9 Month Old Baby Schedule
Posted by Nicole on September 2nd, 2008
This article outlines the average 9 month old baby schedule, including feedings, solids, naps and night sleep.
9 month old’s sleep
At this age, if you are not lucky enough to have a baby who sleeps through the night, most 9 month olds can sleep all night without a feeding and take two naps. However, some babies, in my experience, do better with one feeding after 4 or 5 a.m. and sleep longer than not feed and get an early wake-time. I would need to know your specific situation to make a recommendation, but just recognize that all babies are different, but by this age I would not expect more than 1 feeding, typically, if any at all. Your 9 month old should be taking 2 naps per day for a total of about 2-3 hours per day plus 11-12 hours at night. If you’re having trouble with naps, you might be interested in helping your baby nap.
All babies vary, but here are some rough schedules you can use to make your own for your unique baby.
I should warn you that I am in the camp that breastmilk or formula should be the primary nutrition for the first year and solids come secondary. Below are the amounts recommended from Super Baby Food, the book I use for reference (as a guide, not as the end-all-be-all because I don’t give my kids nuts before a year or follow other things in the book, but it’s a good reference guide). Another useful reference is Wholesome Baby Food. Although I work full time, I did make most of my baby food (I’d make 1 big batch of something each weekend in 1-2 hours), but even if you don’t, the website is useful as a guide when to introduce what food and other meal ideas.
Amounts per day:
• At least 3-4 nursing sessions per day or 26-32 ounces formula or combination of both
• 2 servings (1 serving = 1-2 Tablespoons dry) baby cereal
• 1-2 servings grain (1 serving = 1/2 slice bread, 2 crackers, 1/2 cup Cheerios, or 1/2 cup whole grain pasta)
• 2 servings (1 serving = 2-4 Tablespoons) fruit
• 2 servings (1 serving = 2-4 Tablespoons) vegetable
• 2-3 servings (1 serving = 1-2 Tablespoons) protein
• 1 serving Dairy (1 serving = 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/3 cup cottage cheese or 1 oz grated cheese)
The first schedule is what I call a “staggered” approach. My first son did better nursing fully and then having solids a bit in between nursing sessions. He was a little hungry but not famished. He just didn’t do well with stopping nursing mid-way to eat solids.
7:00 – Wake and Breast milk or Formula
9:00 – Breakfast
10:00 – Morning Nap (at least 1 hour)
11:00 – Breast milk or Formula
1:00 – Lunch
2:00 – Early Afternoon Nap (at least 1 hour)
3:00 – Breast milk or Formula plus snack
5:00 – Dinner
6:15 – Begin bedtime routine
7:00 – Breastmilk or Formula and Bedtime (goal to be asleep at this time)
If your baby doesn’t mind a more “consolidated” approach to eating, like my second son, here is another type of schedule:
Schedule 2
7:00 – Wake, 1/2 Breast milk / Formula feeding, breakfast and other 1/2 BM / Formula
10:00 – Morning Nap (at least 1 hour)
11:00 – 1/2 BM/Formula, Lunch, and other 1/2 BM/Formula
2:00 – Afternoon Nap (at least 1 hour)
3:00 – BM or Formula Feeding plus snack
5:00 – Dinner and 1/2 BM / Formula feeding
6:15 – Begin bedtime routine
7:00 – Small BM/Formula feeding and Bedtime (goal to be asleep at this time)
Note: When giving any feedings during your bedtime routine, be careful not to create sleep associations.
You may also be interested in tracking your baby’s sleep, feedings, medication doses, immunizations, etc. using online software. You can even use the software on your mobile device for when you’re on the go! Or, you may be interested in more advice about 9 Month olds from Mamasource.
If you’re looking for ways to get your baby or toddler into a healthy sleeping routine during the day, I encourage you to explore Mastering Naps and Schedules, a comprehensive guide to napping routines, nap transitions, and all the other important “how-tos” of good baby sleep. With over 40 sample sleep schedules and planning worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style. For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out Help Your Child Sleep, a Step-by-Step Guide. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night. Or, join our Members Area packed with premium content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, peer support, and more. It actually costs less to join than buying products separately! For those looking for a more customized solution for your unique situation with support along the way, please consider one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultations.
