Schedules for babies from 9 to 10 months

Written for BabyCenter in Spanish

Approved by the BabyCenter Board of Medical Advisors

Example 1: Mom at home breastfeeding her 9-month-old baby

Example 2: Mom at home feeding her 9-month-old baby formula

Example 3: Working mom feeding her 9-month-old baby breast milk and formula

Example 4: Mom at home breastfeeding her 10-month-old baby and having a toddler

Example 5: Working Mom Feeding Her 10-Month-Old Baby Formula

Example 6: Mom at home feeding her 10-month-old baby formula

Example 7: Working mom breastfeeding her 10-month-old baby

Reviewed by Dr. Alberto Gedissman

Setting a schedule for your baby is a very personal decision. Once you learn to recognize and decipher the
signals your baby gives you, it will be easier to establish a regular routine for eating, sleeping, and playing. This
should not only meet the needs of your baby but also those of your other children, those of other family
members and your own.

You may find it very helpful to read examples of schedules from other babies the same age as yours. We asked
our readers to explain to us what their babies' schedules were like, so we could share them with you. This way
you can see what has worked for them. Below you can read several of the examples they sent us.

Before setting a schedule for your baby, keep in mind that most 9- to 10-month-old babies need the following:

• Solid foods three times a day plus about 24 (710 ml) to 32 (946 ml) ounces of breast milk or formula in a 24-
hour period.

Now it is very likely that your little one is eating several types of foods and may also be eating alone and
drinking his liquids from a sippy cup.

• At this age, babies need about 14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period (including naps and nighttime sleep).
Typically, 9- and 10-month-old babies take two naps (morning and afternoon).

• In addition, your baby will need time to play, interact with you and do activities that allow him to develop
new skills.

Example 1: Mom at home breastfeeding her 9-month-old baby

My baby follows a routine, especially during the day. On Sundays we don't follow our schedule because we go
to church and visit my parents (we stay with them all day). This is our weekday schedule:

Between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.: Baby wakes up and snuggles with mom and dad. I breastfeed him, we get up
and get dressed. Play for a while and then eat O-shaped dry cereal. His dad plays with him before going to
work. Sometimes I stay asleep until my husband goes to work (it depends on what I have to do at home and
my husband's schedule).

Around 8:00 am: Fruit-based baby food (he doesn't want baby food much lately, he almost never finishes a
jar), yogurt, fresh fruit in pieces and more O-shaped dry cereal. My baby now eats alone.

Play for a while. He has a lot of fun playing on the floor with his toys. He also likes to walk around the house
holding onto my fingers. Sometimes I put him in his bouncer (a spring seat that hangs from the door frame) or
we read.
Around 9:30 am: I breastfeed him and he falls asleep. He usually sleeps for an hour (sometimes two).
Sometimes when he wakes up, we go to run errands or go to the public library. Once a week we go to a
playgroup, with moms and babies their age. When we go out he drinks water in his sippy cup. I try to always
have a small glass of water in the play area of the house.

12:00 pm: Meal time: a jar of fruit or vegetable baby food (corn kernels, cooked green beans, or pieces of
carrot or other vegetables). I also give him little pieces of something I eat, like cheese, bread or pasta. I start
giving him more food that he can hold with his little fingers, because I think he loves that!

1:30 pm: I breastfeed him and he takes a nap (one to two hours). If I'm very tired, I sleep with him. And if he
wakes up too soon (if, for example, he sleeps for an hour instead of two), I breastfeed him again and he goes
back to sleep for another little while.

3:00 pm: We play inside the house or go for a walk.

Around 4:00 pm: I breastfeed him.

6:00 pm: Dinner: a jar of meat baby food (this type of food is more likely to be finished, although it doesn't
always happen), pieces of vegetables, cheese, rice, dry O-shaped cereal, chicken or whatever else we're having
for dinner.

We bathe him three times a week: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I sing to him and give him a massage
before putting his pajamas on him.

From 7:00 to 8:00 pm: Bedtime. His crib is attached to our bed (it has an open side). We snuggle and I
breastfeed him until he falls asleep. He still wakes up a couple of times a night to nurse.

Example 2: Mom at home feeding her 9-month-old baby formula

6:00 am: Takes his first bottle and goes back to sleep.

From 8:30 to 9:00 am: Wake up. I pick him up, change him and he plays in his playpen while I prepare his food.
I give him pieces of fruit or yogurt and from time to time, I give him cereal. We play awhile.

From 10:00 to 11:30 am: Take a nap for an hour and a half.

12:00 pm: I give him chopped fruit. He prefers to eat alone.

3:00 pm: He takes his bottle and goes back to sleep for another two-hour nap.

5:00 or 6:00 pm: He wakes up very hungry, so I feed him a snack and his bottle and let him play.

7:00 pm: I bathe him.

8:00 pm: He asks for his “tete” (that's what he calls the bottle) and when he finishes it, we put him in his bed
and go to sleep!

12:00 am: He drinks the last bottle almost asleep. Our baby is the joy of our little family!

Example 3: Working mom feeding her 9-month-old baby breast milk and formula

We have a fixed schedule although sometimes it is a little flexible.

