Baby Sleep Basics:6-9 months

6-9 months

• Typical sleep at this age. By age 6 months, most babies sleep a total of 11 1/2 to 15 hours a day (between nighttime sleep and naps) and are capable of sleeping for long stretches at a time. Between the ages of 6-9 months, many babies consolidate their daytime sleep into two naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Don't be concerned,though, if your baby continues to take three naps a day. Keeping consistent times for bedtime and naps will help regulate your baby's sleep patterns.
• Ready for sleep training. If your baby hasn't yet settled into a sleep pattern that fits your family life, now might be a good time to try some type of sleep training. Sleep training methods can help your baby go to sleep more easily, sleep for longer periods at night, and keep more regular hours.
• Sleeping through the night. If your baby now sleeps for nine or ten hours at night, it means your baby has figured out how to settle back to sleep--a sign that you are raising a good sleeper. If your baby isn't yet sleeping at least five or six hours straight, you are not alone. Many babies still wake up at night for feedings in the 6-9 month stage---though most are ready for night weaning, if that is what you choose. But babies this age don't necessarily wake up because they are hungry. We all wake up several times every night for brief periods of time. And as adults, we put ourselves back to sleep each time--so quickly we don;t even remember it in the morning. If your baby hasn't mastered this skill, he or she will wake up and cry during the night even if your baby isn't hungry.
• Waking up again. Babies who were great sleepers may suddenly start waking up at night or have difficulty falling asleep between 6  and 12 months of age. Why? Sleep disturbances often go hand-in-hand with reaching major milestones in cognitive and motor development and separation anxiety. At 6 to 9 months, your baby may be learning to sit up,crawl, or possibly even cruise or walk--quite a list of achievements! Not surprisingly, he or she may not want to stop practicing their new skills at bedtime and may get so excited that he or she will wake up to try sitting up just one more time.Separation anxiety could also be the cause of your baby's wake-up calls. Waking up and finding you not there may cause some distress. But your baby will probably calm down as soon as you enter the room and greet him or her.
• Develop and follow a bedtime routine.  If you haven't already established some sort of bedtime ritual,start now. A bedtime routine should help your child wind down and get ready for sleep, and at this stage your child will really begin to participate. Whether your routine includes giving your baby a bath, playing the quiet game, getting your child ready for bed, reading a bedtime story or two, or singing a lullaby, make sure you do it in the same order and at the same time every night. Babies like having routines and schedules they can count on.
• Keep your child on a consistent schedule. You will both benefit from having a daily schedule that includes set times for bed and naps. That doesn't mean your baby has to eat lunch at exactly 12:15 every day, but it does mean you should try to stick to a fairly predictable schedule. If your baby naps,eats,plays,and gets ready for bed at about the same time every day , he or she will be much more likely to fall asleep easily.
• Encourage your child to fall asleep on his or her own. To nap well and sleep through the night at this age , your baby has to learn to fall asleep on his or her own. Try putting your baby down before he or she nods off,so they can practice. If your baby cries, the next move is up to you. Do wait at least a few minutes to see if your baby is really upset or just fussing a little before settling down.
• Try putting your baby to bed earlier. If your baby is used to going to sleep after 8:30 p.m. and suddenly begins to wake up during the night, try making his or her bedtime a half-hour earlier. Surprisingly, you may find your baby is more likely to sleep through the night.
• Practice being "unstuck." Children who are learning to sit or stand up may practice their new skills at night in their crib and get stuck in a upright position once they are sitting or standing up. If this is happening to your baby, you will need to teach him or her how to lie back down. Take a week or two to help your baby practice getting "unstuck,"not necessarily in his or her crib but wherever you are spending time together. Make it a game--sit your baby up and lay him or her back down. Do the same with standing, helping your baby sit down at first and then encourage your baby to do it on his or her own.