9 Month Sleep Regression: Understanding the Causes and Symptoms

Your child starts fussing and crying instead of sleeping? This is called Sleep Regression. This might be challenging for your child and sometimes imbalance the sleep cycle. If you want to avoid this situation, know about its causes.

The bedtime routine of your baby has been working effectively. But, suddenly, your little ones start fussing and crying instead of getting the needed sleep. Do not worry. This is the phase of 9-month sleep regression, which can be challenging for every growing child but is entirely normal. This stage can be exhausting and frustrating as your baby faces troubles while falling asleep, taking short naps, and waking up late at night. If you are struggling with your baby's sleep, you will be looking for the best solution. Here, we will help you with this guide to understand this sleep regression phenomenon, its associated causes and signs, and how to cope with it.

What Is 9-Month Sleep Regression?

The 9-month sleep regression is a phase that is characterized by disrupted sleep routines. Though nine-month-old baby sleep regression can occur between 8-10 months, it usually happens when your little ones are around 9 months old. Here, the word "regression" means returning to an earlier state. Your growing child may show some sleeping habits similar to newborns, like frequent wake-ups and struggling to sleep back. This can be an overwhelming and unexpected experience for you, especially when your little ones have been sleeping adequately throughout the night. This sleep regression can be complex, but it is a normal phase that indicates your growing baby's significant growth and development.

Also Read: Sleep Schedule for Your Newborn: Tips for Restful Nights

What Are The Causes Of 9 Month Sleep Regression?

Having a clear idea of the sleep regression 9 months potential causes can give insights into this growing and developing period. This can empower you to deal with it with patience. The below section lists the reasons for sleep regression:

1. Physical And Mental Development

Babies in this age group go through fast physical and mental development, such as sitting, crawling, babbling, showing emotions, and even standing. Instead of sleeping quietly, you may find your little ones standing or crawling inside their cradles. Sometimes, these physical development practices occur at nighttime, impacting the sleep pattern and the brain, causing trouble sleeping. When your babies are experiencing this phase, help them learn new skills in the daytime. Like sitting, lying down, and standing back. Performing these activities during the day will tire them out. This, in turn, will make the little ones spend less time waking in the crib during the night.

2. Separation Anxiety

At 9 months, babies understand that they and their parents are separate individuals. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, kids are so used to their parents that they feel anxious even when they are not around. This results in separation anxiety, which occurs naturally at nighttime when little ones find it hard to sleep alone in their cradles. Moreover, when babies stay with their parents and suddenly look after their caregivers, it is normal to go through a separation anxiety period. Parting away from parents is very common in this age group and is a healthy part of children's development. It helps the growing ones to understand the outside world.

Also Read: Wake Windows for 3-Month-Old: Tips for Healthy Sleep Habits

3. Teething

Teething can be annoying and easy to neglect throughout the day. But, it can be unpleasant during bedtime. Around 9 months, different teeth start coming in little ones. This stage can be uncomfortable and sometimes painful for babies because gums get irritated. It can lead to substantial internal discomfort and may co-occur with the 9-month sleep regression. This distress or pain due to teething can be bothersome and make falling asleep challenging for the babies at nighttime. Here, white noise can come as a rescue, which can help divert the minds of the growing ones from that discomfort and ease their sleep.

4. Hunger

Can a dry or empty stomach be the reason for 9-month sleep regression? Yes, it can be. At this age, your baby starts getting busy eating new solid foods. But it is essential to know that as you make them eat food, you must also ensure you are breastfeeding them properly. Otherwise, they will turn out to be more fussy. According to a study, breastmilk and infant formula still help meet the proper nutrition for the babies of this age group. Therefore, ensuring your little ones are not missing breast milk during the daytime is crucial. If they have difficulty skipping the feeding, they will get hungry, making sleep more difficult all night.

Also Read: The Science Behind Healthy Baby Sleep: Understanding Sleep Cycles and Patterns

5. Temperament

The temperament of the baby or natural inclination can cause frequent wake-ups. Some little ones can have a sensitive temperament that can make them more sensitive to some factors. Those include external disturbances such as loud sounds from TV or continuous barking of street dogs and internal nuisances such as teething pain. Moreover, some growing kids are social and prefer their parents' company more often, so they stay awake the whole night thinking it's time to play. All these disturbing factors can significantly contribute to sleep disturbance and stop the growing ones from sleeping peacefully.

6. Constipation

Around the age of 9 months, you start introducing your growing babies to different types of solid foods. Some foods can be digestible, while few can be challenging to digest. When your little ones can not properly digest the consumed food, it can irritate their gut health. This can lead to digestive health issues such as frequent gas or constipation problems. Consistent constipation or gas-like feelings can upset the tiny tummy of your babies. This can make them a little grumpy or annoyed, which will affect their sleep, making it harder to take a good nap at nighttime.

Also Read: When Can Babies Sleep On Their Stomach

What Are 9-Month Sleep Regression Signs?

The signs of this sleep regression phenomenon may vary based on a baby's sleep pattern. Recognizing the possible signs can guide you to take the proper steps to alleviate the impact on your little ones' sleep. The following are the common signs:

• Sudden and frequent wakes up at night.

• Trouble falling asleep back.

• Naps become shorter or irregular.

• Increased crankiness or fussiness during the daytime.

• Overexhaustion, yet sleep resistance.

• Excessive crying.

• Noticeable appetite changes.

• Get up early in the morning or from naps.

• Ask for more feeding at nighttime.

• Physical advancements such as standing in the crib or crawling.

