Dream Baby Sleep® Founder Carolynne Harvey answers frequently asked questions about 4-9 month olds. Read below.
It is important to know how much sleep a 4 – 9 month old baby needs. Often times, parents think that their babies will tell them what sleep is appropriate for them. Many parents take the approach that their 4 – 9 month old will simply sleep when they need to. After all, babies sleep a lot to begin with. While babies do need a generous amount of sleep, it is important that the sleep they get is restorative sleep, and that means ensuring that they are on a sleep schedule.
How 4 – 9 Month Old Babies Sleep During This Period
- Babies 4 to 9 months old sleep about 14-15 total hours in a 24 hour period
- They should be on 3 naps per day at roughly 9am, noon, and 3 pm
- They drop nap 3 which is always a cat nap simply designed to bridge the gap between day and night between 7 months and 9 months old
- When babies are put to bed drowsy but not asleep, they are more likely to become “self- soothers,” which enables them to fall asleep independently at bedtime and put themselves back to sleep during the night.
The #1 Sleep Issue or Pain Point for This Age Group
Focusing on age-appropriate bedtime and teaching baby how to fall asleep drowsy but awake is a priority at this age. This is important because if they fall asleep being held, rocked or fed, they will likely become startled when they naturally stir in the night and are no longer being held by you. Babies at this age should be learning how to soothe themselves to sleep so that if they stir in the night, they are able to fall back to sleep without needing the external stimulus of a parent holding or rocking them. This contributes to a successful, ongoing sleep schedule.
- Our bedtime routines often include sleep crutches like rocking, holding, bouncing or feeding to sleep
- Your baby may have a feed to sleep association that has become a habit
- Bedtime being too late can trigger multiple night waking and early rising
Excellent Guiding Tips for Parents of 4 – 9 Month Old Babies
There are actionable steps you can take right now to begin setting a healthy sleep foundation for your baby.
- Use blackout curtains because the light sends a signal to the brain that it’s time to wake up
- Use continuous white noise for all sleep
- To minimize multiple night waking be sure to start with an age-appropriate bedtime. Timing is key to prevent an overtired state.
Download our free bedtime by age chart.
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