Updated on
25.2.25
You tuck your little one into their crib, gently stroking their soft hair. After a full day of crawling, exploring, and maybe even pulling themselves up to stand, they’re ready for some rest. As you tiptoe away, hoping for a peaceful night, you hear a tiny whimper. Another sleep battle? Not exactly!
At 9 months, your baby is more active than ever, and while their sleep might feel unpredictable at times, that’s all part of their growth. One night, they sleep soundly, and the next, they might wake up a bit more. Shorter naps, louder protests, and a touch of separation anxiety? It’s all normal, and you're not alone.
The good news? With a flexible yet comforting routine, you can guide your baby through this phase and find a balance that works for both of you.
Let’s take a look at a 9-month-old sleep schedule and some practical tips to help everyone get the restful sleep they need.
Here is what we will talk about in this article:
By 9 months, most babies need around 13 to 14 hours of total sleep per day, with 11 to 12 hours at night and 2 to 3 hours across naps. While some babies sleep through the night, others may still experience night wakings.
Changes in sleep patterns are common at this stage. Your baby might:
If sleep feels inconsistent, know that it’s temporary. Small adjustments can help your baby settle into a more predictable routine.
Sleep fact: The National Sleep Foundation1 recommends 12 to 15 hours of total sleep for babies between 4 and 12 months. However, some babies naturally need a little more or less sleep than the average. For more insights on how baby sleep develops and impacts nighttime rest, check out our article on Sleeping through the Night: How Baby Sleep Develops.
A structured sleep schedule can make a big difference, so let’s take a look at what a typical day might look like.
A consistent routine helps babies know what to expect, making sleep smoother for everyone.
Here’s an example of a 9-month-old sleep schedule that balances naps, wake windows, and bedtime.
Important note: Not every day will follow this schedule exactly, but keeping naps and bedtime around the same time can help regulate your baby’s internal clock.
Tip: If your baby resists naps or wakes up frequently, adjusting wake windows or bedtime might help. Let’s go through some tips to improve their sleep.
Even with a solid sleep schedule in place, sleep can still be unpredictable. Some nights go smoothly, while others feel like a never-ending cycle of rocking, feeding, and waking up again. Guess what? That’s completely normal! The key is to balance structure with flexibility while staying tuned in to your baby’s sleep cues.
A 9-month-old’s wake windows are usually between 3 to 4 hours between sleep periods. If your baby stays awake for too long, they might become overtired, which leads to more frequent night wakings or short naps.
If your baby is resisting sleep, try adjusting these wake windows by 15 to 30 minutes and see if it makes a difference.
Consistency is key here. Babies thrive on predictability, and a soothing bedtime routine signals that it’s time to wind down. A calming routine might include:
Repeating these steps nightly helps babies settle down and fall asleep more easily.
Looking for ad-free lullabies or soothing soundscapes? Try Happy Baby for a peaceful bedtime!
At 9 months, your baby is beginning to understand object permanence, meaning they know when you leave the room and they don’t like it! This can cause bedtime resistance and lead to more frequent night wake-ups.
To help them adjust:
Daytime sleep plays a significant role in your baby's overall rest, but too much of it can interfere with nighttime sleep. If your baby is struggling to settle at bedtime or waking up more frequently during the night, excessive daytime naps might be the cause. While naps are essential for growth and development, it’s important to strike the right balance.
Here’s why:
A slight adjustment to naps can help improve nighttime sleep without leaving your baby overtired.
If sleep suddenly worsens despite your best efforts, it’s likely that your baby is experiencing sleep regression. This temporary disruption is often caused by factors like separation anxiety, increased mobility (such as pulling to stand or crawling), and changing nap needs. While the regression can cause your baby to resist sleep or wake up more frequently, it’s important to remember that this phase is temporary.
Stick to the routine, offer extra comfort at bedtime, but avoid creating new sleep habits that could become difficult to break. Most regressions last between 2 to 6 weeks, and with a little patience, love and consistency, your baby will adjust.
There will be nights when sleep feels like a distant dream, and the exhaustion may make you wonder if you're doing something wrong. But trust yourself, your baby’s changing sleep patterns at 9 months are a sign of growth, curiosity, and developmental progress. Even if bedtime battles and night wakings seem overwhelming now, this phase won’t last forever.
You’re doing an amazing job, and your little one will eventually settle into a more predictable sleep pattern. In the meantime, embrace the small wins, whether it’s a peaceful nap or an easier bedtime. Better sleep is just around the corner.
If tracking wake windows and sleep patterns feels exhausting, Happy Baby makes it easier. With its AI-powered insights, personalized sleep schedules, and intuitive routine tracking, Happy Baby helps you predict your baby’s sleep needs and create a schedule that works for them.
Happy Baby helps you understand your baby’s unique sleep rhythms so you can spend less time worrying and more time enjoying those cuddly, well-rested moments.
1. Hirshkowitz, M., Whiton, K., Albert, S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., ... & Hillard, P. J. A. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep health, 1(1), 40-43.
2. Mindell, J. A., & Williamson, A. A. (2018). Benefits of a bedtime routine in young children: Sleep, development, and beyond. Sleep medicine reviews, 40, 93-108.
3. https://www.unicef.org/parenting/child-care/managing-child-separation-anxiety.
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