Sleep schedule: 9-10 months

When your child reaches 9-10 months, a lot is happening in terms of development. Your child is likely showing interest in crawling and moving around, and perhaps even pulling to stand using furniture.

Your child’s motor skills are truly put to the test, so it might be a good idea to revisit your sleep schedule when your child is 9-10 months old.

Would you like to refresh the meaning of a sleep schedule?
Please see our article: “Sleep schedule – explanation and how to get started”. 

Note: All babies/children are different, and therefore, you should always customize the sleep routine to match your baby’s/child’s needs and your family’s daily rhythm.

Expect a rapid development for your 9-10 months old baby

At this age your baby (soon to be toddler) is truly exploring the world—everything needs to be examined, using his/her hands and things go straight into his/her mouth. It's also at this stage the separation phase begins.

Before, your child used to sit in your lap, but as he/she starts to crawl and move around, he/she is practicing separating from you.

However, this rarely happens without problems. You might have noticed restless nights. Perhaps you wake up to find your child tossing in bed, pulling him/her up on the crib bars, or crying in his/her sleep. This is completely normal. Your child is developing rapidly during this period—both physically and mentally - and might need more sleep to process all the new impressions.

Sleep schedule: 9-10 months

Below you'll find an example of a sleep schedule for 9-10 months old babies.

  • 10:00 am – 11:00 am: Naptime
  • 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Naptime
  • 7:30/8:00 pm – 7:00 am: Nighttime

During this period, it's important to maintain a couple of naps during the day, as your baby develops significantly both physically and mentally and needs more sleep. Perhaps your baby still needs to be breast- or bottle-fed during the day; this is completely normal. You can choose gradually to reduce feedings to become a part of your bedtime routine in the evenings only.

Remember you should never wake your baby from his/her sleep. Therefore, use the sleep schedule as a guide on how to organize your baby's daily routine.

Other sleep schedules

How many hours your baby needs to sleep changes as he/she grows, resulting in several adjustments in the sleep schedule for 9-10 months old babies. Below, you'll find a complete overview of how to organize your baby's sleep schedule based on the most essential stages.

Sleep challenges for 9-10 months old babies

As mentioned, this age is known as the separation phase. It can be a challenging period for your baby as well as especially mom/dad. You'll notice your baby needs extra closeness and security, and as soon as you try doing something else, he/she might start crying out of fear of losing you.

Even though it might be tough to put the baby to bed during this period, it's important to maintain good bedtime rituals. Make sure to provide your baby with extra physical contact and closeness throughout the day.

You may also experience nights where your baby suddenly starts to cry or whimper in his/her sleep. That's also completely normal—your baby has started dreaming. It’s also normal for your baby to toss and turn in bed and wake up in an awkward position in the middle of the night. This due to the increased physical activity level. Stick to the good routines, and you'll manage together.

Source:

  • https://www.netsundhedsplejerske.dk/brevkasse/index.php?option=laessvar&kat=SOVEVANER&id=16556
  • https://www.netsundhedsplejerske.dk/artikler/index.php?option=laes&type=ARTIKLER&id=644