If you are reading this you have probably mastered the gymnastics of breastfeeding an active nine month old baby and have grown accustomed to cleaning the kitchen floor three times a day.
By nine months, most babies are happy to explore solid foods in small amounts. Your milk supply will adapt to this process by decreasing in quantity but increasing the concentration of antibodies in the milk. Pretty amazing ha?
On another note you may have grown tired of listening to babies who sleep through the night and maybe wondering what’s wrong with your little one. There are hundreds of books, videos, websites and experts that promise to solve your baby’s sleep problems.
In a nutshell, most probably, your baby doesn’t have a sleep problem, you do. At night, babies “expect” to stay close to their mothers, waking up to nurse as often as 3 – 4 times. And that’s actually good for them. So, hang on tight and know that this too shall pass.
Here’s few things to keep in mind, during this phase:
- Nursing to sleep is still normal at this age.
- By a year, about half of babies still need a parent’s soothing at least once a night on most nights. h
- Most researchers define “sleeping through the night” as sleeping from midnight to 5 am.
How to sleep better while breastfeeding a nine month old:
1. Keep your baby close to you
One way to manage frequent night nursing and wakings is to have a “sidecar” that fastens to your bed. This simple solution provides a separate bassinet-sized surface for the baby and you can move your baby back and forth without even sitting up.
2. Get your baby sleepy and weary with some good exercise
Your best and probably the safest bet on having a little more sleep is to get your little one as active as possible throughout the day. So, get rid of the bouncy chairs and prefer toys that get them moving.
And one thing you will not need, contrary to all the advice!
An expensive sleep trainer!