6:30 am: After breastfeeding, the baby and I get dressed. I drop her off at daycare and go to work.

10:00 am: Takes his bottle (bibi) and then takes a 20 to 30 minute nap.

12:30 pm: Takes his second bibi and takes another nap.

1:00 pm: We pick her up from daycare and give her her vegetable porridge with chicken, beef or fish.

4:45 pm: 45 minute nap.

5:30 pm: He gets up to snack on his fruit porridge. And I usually breastfeed him. Then we played for a while.
8:30 pm: After bathing her, I give her cereal and teat (breast) before bed.

He still wakes up to do one more breastfeed in the early morning. Sometimes he just wants to lie down next to
me. This is our daily life. The best thing about our routine? When he wakes up in the morning and smiles at
me!

Example 4: Mom at home breastfeeding her 10-month-old baby and having a toddler

From 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 am: The baby wakes up, I breastfeed him and we play on the floor for a while.

Before 9:00 am: We have breakfast, usually cereal or yogurt with pieces of fruit. We play at home or go out to
do some activity. We go to the public library or run some errands.

10:00 am: The baby takes a nap for 30 minutes to an hour. We are almost always out at this time, so he falls
asleep in his baby car seat or stroller.

11:00 am: I breastfeed him.

Between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 pm: Lunch time. The baby likes almost everything I feed him. I give him small
pieces of turkey or chicken, fruits, vegetables or cheese.

From 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 pm: We play at home. We listen to music, dance, play ball or simply get on the floor
and spin around.

2:00 pm: The baby takes a nap in his crib (two to three hours).

Between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 pm: I breastfeed. We play at home. The baby rolls around on the floor, sits and
plays with his toys or plays with his brother.

6:00 pm: Dinner time. We give him small pieces of what we are eating or puree of fruits or vegetables.

Before 7:00 pm: I bathe the baby and then plays with his dad.

8:00 pm: I read to him, cuddle him and breastfeed him. I put him in his crib and he sleeps all night.

Example 5: Working Mom Feeding Her 10-Month-Old Baby Formula

My baby is very good. I couldn't breastfeed him due to some complications I had during childbirth. He takes
formula and everything works great! Their routine is always the same (although sometimes it varies by half an
hour).

9:00 or 9:30 am: Wakes up and drinks a bottle of cereal.

11:30 am: Takes a nap in the park.

1:00 pm: Eats his vegetables with chicken and then some yogurt.

3:00 pm: He takes a nap for almost two hours!

5:00 pm: Eats plain yogurt (he eats fruits but doesn't like them as much as vegetables). Then to play with his
daddy (I go out to work in the afternoons).

8:00 pm: Dinner: vegetables with fish. Then my husband and the baby go to pick me up from work.

10:00 pm: Bath time. We bathe her every other day because she has atopic skin (eczema) and she doesn't do
well if we bathe her every day.

10:30 pm: We give him a bottle but only milk. Then I leave her in her crib, where she starts talking and in five
minutes she falls asleep all night!

Example 6: Mom at home feeding her 10-month-old baby formula

5:00 am: Takes his first 6 and a half ounce (180 ml) bottle and continues sleeping.
7:00 am: Wake up.

8:00 am: Drink another 4-ounce (120 ml) bottle.

10:00 am: Eat a vegetable puree or a small yogurt.

12:00 pm: Takes his bottle and then sleeps a little.

3:30 pm: Eat yogurt with fruit.

6:30 pm: We have dinner and she eats some of our dinner.

7:30 pm: Bath time.

8:00 pm: Drink a large bottle of whole grains.

During the day our baby drinks water constantly.

Example 7: Working mom breastfeeding her 10-month-old baby

My baby has a schedule and my mom (who takes care of her) follows it when I go to work. My baby eats
everything we give her. Of course, it does not accept any type of milk, except mine.

6:30 am: I breastfeed her before I go to work and she falls asleep.

9:00 am: Wake up and they give him his pumpkin or spinach puree, with butter and breast milk. Then a sweet
puree with some fruit and cornstarch (fine corn flour).

9:30 am: Plays in his playpen until he gets tired.

10:30 am: Nap.

1:00 pm: He takes his bottle of breast milk and continues playing.

4:00 pm: Eats a piece of fruit and drinks water in his bottle.

6:00 pm: Sometimes I find her asleep, but if she is awake I play with her. I let her crawl or sometimes practice
and take a few steps. I cuddle her a lot, and while I'm tidying up my room I take the opportunity to talk to her
a lot about what I'm doing and she responds with annoyance about any little thing.

7:00 pm: Dinner. It can include: chicken pieces, vegetables, fruits, cheese, rice and bread.

8:30 pm: I bathe her, spread cream on her and give her a massage. I breastfeed her.

9:30 pm: He falls asleep. During the night, from time to time, he looks for me with his little hands so that I can
breastfeed him.

Weekends are different because we wake up later, but we spend the whole day together. When we go out, I
fill one of my bags with her diapers, her bottle, her apple or a banana, a change of clothes, a bib, her special
spoon, a toy, and I disappear all day with my daughter!