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How Much Sleep Does a 9-Month-Old Need?

  1. Recommended

    Infant, 4–11 months

    12–15 hoursin 24 hours

    Includes daytime naps.

  2. May be appropriate

    10–11 or 16–18 hoursin 24 hours

    Outside thisnot recommended

A 9-month-old generally needs 12–15 hours of sleep in 24 hours, including naps, according to the National Sleep Foundation’s recommendations for the infant group (4–11 months). 10–11 or 16–18 hours may be appropriate for some.

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Recommended sleep

    What 12–15 hours means for a 9-month-old

    At 9 months, a baby is in the National Sleep Foundation’s infant group (4–11 months), which recommends 12 to 15 hours of sleep in 24 hours, including naps. Most of that now comes at night, with daytime sleep usually settling into two naps.

    The NSF lists 10–11 or 16–18 hours as “may be appropriate” for some babies. The highlighted row below applies to a 9-month-old.

    National Sleep Foundation, hours in 24 hours
    Age groupAgesRecommendedMay be appropriate
    Newborn0–3 months14–17 h11–13 or 18–19 h
    Infant4–11 months12–15 h10–11 or 16–18 h
    Toddler1–2 years11–14 h9–10 or 15–16 h
    Preschooler3–5 years10–13 h8–9 or 14 h
    School-age child6–13 years9–11 h7–8 or 12 h
    Teenager14–17 years8–10 h7 or 11 h
    Young adult18–25 years7–9 h6 or 10–11 h
    Adult26–64 years7–9 h6 or 10 h
    Older adult65+ years7–8 h5–6 or 9 h

    Asleep-by times for common wake-up times

    Counting back from your baby’s usual wake-up time, the table shows when they need to be asleep for 12, 11 or 10 hours overnight. Naps come on top of this.

    Asleep-by times for common wake-up times
    Wake up12 h sleep11 h sleep10 h sleep
    6:00 AM06:006:00 PM18:007:00 PM19:008:00 PM20:00
    6:30 AM06:306:30 PM18:307:30 PM19:308:30 PM20:30
    7:00 AM07:007:00 PM19:008:00 PM20:009:00 PM21:00

    For a 7:00 AM wake-up, being asleep by 8:00 PM (20:00) gives 11 hours overnight.

    Two naps a day

    Most 9-month-olds take 2 naps a day, one in the morning and one after lunch, often adding up to 2 to 3 hours. If the afternoon nap runs late, bedtime can become a struggle, so it can help to wake your baby by mid to late afternoon.

    Why sleep can get bumpy at 9 months

    New skills such as crawling, pulling up and standing, along with separation anxiety, can unsettle sleep around this age. A familiar routine, a calm and brief response at night, and consistent timing usually help things settle again within a few weeks.

    A bedtime routine that works at 9 months

    A short, predictable routine of 20 to 30 minutes helps your baby wind down and signals that sleep is coming. A common order is:

    • a bath or wash, then pyjamas and a clean nappy (diaper);
    • a last milk feed, ideally before teeth are brushed;
    • a short book or song in a dim room;
    • into the cot drowsy but awake, with a consistent goodnight phrase.

    Doing the same steps in the same order every night matters more than which steps you choose. Try to keep the routine similar when someone else puts your baby to bed, or when you are away from home.

    Separation anxiety often peaks around this age. A favourite blanket or toy can be introduced after 12 months, when the American Academy of Pediatrics says soft objects are safer in the cot.

    More answers

    Frequently asked questions

    What time should a 9-month-old go to bed?

    It depends on wake-up time. For a 6:30 AM (06:30) wake-up, being asleep between 6:30 PM (18:30) and 8:30 PM (20:30) gives 10–12 hours overnight. Many families aim for around 7:00–7:30 PM.

    Is it normal for a 9-month-old to start waking again at night?

    Yes. New physical skills and separation anxiety often cause a temporary increase in night waking at around this age. It usually settles with a consistent routine.

    How long should a 9-month-old nap?

    Most take 2 naps a day, often totalling 2 to 3 hours. Every baby differs, so look at the full 24-hour total and how your baby seems during the day.

    • Sleep needs by age

      See the recommended hours of sleep for any age, from newborns to older adults.

    • Bedtime calculator

      Enter any wake-up time to see bedtimes that let you wake between sleep cycles.

    • Nap calculator

      Plan a 10-, 20- or 90-minute nap and see when to set your alarm.

    • Sleep debt calculator

      Add up the last seven nights and see how far you are from your sleep target.

    Sources

    1. Hirshkowitz M, et al. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health, 2015;1(1):40–43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010.
    2. Paruthi S, et al. Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations: A Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2016;12(6):785–786. doi:10.5664/jcsm.5866.
    3. Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I; Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment. Pediatrics, 2022;150(1):e2022057990. doi:10.1542/peds.2022-057990.

    When to seek help

    Contact your baby’s doctor or health visitor if they:

    • are unusually hard to wake, or too sleepy to feed well;
    • have pauses in their breathing, breathe noisily, or seem to struggle to breathe while asleep;
    • are feeding much less than usual or have fewer wet nappies (diapers);
    • seem unwell, floppy or unusually irritable. If you are worried, get help straight away.