What is your 9-month old’s schedule?
Tags: 9 month feeding schedule, 9 month old feeding schedule, 9 month old schedule, 9 month schedule, baby nap, baby on schedule, baby schedule, baby sleep, baby sleep schedule, infant sleep schedule, schedule for 9 month, sleep schedule
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July 14th, 2009
Nicole, can you please explain why the nap times change from the 9 month old schedule to the 10 month old schedule? Thanks!
August 7th, 2009
@AJ Sorry, but I don’t know what you mean. Both 9 and 10 month schedules have naps at 10 and 2, so I don’t know what you mean. Sorry!
September 7th, 2009
hi i have a question – my son is 8 months old and sleeps 10 hours a night (since he was 2 months) and has been on a rhythm his whole life! it seems no matter what i try….whatever bed times etc… he wants to sleep 10 hours! so he goes to bed at 7 but rises at 5…i just wanted to ask how that affects the daytime sleep because he still needs 3 naps a day.
September 12th, 2009
Hi Nicole–
My 9 month old has been a GREAT sleeper up until now. We have been following babywise and have set a schedule that pretty much follows what you have. Just this week, my daughter has begun playing in her crib instead of rolling over to sleep. She will play for 2 hours and then finally drift off to sleep for a 1/2 hour and then wake to begin her afternoon schedule. Even night time, she plays for a while before drifting off to sleep. How do I get her back on track? We don’t have anything in her crib (and never have) for her to play with (minus the mobile which has been moved recently) but we never put her in her crib unless it was to sleep.
Thanks for any help/advice you can give.
September 18th, 2009
@Lisa He probably makes up what he needs in his daytime sleep. My son would sleep 11 to 11 1/2 hours (never 12) until he transitioned to one nap and then no naps. If he’s getting enough sleep and happy, I wouldn’t worry about it except if it were me, I’d likely shift his schedule forward so he was sleeping 8pm-6am. 5 is just too early for me!
September 18th, 2009
@Erin This is probably a phase and probably developmental. You might need to bump wake-time a bit to follow more like the 10 or 11 month schedule, but I’d keep offering two naps and she will probably get back to normal very soon. Good luck!
September 28th, 2009
My son is 9 months old and he had a good nightime sleeping pattern up until the last 2 months. He has been waking up 3 to 4 times and wants to eat everytime. I know he doesn’t need to be eating that much and he is doing it out of habbit. We give him a bottle like 20 min before he goes to bed so he would not get into the habbit of having a bottle to go to sleep but i don’t know where i went wrong or what to do. We have tryed to let him cry but we have renters under us and can’t let it go on for to long. if you have any advice that would be helpful
October 8th, 2009
My daughter will be 9 months old on October 14 and she has been sleeping through the night since she was 3 months. But over the past few months I’ve noticed a change. She’s going to sleep between 6:30 and 7:00 and some nights she sleeps all night without waking up and other nights she may wake up at 9:30 pm or 3:00 am. I can’t figure out what to do. She doesn’t seem hungry when she wakes up in the middle of the night. She also takes 1 1/2 hour naps twice a day. I’ve tried to keep her up longer at night because friends said her 6:30 bedtime was too early and that didn’t work and I tried keeping her up in the afternoon so she wouldn’t have a nap but that doesn’t work either. My husband and I trade out so we’re not getting burnt out on getting up but we would really like to figure it out so we can get some rest again. Thanks for any help you can give us!
October 9th, 2009
Regarding Lisa’s comment:
I am in the same situation. Our son has been a pretty good sleeper but generally sleeps about 10 hours at night which means he also needs 3 naps during the day. He will be 9 months next week.
I would like to put him on a 2 naps a day schedule and an earlier bedtime (right now, we put him to bed, just before 9PM and he sleeps till 7-7:30AM) but right now he does not appear ready. For example, the first nap is recommended at 10 AM but I can tell he is still ready to sleep at about 9 AM (2 hrs from wake up). My plan is too keep on observing him over the next couple of weeks and see when he is ready and then try shifting him 10 minutes at a time.
