put monster down at 7:30pm and they sleep until 6:30am because that is the time we need them to wake up in the morning. Yes, Monster will occasionally sleep until 9:30 on the weekends, and sometimes we stay up later for events at night, but overall we have a consistent schedule that results in a healthy amount of sleep.
Beyond night sleep, naps should also be evening out and getting more regular. Your little one should be able to stay awake 3-4 hours between naps. These naps will range from 30 minutes to 2 hours. If you were still on three naps per day, you will likely start to drop down to two naps. Your morning nap is likely to be the biggest change, starting to fade away or happening later and later in the day.
Really pay attention to your child’s schedule. Any night and waking time works, you just want to be sure that it’s the right fit for your child and your family. Make sure your child gets enough sleep though, otherwise their night time sleep is likely to suffer as well. An overtired child has a hard time sleeping.
Sleep Training according to Me
9-12 Month Practices
Hopefully at this point your child is already sleeping well through the night. Our goal now is to stay consistent and responsive. If sleeping through the night is still a struggle, you want to work towards independent sleeping, watching for cues, and avoiding bad habits. Look back at some of my older sleep blogs if you need help transitioning your child to sleeping through the night.
Stay Consistent
If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. If you have a routine and a schedule that is working well for you and your family, where everyone gets the sleep they need, there is no reason to adjust it. You need to stay consistent with your child’s sleep routine and schedule so that they know what to expect. This doesn’t mean you can’t change things here and there, but don’t start nursing in the middle of the night suddenly if your child is already sleeping their 10 hour stretch.
Adjust Naps
Naps at this age may be rapidly evolving. The exact time your child is going to be tired and how many naps each day you have is going to be changing. I really do suggest two naps until 1 year, but you have to pay attention to what your child needs. And as their first year finishes out, you may find the time for naps adjusting later and later. Be flexible and responsive.
Offer Solids
If you aren’t already, be sure you are sitting down and eating meals with your child each day. Offering solids should have started around 6 months, so you are likely old pros. While your child will still be drinking milk as their primary source of nutrition, solids will help fill their little tummies and move towards restful sleep through the night.
Habits to Avoid
I’ve gone over some of the most common bad habits in my previous blogs. Continue to avoid those, as it doesn’t take much to slide backwards. Healthy, independent sleep at this age looks like going to bed, falling asleep on their own, and putting themselves independently back to sleep during any normal night wakings.
Night Feedings
The biggest and hardest habit to make or break in this age is the night feedings. Developmentally speaking, your child is capable of going through the entire night without eating. Habitually speaking though, that may not be the case. If you are still night feeding, it’s time to wean off that.
Sleep Schedule
Every family’s sleep schedule needs are going to be different. I came up with two for this age group that reflects the common lifestyle of two working parents. These different schedules speak to the fluidity of naps at this age group.
Sleep Help
Need support with getting your child on the right track for sleep? View my Postpartum Doula page where I can offer sleep training for you and your family, including a night’s reprieve if you just need some time to catch up.
