The Quick Answer
A 9 month old usually takes 2 naps for a total of 1.5 to 3 hours of daytime sleep, plus 11 to 12 hours overnight. The wake window is about 3 hours, and most babies are on three meals and two snacks alongside their milk feeds. Most 9 month olds can sleep through the night without a feed. Below you'll find a sample day.
Parents often ask me for a 9 month old sleep schedule. I understand why. But I don't love fixed schedules where 9:00 a.m. is nap time every day. They assume you can control how long your baby naps, and often you can't. What do you do when your baby poops herself awake halfway through a nap? Keep a tired baby up until the "official" next nap, or put her down early?
I'm Sarah Mitchell, founder of Helping Babies Sleep and author of The Helping Babies Sleep Method. I teach a flexible schedule, part of the timing pillar of The Helping Babies Sleep Method. That said, once your baby is consistently taking 2 naps and comfortable staying awake a little longer, a more fixed, on-the-clock schedule can start to work. Nine months is often when it clicks.
What's Happening at 9 Months?
- Two naps are settling in. Most babies have finished, or are finishing, the 3 to 2 nap transition.
- Wake windows are stretching by about 15 minutes compared with 8 months, so bedtime can move slightly later.
- Two snacks join the three meals. That's the main change from 8 months.
- Most babies can sleep 11 to 12 hours without a night feed.
- Big developmental leaps like crawling, pulling to stand and separation anxiety can make sleep bumpy for a while. Read about the 8 month sleep regression and the 10 month sleep regression.
If nights have been broken since around 4 months, that's usually not a new problem. The 4 month sleep regression permanently changed how your baby sleeps, and some families are still feeling it at 9 months.
How Much Sleep Does a 9 Month Old Need?
- Wake window: about 3 hours
- Naps: 2 (some babies are still on 3)
- Daytime sleep: 1.5 to 3 hours
- Night sleep: 11 to 12 hours
- Total sleep: about 14 to 14.5 hours in 24 hours
- Food: three meals and two snacks, plus milk feeds
- Night feeds: usually none needed
See how this compares with every other age in Wake Windows by Age.
Sample 9 Month Old Sleep Schedule on 2 Naps
Here's a sample day from my book. Use it to see how the intervals fit together, not as a timetable to match to the minute.
| Time | What happens | Interval | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:30 a.m. | Wake up, milk feed #1 | Should be your biggest feed of the day. | |
| 8:00 a.m. | Solids #1 (breakfast) | 1.5 hr after milk | |
| 9:00 a.m. | Snack | ||
| 9:30 a.m. | Nap 1, asleep (about 1.5 hr) | 3 hr awake | Ideally over 1 hour. |
| 11:00 a.m. | Wake up | ||
| 11:30 a.m. | Milk feed #2 and snack | 5 hr since last milk | |
| 1:00 p.m. | Solids #2 (lunch) | 1.5 hr after milk | |
| 2:15 p.m. | Nap 2, asleep (about 1.5 hr) | 3 hr 15 min awake | Stretched a little so bedtime isn't too early. |
| 3:45 p.m. | Wake up, milk feed #3 and snack | 4 hr 15 min | |
| 5:45 p.m. | Solids #3 (dinner) | 2 hr after milk | |
| 6:45 p.m. | Milk feed #4 | 3 hr | Fed a little early to keep it away from bedtime. |
| 7:15 p.m. | Asleep for the night | Bedtime moves slightly later than at 8 months. |
What's important in this schedule: the intervals between sleeps and feeds. That's about 3 hours awake before the first nap, a little longer before the second so bedtime isn't too early, solids spaced after milk, and the last milk feed kept away from bedtime. What's not important: the exact clock times. If your baby wakes at 7:00 a.m., shift everything later.
What If Naps Are Short?
If your baby is only napping 1.5 hours total, that's two 45-minute naps. It's not quite ideal, because your baby would then need a full 12 hours uninterrupted overnight to reach their 24-hour sleep goal. If naps are consistently short, check the wake window first. A baby who isn't quite tired enough often takes a short nap. Here's how wake windows change by age, and The Two Reasons Your Baby Will Only Take 45 Minute Naps.
Feeding, Meals and Snacks at 9 Months
Intentional feeding is the third pillar of The Helping Babies Sleep Method.
- Make the first milk feed of the day the biggest.
- Three meals and two snacks. Space meals about 1.5 to 2 hours after a milk feed, so your baby still takes a full milk feed.
- Keep the last milk feed away from bedtime, so feeding doesn't become part of falling asleep.
- Night feeds: most babies this age can sleep 11 to 12 hours without one. Many formula-fed babies drinking 25 to 30 ounces during the day sleep through without feeding. Some breastfed babies sleep 11 hours without eating, and some still take 1 night feed.
If you're working on dropping night feeds, read 5 Reasons Why Night Weaning Isn’t Going Well. For how daytime feeding shapes nights, see The Feeding and Sleep Connection. These guidelines apply to babies who are gaining weight well; check with your pediatrician if you have concerns.
