Daily Schedule and Routine with a 9 Month Old Baby
Babies’ daily routines and schedules are changing all. the. time.
Well, it sure feels like it anyway.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you buy from my link I might make a small commission. This does not affect the price you pay. See the full affiliate disclosure here.
As soon as you have a good routine going, things change. Recently, D’s sleep schedule changed pretty drastically.
His routine had been pretty consistent prior to 6 months but it was somewhere between then and 7 months things started to change.
(This post contains affiliate links, meaning I make a small commission from any links you click and buy from. I only recommend products I love and appreciate your support! Find the full disclosure policy here.)
RELATED: Daily Routine and Schedule with Baby at 7 months
The main thing was that he went down to two naps. The transition was not an easy one for him, and therefore not for us either.
Now, he has been down to two naps for a while.
About a week ago, when he turned 9 months old, he started waking up a bit through the night again, as well as waking up earlier and not going back to sleep.
I knew something needed to change again.
Our son is one of those babies that really thrives on a super consistent schedule and routine. I think a lot of babies do well with consistency, but D just doesn’t give me much flexibility.
Believe me, I’ve tried to be flexible with him. It was always important to me to have a routine, but I also knew the importance of flexibility so as not to go crazy.
But whenever I have tried, things generally have not gone well. He is getting better though.
The nice thing about the change in his schedule now is it does actually allow for a bit more flexibility.
Honestly, I’ve enjoyed how predictable he is. Because his routine has been pretty strict, I easily know when something needs to change.
Which is how I knew when he turned 9 months things needed to change again.
Babies are always changing. It’s GREAT.
UPDATE: We are now down to one nap! You can read all about how we made that transition here and his new schedule here!
The two main things that have changed recently are his first nap and his awake times between naps. I’ve had to stretch those awake times slightly, as well as cut off his first nap.
Now during his morning nap, he generally only naps for about 40 minutes, while his afternoon nap I let him sleep for as long as he needs, cutting him off at 3, 3:30 latest so bedtime doesn’t go past 7:30, 8.
Usually for his second nap he’ll sleep for about an hour and a half.
For eating, I still offer milk feedings between 4 and 6 times a day (about every 3 hours), but he’s been decreasing those feedings lately. He doesn’t nurse through the night. He eats three solid meals a day, sometimes with a little snack as well.
CURRENT TOYS
He loves stacking toys like this one and his gotten really good at putting them together, smaller ones in big ones. He’s learning fast about sizes!
He also loves to knock things down and build towers so he’s still really into these rubber blocks as well as these wooden blocks. He loves the wheel platform that they come on too!
He’s started pulling himself up on things and using them to walk around, so he loves his walker toy. D loves to use it to get places now.
He’s still really into his Jumperoo which we got for him when he was about 4 months old. I put him in it when he needs a minute to just chill, because this guy is go go go and doesn’t know how to take a breather! I can put him in here, he can jump if he wants or just stand and play.
He is also obsessed with this plush tool kit. My husband got it for him a few months ago and he has really attached with the screwdriver in it, of all things. It’s his lovey for naps and bedtime now!
CURRENT FEEDING ITEMS
For feeding we use this highchair. I love it because the tray is so easy to clean, and it’s a 3-in-1, so it grows with him!
We started using these Ezpz rubber place mat plates for him. It’s easier for him to use the sides to scoop things up with his hands than just picking food up off the tray. We started doing Baby Led Weaning with him when he was 6 months old, so he feeds himself.
I also use these baby utensils to feed him things like yogurt and oatmeal. I load the spoons for him, and he guides them to his mouth himself!
He is obsessed with this sippy cup. I don’t know why, but he loves it so much. It’s easy for him to grab and to sip, and I think it’s a great transition cup.
And now, the reason you’re here!
This is what our days look like now.
DAILY SCHEDULE
6:30am Wake up and breastfeed, then play time
7:30am Solids for Breakfast
9:30am Breastfeed and nap
10:15am Wake up and play
11:30am Breastfeed
12:30pm Solids for Lunch
1:30pm Breastfeed and nap
3:00pm Wake up and play
4:00pm Breastfeed
5:30pm Solids for Dinner
6:30pm Bath
7:00pm Bedtime routine, breastfeed, and bed
Looking for cute daily routine pages to keep yourself organized? Here are some gorgeous Daily Planner pages for every day of the week!
This is a typical day, give or take half an hour. He has been very consistent with things lately which has been very helpful for me!
Like I said, I’ve had to cut off his first nap so his second nap stays the long one, and so he doesn’t wake up before 6:00am. If he does wake up before then, he uses his first nap to make up for it and the cycle continues, so cutting it off helps.
Also, it will be easier when he goes down to one nap to move that long second one up and continue shortening the first one than the other way around.
The fact that I’m slowly losing that first nap is kind of sad because it’s the one I usually use to workout, get ready for the day and enjoy a decent breakfast. Unfortunately, I think I’m going to have to start waking up before him (HA).
That’s D at 9 months! It’s crazy how much he is becoming like a little toddler. He’s using things to help him walk, and he’s talking like crazy.
My husband and I were just looking at pictures of him when he was a newborn and it’s crazy that this tiny little nursing and pooping machine is turning into a little boy!
They really do grow up so fast!
