Hello fellow sleep-deprived parents on this beautiful, yet exhausting journey of parenthood! As a mom of a two “former” 9 month old babies and an expert on sleep, I have the tips you need to help successfully sleep train your 9 month old baby. 9 months is actually a special age to me, since it was the exact age when we decided that it was the right choice for our family to sleep train our daughter. I had been spending endless days and nights trying to sooth an extremely fussy (and former colicky) baby to sleep, and all I could wish for was a solids night rest for both her and I. Cue the excessive google searches for answers! My friend recommended a sleep consultant (all honesty, I did not know what that was), and the rest is truly history (look at me now!). So, fear not, as a seasoned mom and certified sleep consultant, I am here to share my insights and tips on navigating sleep training with your 9 month old.
By now, you know the importance of sleep for your baby, but may not know how to make that happen. That’s ok, you are not alone. As a review though, it is important to remember that sleep plays a key factor in the growth and development of you baby. It is also a necessity for you as the parent or caregiver, and as you know it can be hard to be the best version of yourself when you are tired.
Your 9 Month Old Baby’s Sleep Needs
9 month old baby’s should be getting between 12 and 16 hours of sleep in a 24 hour time period, so that includes their daytime naps as well. They should be getting approximately 3 hours of daytime sleep, and should be taking 2 naps per day. Bedtime should be between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm. Early bedtimes, even during the summer months, are so important so that your baby is not overtired and so you can have a little “me time” at the end of the day. Self care is important! You may have heard about Awake Windows, this is the amount of time in between your little ones naps and bedtime. For a 9 month old, they average a 3 hour awake window throughout the day. Following awake windows can be a super helpful tool in making sure that your little one is being put down for their nap and bedtime before they become overtired. Worrying about the summer months? Keep your little one on the same consistent schedule each day, it will help keep their body clock consistent, resulting in better sleep!
Sleep Routines and Environment
Make sure that your baby’s room is set up for sleep success. Keep the room dark, and comfortable and cool. Make sure that the crib is free of any objects, per safe sleep guidelines, and that the room is free from distractions such as crib mobiles or projector lighting. Consider using a sound machine to drown out environmental noise.
Following a naptime and bedtime routine can be one of the most useful tools that you can use to help your baby prepare for sleep. Keep the routine consistent every nap and every bedtime to help cue their body and their brain that bedtime is coming. The naptime routine should be shorter than the bedtime routine.
Sleep Training Options
If your baby is struggling to fall asleep and/or stay asleep you have probably starting to look up sleep training and what your options are. There are a few strategies that you may have heard of that are used: Pick Up/Put Down, Ferber (Cry It Out), or even the Chair Method. Not every method will be right for your child, but what I can tell you is that the method does not need to be Cry It Out. There are other strategies that are more supportive for your baby.
Let’s say that you want to use the chair method. You would put a chair by the crib for three nights and offer your child gentle touch and say a phrase that helps to soothe them. Then you slowly move your chair out of the room over the course of time, allowing you child to learn those independent sleep skills. My biggest recommendation is CONSISTENCY! The more consistent that you are with whichever method you choose, the more success that you will have.
What other sleep training support options are there:
- Sleep Training Books
- Sleep Training Apps
- Sleep Consultant / Coach
- Sleep Training Program.
Celebrating Success
Recognizing your baby’s progress, success and milestones are so important. Giving them lots of praise in the morning and after naps can go a long way! Also, make sure that your little one sees sunlight first thing in the morning once they are up and dressed. You little one should be getting up at the same time each day to help set their routine.
To all of those exhausted parents out there questioning if sleep training is the right path for you and your baby, know that you are not alone in this challenging yet rewarding journey. And also know that it is not for everyone, and that is okay. Through my own personal experiences as a mom of two and through my professional experience, I have had the amazing opportunity to see the amazing transformative power that sleep training can have. Setting up healthy sleep habits for both babies and parents is an amazing gift. If you decide that sleep training is the right choice for your family, embrace it with positivity and consistency, and trust in the process…sleep is possible! I hope that these tips help to make sleep training your 9 month old successful!
As a sleep consultant dedicated to helping families navigate the challenged of sleep and sleep training, I encourage you to book a complimentary discovery call with me, to learn more about how I can create a custom sleep plan for your baby and provide support every step of the way. By taking proactive steps to learn more and seek support, you will find out very quickly that you are not alone in this journey.