October 10th, 2009
My son has been sleeping going to sleep around 6:30/7:30 at night depending if he took a third nap and waking up around 6:30/7. He has dropped the third nap a few weeks ago but is now waking up at 5:45 each morning (for the last week) and won’t go back to sleep. I have been keeping him up until around 9:9:30 so that he takes a second nap at 2. From the end of the second nap until bed time, how much time should pass? If he wakes up at 4/4:15, what time should I put him back down? Would putting him in bed too early be affecting his morning wake up time? Thanks for your help!
October 15th, 2009
@Whitney Does your son find comfort in your presence? The key is to avoid the feeding and make it “not worth it” to wake up and call out for you. Have you tried staying with him, but NOT giving him the feeding? It might be a few long nights, but once you get past a week or so, it will be worth it in the long run. I recommend talking to your neighbors and maybe taking cookies (or movie tickets and maybe some ear plugs).
October 15th, 2009
@Kendra So, what do you do during these night-wakings if she is not hungry? Does she go right back to sleep? Is she on the verge of a developmental milestone?
October 15th, 2009
@Yasmine Some babies do need 3 naps even at 9 months old. I’d give him a few more weeks and most likely it will change. Good luck!
October 19th, 2009
My daughter is almost 9 months old, and I’ve been lucky enough to have her sleep through from about 15 weeks. She’s always napped well during the day, pretty much after every two – three hours of wakefullness she has a nap. Her major nap time is at about 10 am and then again from around 1pm. The challenge we have been facing for the last two weeks or so, is after her 1 pm nap, which is generally an hour, she is awake until bedtime (around 7pm). So, understandably her mood by 7 is not very good. She’s visibly tired and very cranky. I’ve tried to get to her to nap again in the afternoon, but it turns into a battle of wills.
Do you have any advice for this situation
Thanks
Meagan
October 21st, 2009
My 9 mo old son Graeson has had sleep issues since the beginning. I am starting to wonder if the issue is me.He can have a week of waking up once a night but the next week he will wake for 2-3 times and sometimes stay awake for 1-2 hours.My husband and I work hard to keep on a schedule but it doesn’t seem to work.The funny thing is that getting him to sleep initially is no problem but he soon wakes. I have tried several sleep methods including crying it out which I hated. He never stopped crying and that broke my heart. I have tried the “pick up-put down method” and that didn’t work either.I don’t know what to try next.What are your suggestions?My biggest concern now is that we would like to have more kids but I don’t know if I can handle getting up with two babies at once.HELP!!!
October 23rd, 2009
@Jennifer Actually, the opposite is true, sometimes. During nap transitions when they drop a nap, a too-late bedtime could be causing the too-early wake-up. Make sure no more than 3 hours goes by between the end of the last nap and bedtime, if you can help it. He is probably getting overtired. Good luck!
October 30th, 2009
i am not able to sleep train my baby….mostly because i cant handle it…she sleeps with me but will always wake up 3-4 hours into sleeping…i also feel like a bad mom because i can not get her to sleep until 10…now this is an awful cycle cuz the waking up at midnight or 3 am & she will not sleep for another hour or 2…so we are too tired to get up until later in the morning…i dont mind sleeping with her but how do i get her to sleep thru the night!???? i am going crazy…& yes i know i caused all this!!!
October 31st, 2009
My baby is 9mo old. She has never slept through the night. The longest she has slept is 4hrs. I do have a daily routin and night time/bed time routin. She just will not got to sleep with out breast feeding. So I have now tryed the CIO method. I do go in about every 10min. She will settle down but as soon as I try to leave she gets right up and starts sreaming. She will not stop until I am back as the 10min time. Now since I have started this she seems more frightful and clingy. She now has a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep. It seems like am going backward instead of forward. I just don’t want her to get worse. What should I do now?
November 1st, 2009
I have 9 mo old boy/girl twins. I put them to bed at 7:30pm every night (yes with a bottle filled with a small amount of breast milk) and they wake around 7:30am every morning. They both take two naps a day (my son sleeps a little bit longer than my daughter). They are taking solids, but not nearly as much as is listed on the 9 mo. old schedule. My son wakes at 11pm to be fed, and my daughter wakes up at 1am to be fed, and then my son wakes up at 5am to be fed and my daughter wakes up at 6am to be fed. This means that I am getting up 4 times in the night and it is killing me, but I know I am one to blame, because yes, I am feeding them….and the kicker is with bottles, so they do get ba ba’s in their cribs. Also, neither like binkies.