• Increased desire for comfortable practices like pacifiers for breastfeeding.

How Long Does the 9-Month Sleep Regression Last?

This phase of sleep regression might seem permanent, particularly when your child is in the middle of it. But, do not worry. The pediatricians at Children’s Hospital of Orange County, in California, report that it basically lasts for 2 to 6 weeks. If it is not effectively managed, it can stretch to a few months. With this, other discomforts may also occur which might occur due to a change in sleep routine. However, if your child's sleep regression issue does not go away within 6 weeks, see a doctor as soon as possible. The doctors can help diagnose and manage the underlying health issues. 

How Many Naps for a 9-Month-Old?

Typically, a 9-month-old child needs 2 naps each day. The sleep duration during the day should be around 2.5 to 3.5 hours. You should look for certain signs that your child is dropping the third nap when they reach the age of nine months. Those signs are shorter naps, sleeping 7-10 hours each night, waking more often during the night, refusing to take a third nap, and waking up earlier. However, if your little ones are still going for 3 naps per day, no need to worry. When they are ready, they will smoothly shift to 2 naps. 

What Time Should a 9 Month Old Go to Bed?

The best time to go to bed for your 9 month old babies is between 7:00-8:00 pm. Do not change their sleep schedule if they sleep after 8:00 pm but are doing very well. However, if they fight to sleep at night or wake up often at night, the best idea is to make them sleep between 7:00-8:00 pm. Moreover, you can still change the bedtime, shifting it earlier for a few weeks to check whether it helps.

You must shift the bedtime of your child if:

• Your 9-month-old baby goes for short naps or if their naps are disturbed.

• Their last nap during the day was very short or if they refuse it.

• Your little one gets time to wake up for 3 hours but they won’t sleep till 7:00 pm.

• They woke up from sleep before 6:00 am

How To Deal With The 9-Month Sleep Regression?

The phase of the 9-month sleep regression can make you feel exhausted, sleep-deprived, and depleted of energy. Looking for a solution? The following are the best ways to deal with this tiring time:

1. Plan Proper Wake Windows

In a nutshell, a wake window is the duration between the end of one sleep and the beginning of the new one. It tells how long the babies can stay awake without getting tired. So, as a parent, it is your responsibility to schedule suitable 9-month-old wake windows, as this can help readjust the sleeping behavior of your little ones. According to the 9th-month sleep regression, the wake window of your little ones should be about 2.5-3.5 hours during the daytime. If babies stay awake longer than this timeframe, reset their schedule to meet the given wake window. It will help the baby sleep well and wake up with no signs of crankiness and fussiness.

2. Review The Diet

You have to review your baby's diet and ensure they are getting enough breast milk. Sometimes, dropping the solid food can make them hungry, so they might need more milk to quench their hunger. Growing kids should consume about 1000 to 1400 calories daily, and around 400 to 500 calories are received through the milk. If you want to include milk in the diet plan of your little ones, the ideal option is dream feeding, which should be done between 10 p.m. and 12 a.m. Dream feeding is bottle-feeding the little ones at night without waking them. This helps fill their stomach so that they can enjoy a sound sleep. Also, prepare a list of food that your baby eats each day so that you can easily find the culprits causing constipation or gas.

3. Address Teething Discomfort

As we have explained above in this article, teething can make gums sore, which causes discomfort or pain and disturbs your baby's sleep at night. You can consider the following things to ease the teething pain:

• Provide a rubber teether toy or teething ring to your baby.

• Massage the gums of your baby.

• Comfort or cuddle them.

• Make an old-school teether by yourself using a wet, frozen washcloth.

• Give acetaminophen medication only after consulting a doctor.

• If pain persists, seek help from a licensed pediatrician.

4. Prepare The Room

A room environment also impacts your baby's sleep. So, if your little one is facing sleep challenges, turn on the white noise at low volume. White noise is a tremendous sleepy-time cue that works wonders as it easily distracts the baby's mind. This magical broadband sound blocks external disturbances such as barking dogs and the car's engine. Also, it helps ignore inside turmoil like sore gums, facilitating sleep. Please turn it on before your kids go to bed and leave it playing until they sleep. Besides this, you must ensure the baby's room is dark. Even a little light coming under the door or through the window can wake your little ones. The comfortable temperature for the sound sleep is between 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Adjust Sleep Schedule

Waking up during the night can be due to the wrong sleep schedule, either making the babies sleep too early or late. Wondering, “How much sleep do 9-month-olds need?” The sleep schedule basically involves 14 hours of proper sleep, 11 to 12 hours at night, and 2 to 3 hours during the daytime between 2 naps. If your little ones struggle sleeping for 30-60 minutes, face trouble waking the next day, and are cranky throughout the day, you must shift their bedtime sleep routine earlier. Try to move the routine 15 minutes earlier each night. On the other hand, if your kids wake up at midnight or very early in the morning, shift the bedtime later for some nights till you don't find the perfect bedtime.

Also Read: Newborn Week: Top 7 Newborn Care Tips

Summing Up

9-month sleep regression can be challenging for your growing little one and you. The regression causes are several, including developmental milestones, teething, separation anxiety, hunger, fewer naps, and constipation. For some weeks, your child will be cranky, frustrated, and exhausted and so you will be. But remember that this phase is not permanent. Following the tips above, you can cope with this 9-month-old sleep regression. Your baby will reach new physical and mental milestones when it passes. So, have patience, take a deep breath, and be consistent.

Also Read: The 3-Month Sleep Regression: What It Is & How to Handle It