Bedtime at 9 Months
Count about 3 to 3.5 hours from when your baby wakes from the second nap. On 2 naps, bedtime becomes more predictable and more "on the clock," usually between about 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. When you're deciding, think about two things: what time your baby woke up for the day, and when they woke from the last nap.
Keep the routine short, calm and the same every night. Here's how to build a calming bedtime routine, and what to do if your baby is waking up too early.
Still Waking at Night at 9 Months?
Since the 4 month sleep regression, your baby surfaces briefly between sleep cycles all night. If they fall asleep feeding or being rocked, they'll look for the same help each time. At 9 months, when most babies don't need to eat overnight, frequent waking is usually a learned habit, not hunger.
A good schedule makes everything easier, but timing is only one of five pillars in The Helping Babies Sleep Method. Self-Soothing Skills and Why Your Child Needs Them explains the missing piece, and The Two Phases of Sleep Training explains how we sequence it. If sleep suddenly falls apart, read how to tell a regression from a schedule problem, and for what's normal overnight, see Night Wakings by Age.
Setting Up the Sleep Space
A dark room helps with short naps and early wake-ups. My favorites are SleepOut curtains; use my code helpingbabiessleep for 10% off SleepOut Curtains. See the full baby sleep environment checklist and why I love a wool sleep sack.
What Comes Next
At 10 to 11 months, wake windows stretch to about 3 to 3.5 hours, and that's really the only change. Two naps will last until around 15 months, when most toddlers move to one nap. See the 10 and 11 month old sleep schedule, or look back at the 8 month old sleep schedule.
Sleep Help in Palo Alto and the Bay Area
Night waking that hangs on past 9 months, when most babies no longer need to eat overnight, is one of the most common reasons families reach out to us. We help parents across Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Los Altos, Sunnyvale, Cupertino and San Jose, and coach families virtually anywhere.
- Want the wake window chart? Download the free Sleep Chart →
- Not sure where to start? Take the free Sleep Quiz →
- Baby 4 to 24 months? Explore baby sleep coaching →
- Prefer to learn on your own time? Try the Baby Online Class →
- Ready to talk? Book your intro call →
Frequently Asked Questions About the 9 Month Old Sleep Schedule
How many naps does a 9 month old take?
Most 9 month olds take 2 naps, for a total of about 1.5 to 3 hours of daytime sleep. Some are still finishing the 3 to 2 nap transition, which can happen anytime between 7 and 10 months.
What is the wake window for a 9 month old?
About 3 hours between sleeps, measured from when your baby wakes up to when they're back asleep. Compared with 8 months, wake windows may stretch by about 15 minutes, which helps make room for a slightly later bedtime.
What time should a 9 month old go to bed?
Count about 3 to 3.5 hours from when your baby wakes from the second nap. On 2 naps, that often means a bedtime between about 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. In the sample schedule, bedtime is 7:15 p.m.
Can a 9 month old sleep through the night without a feed?
Most babies this age can sleep 11 to 12 hours without a night feed. Many formula-fed babies drinking 25 to 30 ounces during the day already do. Some breastfed babies still take 1 night feed. Check with your pediatrician if you have any concerns about weight gain.
How many meals and snacks does a 9 month old eat?
Most 9 month olds are on three meals of solids and two snacks a day, alongside about four milk feeds. The two snacks are what's new compared with 8 months.
Are two 45-minute naps enough at 9 months?
Two 45-minute naps add up to 1.5 hours, the low end of what a 9 month old needs. It's not quite ideal, because your baby would need to make it up with a full 12 hours uninterrupted overnight to reach their 24-hour sleep goal.
Is there a 9 month sleep regression?
Around 8 to 10 months, many babies go through big developmental leaps like crawling, pulling to stand and separation anxiety, and sleep can get bumpy for a while. If sleep falls apart, check the schedule first. A wake window that no longer fits, or a nap transition, is often the real cause.
Keep Reading
- Wake Windows by Age: A Simple Guide for Parents
- The Helping Babies Sleep Method: The Complete Overview
- The 3-2 Nap Transition: 7 to 10 Months
- 4-Month Sleep Regression: Causes, Signs, and How to Navigate It
- 8 Month Old Sleep Schedule
- 10 and 11 Month Old Sleep Schedule
About the Author
Sarah Mitchell, Kin, DC (retired) is the founder of Helping Babies Sleep, a Bay Area sleep consulting agency based in Palo Alto, and the author of the Amazon bestseller The Helping Babies Sleep Method: The Art and Science of Teaching Your Baby to Sleep. A retired chiropractor, Certified Lactation Counselor, RIE Foundations graduate and member of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, she has supported more than 1,000 families over 13 years.
Sources
- Sarah Mitchell, The Helping Babies Sleep Method, Chapter 4: Babies (4 to 24 Months), Nine-Month Schedule on Two Naps; Appendix A: Bedtime Timing Examples.
- Paruthi S, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2016. PubMed
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: A Parent's Guide to Safe Sleep