I need some advice. Do I need to try and force them to take more solids? Should I put them in separate rooms and just have them both cry it out through the night? Should I leave them in the same room? Should I go in to comfort them but not pick them up? Should I just not go in at all to comfort? Should I make them cry through the early night feeding, but go in still at 5 and 6am? Also, when putting them to bed, just start not giving them a bottle to take with them to sleep and again, just have them cry that out, or should I try to re-introduce binkies?
Thank you for your help!
November 6th, 2009
@Toya I understand your concern about having two. I promise it does get better. I’d have to know more details about your son’s personality, his schedule, and what you’ve tried so far to recommend a better method for you and your family. Most of the time a method “doesn’t work” because the parents don’t give it long enough to work. You must be 100% committed and stick with it. I know how hard it is, though! Good luck!
November 13th, 2009
@Ji Don’t feel like this is your “fault” because we all do what we can to help our babies sleep and sometimes it works out and sometimes we find we need a change later. There is a lot in between sleep deprivation and cry it out, so the key is to find the method that works for you and your baby. I hope by utilizing the articles on this website, the books, Members Area or consulting services, you can make a plan that will work for you and your family. Good luck!
November 14th, 2009
@Vanessa A good middle-ground is to stay with your baby, but not nurse her to sleep. There is no reason you can’t be there for support while you change her routine. Reassure her, but stay committed that you aren’t going to nurse her all the way to sleep. You can start with bedtime to keep it more manageable. Hope this helps and good luck!
November 14th, 2009
@Nanette I would not bother trying the binkies again. That will be one less habit to break when they are toddlers and I get just as many parents who replace a binkie / pacifier 10 times per night. Try delaying the feedings and/or reducing the size of the bottles for a slower transition, but compensate by adding more bottles or solids during the day. Good luck!
November 19th, 2009
here is our 9 month old schedule for the most part
wake: 7:30-8:30
breakfast: 9
nurse: 10:30 (falls asleep nursing but wakes when i try to move him)
lunch: 12
nurse: 3:30 (same issue with napping)
dinner: 5
nurse/bed: 8:30
night waking: usually 2-3 times, sometimes more (i try to settle without nursing but when the screaming starts i usually feel so bad and nurse)
he is very happy during the day although sometimes only naps in the car or in my arms, only cries when we try to settle him down, but obviously tired at times when he fights sleep, when we lay next to him at night he thrashes around even coming up to sitting then crashes down over and over until he finally falls asleep, after FINALLY finding your site i think the problem is the nursing association??? neither of us can let him CIO and since he was born he loved to nurse, i have to stop him every time he falls asleep while nursing or he continues suckling. any advice???
November 21st, 2009
I just wanted to start off by saying thanks for your site, it’s nice to find someone that gives advice without charging.
Anyways my 9 month old goes to bed at 8pm, wakes up at 7am (sometimes 6am) and takes her first nap at 930am like clockwork. She usually wakes up at 11 or earlier from her morning nap. My problem is I can’t seem to get the 2nd nap right. I’ve tried all different times but none of them seem to work. I just keep going in to give her bottles until she finally passes out. But when she does pass out she’ll sleep for 3-4 hours sometimes.
Is 930-11 too long of a nap? When would be the best time to put her to sleep and for how long for her afternoon nap? Is 3-4 hrs too long of naps if she sleeps fine at night?
November 24th, 2009
I can’t seem to find the right combination for my 9 mo old. She has slept through the night early on. She is always put down awake and goes right to sleep on her own even at naps. Up until 7 months, she took two 1.5 hour naps at 9am and at 1pm. She had a 30 min afternoon nap around 5pm. Bedtime is 8pm. She will only sleep around 11 hours, rarely any longer than that. We used to have to start our day at 6am when her bedtime was 7pm. We moved the bedtime an hour later, and she slept an hour later in the morning. Now, we just go in at 7am to get her up, she wakes anytime after 6am. She plays until we come in.
