Nap Schedule for 9 Mo?

Updated on October 29, 2010
K.B. asks from Woburn, MA
8 answers

I'm curious to see what nap schedules look like for other 9 mo's. Mamas - do your kids sleep on a set schedule or do you base it on wake-up time/sleep cues?

My son sleeps from about 7:00 pm -6:00 am. When he is home with me I watch for his sleep cues and by the third yawn, we're heading to the bedroom. He seems to be ready for his first nap about 4-4.5 hours after waking up. He usually sleeps great at home, 1.5 - 2.5 hours. I've tried to suggest a nap time to day care but they are putting him down closer to 12:00. I think he is so overtired at that point he ends up taking very short naps; 30-45 min. I have seen him get a "second wind" before and it seems like he could stay awake indefinitely but eventually he has to crash or worse... he melts down, and he's a pretty easy going baby.

Thanks for any info you can share.

K.

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J.S.

answers from Boston on

My little one could never stay awake more than 2.5-3 hrs without getting overtired, exactly as you describe. If you can't get the daycare to honor the baby's needs maybe you should try looking for another daycare situation. Those little ones NEED their sleep. My little one did not transition to one nap until well into her second year - she really needed two naps a LONG time.

Good luck.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

With babies... care providers may "usually" have a different nap schedule for babies... versus for the older kids.
So if they do or don't... then it is up to you... to talk to them about it, or choose another provider.
They do this one-time fits all 'nap' times...because, they have MANY kids to care for... and cannot practically, put a baby to nap, by their cues... as needed etc.

For me, my son at that age napped 3 times a day.
A baby... will get tired, about 2 hours or 3 hours max... after awake time.
Otherwise, they DO get way over-tired and then, being over-tired makes it harder, for a baby to sleep and may even make them "hyper" because they are over-tired.

My son, wakes at about 6:00am. When he was a baby, that age as your son... he would nap at about 9:00am at the latest. I went by his cues and simply knew when he was tired... which, sometimes even at 8:00am, he'd be ready for a nap. Then he would nap about 2 hours. Then woke up. Then, 2-3 hours later, he'd nap again and be tired and ready for one. And so forth.

I knew my son's tired cues... and then that beget me 'knowing' his nap "schedule." So yes, his naps were on a 'schedule' because that is when he'd be tired and need a nap... and would nap. Conclusively.

And yes, over-tired babies and kids... get MEGA fussy and then cannot fall asleep well. By then.

Usually, by the time you see a baby actually yawning and rubbing their eyes... they are ALREADY tired.... and could have gone to nap, prior to those signals.

all the best,
Susan

1 mom found this helpful

S.M.

answers from Kansas City on

We've never found a nap schedule that lasts more than a few days for our 1 year old grandson. I guess we are push overs. he goes down when he's so tired he will fall right out.

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R.M.

answers from Boston on

At 9 months, my daughter was taking two naps a day, each about 1.5 hours long. Now, at 16 months she is just starting to transition into one nap a day (2-3 hours). However, she is transitioning slowly and I think it will be another month before she is fully on a one nap a day routine. She also sleeps from 8 PM to 7 AM every day. If your son sleeps in the morning before lunch and that is his natural clock, you should insist that the daycare put him down at that time - I agree, it really makes a difference in personality if they get enough sleep!

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E.D.

answers from Boston on

I put my 1 year old to nap at 9 and 1 give or take and it works really well and plan to go towards 1 nap at 15 months. I"d work towards the same thing at home and daycare, if possible. Good luck

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M.C.

answers from Boston on

At 9 months my daughter would wake up around 6:30 then go back between 8:30-9:00 and sleep until about 11:00. She would then go back down for nap #2 around 2:30 and sleep til 4. These times varied but if we were home and just hanging out this was the typical schedule. Having worked in a daycare setting most of my life (and with infants) typically they go on what your schedule is at home and should be willing to work with you to make it work for the consistency of the child. Good luck!

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L.W.

answers from Cincinnati on

When my baby was 10 months old we switched daycares and they put her on 1 nap per day. The put her to bed right after lunch...close to noon...she would sleep for almost 3 hours....however at home (to this day) I am LUCKY to get 40 mins out of her...so the daycare and the home schedule are different...both work for me because she still goes to bed well.
For what its worth, my baby sleeps from 730 to 730 each night and will do a 40 min to 3 hours. I think as long as your baby is getting the TIME amt of sleep which I THINK Is about 12-15 hours per day you should be ok. Go with your guy, you know best

J.B.

answers from Houston on

My mom always said that the baby will put let you know their schedule, you will get on it and everyone will be very happy! :D What I do is sort of a combination of observation and the scheduling. Mine wakes at 7am and is tired by about 10am for his first nap. He naps from like 10-11:30 or so. Then he gets tired around 2ish, and he naps from like 2-4 or 4:30. Then he goes to bed at around 7:30-8. He is crazy active when awake, he has a three year old brother!! So I guess that is why he loves his sleep:) So I just put him down around the times I have observed he is tired. I try not to have things planned at nap times, unless a long car ride during these times will happen bc he is a baby that loves his naps:) I think for 9 months 2 naps a day is very normal, they are learning so much!

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