Around 7 months, the naps started getting messed up. She now will only sleep an hour for both naps. (sometimes 45 mins.) I have tried to get her on a 10am 2pm schedule, but she just can’t last that long. She is fussy and really tired starting around 9am, she could be forced to stay up, but she is miserable. It’s the same for the 1pm nap. Now, she is more awake in the afternoon, and putting her down at 5 doesn’t always work. I think she is trying to drop that nap. When she does take it, she cries a lot after. She is very fussy and sleepy until bedtime. It’s almost like it makes her feel worse. Last week we decided to try to drop it and shoot for 7pm bedtime. She woke before 6 again. She can go about 4-5 hours in the evening without a lot of fuss, but 6 hours is too much. And now, since she only sleeps an hour, one way or another she is up from the second nap shortly after 2pm.
I am at a loss. Should I “make” her nap at 10 and 2? My husband and I don’t do well with the early wake time. And lately she won’t stay in bed after she wakes, so if she got up a 5:15 again, that would be when we are up too. She is trying really hard to crawl, could that be interfering with her napping? She has gone from sleeping 11 hours at night with 3.5 hours worth of naps, down to 11 hours with MAYBE 2 hours of naps!
November 30th, 2009
My 9 month old has one schedule at daycare, but when she is home with us and we attempt to follow the same schedule, she wants nothing to do with it. Is this normal? Is daycare forcing her into a schedule that doesn’t fit her?
December 4th, 2009
@Lauren There is a lot between sleep deprivation and cry it out, so I urge you to review all your options and find a solution that will work for you and your family. You might want to start by reading a couple of articles here on the site:
http://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/no-cry-sleep/
http://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/sleep-training-from-no-cry-to-cry-series-part-1/
And, I’m always available for a personalized plan via one-on-one consultations.
Good luck!
December 6th, 2009
hi there, i am just wanting to start my son on these schedules. I see for each nap you have a b/f after the nap. and on the other schedule before AND after. Do you think it would be fine if i b/f (both sides) my son before his naps and thats all?? its seems like alot of feeding??
Hope you can help
December 11th, 2009
@Tiffany It would probably help for your daughter to learn to sleep without a bottle, but with a 9:30-11 nap, I’d probably give her another nap at 3pm. If she’s napping 3-4 hours in the afternoon, what time is bedtime? The main “issue” with more nap and less night sleep is that it’s more restorative for them to get 11-12 hours straight and it sounds like she might be making up lost night sleep during the day, but if the schedule is working for you I’m all for families finding what works for them. Good luck!
December 11th, 2009
@Sheri Your daughter sounds overtired. She is probably trying to drop that 3rd nap (which commonly leads to over-tiredness), but I’d probably try her naps early for 2-3 days to get back on track. If she’s waking before 6, I’d give her a nap at 8:30, 12:30 and 4:30 for a few days and see if that helps get her back on track. Good luck!
December 11th, 2009
@Andrea This is very common. It is typical for babies to be able to stay awake longer at daycare due to the activity and such and many babies will “catch up” on sleep at home. Do they have a schedule at daycare? I do find that daycares tend to transition to one nap too early, for example, even if the baby would happily take two naps for many more months, but it’s also not surprising if the activity keeps her up longer than she can do at home. Hope this helps!
December 29th, 2009
@Alice Once a baby is older, I don’t always follow the eat-play-sleep routine, so I typically say to find what works for you and your baby, so before naps is perfectly fine. Just make sure he isn’t associating feeding with sleeping, if he’s having short naps. Babies vary how long they can go between breastfeeds, too. In my Mastering Naps & Schedules book, I give more sample schedules to choose from. Good luck!
January 5th, 2010
This is my 9 month old’s schedule. Please give me feedback etc!!!
6:30am- wake and breastmilk
7:30 breakfast (yogurt and fruit) and juice
8:00 nap for 1-2 hours
10:15 lunch (cereal and fruit) and bottle of breast milk
12:00 nap for 2 hours
2:00 breast milk
5:00 dinner (veggies and protein) and breast milk
7:00 breastmilk
7:15 asleep
Is that an ideal schedule?? I have to get him up early because I nurse him before I go to work. I also wonder if I am getting him enough servings of the various foods. He is well fed and is consistently in the 90 percentiles for weight.
Thanks for your feedback!!!!
January 7th, 2010
I need some help please. I have a 9 month old who I am trying to get him to sleep in his crib. Up until now he has been sleeping in the pack in play in my room. I walk him to get him to sleep. He goes to bed around 8:30-9:00 and wakes up every 3 hours and cries for his “baba”. I have tried not giving him his bottle and rocking him but he is asking for his “baba” so I give it to him. He drinks 4 oz and goes right back to sleep for 3 more hours. We have a good rountine with feeding/playing/naps during the day and have trouble at night. I love to get him sleeping at least more than 3 hours at a time and off the bottle at night.
What can I do?
January 8th, 2010
I just found this website and it has so much great info! Thanks!
Now, I have a few questions:
1) My 9 month old son has two naps: the first around noon, and the second around 5pm. Is the 5pm nap way too late? It lasts for about a half hour to one hour. After he wakes up, he plays, eats, bath, book and back to bed around 8:30 – 9pm.
2) He is still waking up several times a night! Mommy and Daddy are exhausted! He wakes at 1am, 3am, 5am, and finally 7am. We don’t know what to do and we’re not ready for the crying it out method. =(
3) He doesn’t like to drink much breastmilk. At 9 months, the doctor says he’s in the 25% for weight at 18 lbs. On a good day, if I’m lucky, he’ll drink around 20 ounces a day total–but this is usually not the case. I try to offer him the bottle every couple of hours, but he’s just not interested!
Any advice would be wonderful!
January 29th, 2010
@Jamie If he’s sleeping well at night, I’m not sure how you can make that better!
I personally did not give much juice at this age and the pediatric dentist said they are seeing a rise in cavities and they think it’s juice. Just fyi. I’d say you have a great schedule there! Good luck!
January 29th, 2010
@Ashley At 9 months, most babies only need one feeding, so you probably want to night-wean, but first it starts with helping him learn how to fall asleep on his own. When he can fall asleep on his own, he can go BACK to sleep on his own. He just has a sleep association with either walking with you or the bottle. You might want to read up on sleep associations here: http://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/sleep-association Good luck!
January 29th, 2010
@Tink You’re welcome!
1) Those are very late naps. What time does he wake up in the morning?
It is possible the later naps are contributing.
2) I’d need more information to help with this. The whole site is dedicated to solving this problem and the non-napping problem.
3) 20 ounces of breast milk is actually normal. 25%-ile is fine as long as he’s staying on his curve and staying consistent. Is your doctor worried? If you read Kelly Mom, you’ll see that 20 ounces is actually just fine, so I would not worry. A healthy baby will neither undereat or overeat. Here’s the Kelly Mom site: http://www.kellymom.com
Good luck!
February 1st, 2010
Hi there, My son has just turned 9 months. He is on a good schedule of bottles at 8, 12, 3, 6, 7:45 with full meals at 8,12, and 6. He takes two naps a day at 10 and 2 (but they vary in length, at day care from 30 minutes to 1 hour, at home a bit longer). And he gets sleepy around 5 pm, but will rarely take a nap (unless in the car or in a rocking chair). He has no trouble going to sleep at 8pm, and on a good night will sleep until 6:30 or 7am. He has been sleeping pretty well since 3 months. The trouble is for the last month+ he has nights where he wakes up around midnight (not every night, about 3 times a week). And he’s awake. Wide awake for about 2 hours. I get up and rock him, he is calm, just eyes glued open, and if we put him back down he is awake and will cry about 10 minutes later (standing up in his crib). And around 2am when we’re going crazy and certain we’re up all night, he falls into a deep sleep. Other things that might be of interest, he’s in day care and it’s winter, so he’s always got minor snuffles, he’s teething, and he’s active crawler etc during the day. What’s weird about this too is that he usually has a good night, then next night is bad, and say on. So I know he can sleep. Please help. Thanks!!!!!