Every baby has her own pattern of sleeping, eating and playing. Forming a routine for a 9-10 month old baby depends on these personal patterns. However, knowing what other parents have to say is also quite helpful in forming a schedule for your baby. This article will not only provide with you samples of 9-10 month old baby schedule, but also will share tips on better raising your baby at this stage.
What Does a 9-10 Month Old Baby Need?
While you are forming a schedule for your 9-10 month old baby, keep in mind that she may need the following things:
- Feeding. In a 24 hour period she requires solid foods thrice a day along with 24 to 32 ounces of either breast milk or formula milk. By this stage, your baby will be eating a variety of foods and may participate actively during mealtime by self-feeding and drinking form a sipper.
- Sleeping. In a 24 hour period, she will require around 14 hours of sleep including nighttime sleep and naps. Typically she will be napping two times a day in the morning and afternoon.
- Other activities. She will need time to play, and interact with you. She will also work on new skills such as language development and more strength and dexterity over her motor skills.
How to Help Your 9-10 Month Old Baby Grow
- Talk to your baby about everyday things will help her understand meaning of words. In fact, the more you talk the better it is.
- Listen her babbling and respond to it. This helps in building her literacy, communication and language skills and will also make her feel loved. She will also love the changes in your voice and facial expressions while you talk with her.
- Playing with your baby is also important. Playing together helps your baby feel secure and loved.
- Read to your baby. Reading stories from books and explaining the characters help develop the imagination and language skills in your baby.
- Encourage your baby to move. It helps in developing posture and building strength of muscles of your baby. It is also important for more complex movements such as crawling and walking.
Samples of 9-10 Month Old Schedule
Sample Schedule 1: Baby-led and Parent-led Routine Combined
Note: This is a schedule of a stay-at-home mother of a breastfeeding 10 month old baby and an older child.
7 to 8 a.m.: Baby wakes up, is nursed. Plays
Before 9 a.m.: Eats breakfast of cereal or yoghurt along with small pieces of fruits. Playtime, mother and baby go to library or outside
10 a.m.: Baby naps for 30 minutes in the car seat or stroller
11 a.m.: Nursed
Between noon and 1 p.m.: Lunch time. Food varies daily
1 to 2 p.m.: Plays indoors
2 p.m.: Naps for 2-3 hours
Between 4 to 5 p.m.: Baby is nursed. Plays indoors
6 p.m.: Dinner time
Before 7 p.m.: Baby is bathed. Plays with father
8 p.m.: Story time. Baby is rocked, nursed and put to bed
Sample Schedule 2: Baby-led and Parent-led Routine Combined
Note: This is a Schedule of a work-at-home mother of a formula-feeding 9 month old baby:
6:30-7:30 a.m.: Baby wakes up and is fed 7 to 8 ounce of formula milk
8 a.m.: Mother starts working. Baby is a walking pro, so mother uses baby gates
8:30 to 9 a.m.: Breakfast time. Includes small pieces of fresh fruit, ham, veggies, cheese, and cereal
9 to 10 a.m.: Baby plays, and “reads” books
10 a.m.: Feeds on a 7-8 ounce bottle. Naps for 1-1/2 to 2 hours
Noon: Baby has her lunch. Mostly finger foods with 6 to 7 ounce bottle
12:45 to 3 p.m.: Baby plays
3 p.m.: Plays with mother. Naps for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Feeds on a 7 to 8 ounce bottle
5:30 to 6 p.m.: Dinner time
6:30 p.m.: Plays with father
7:30 p.m.: Baby is bathed and feeds on another bottle. Baby is put to bed
Tips on 9-10 Month Old Feeding Schedule
1. New Foods that Baby Can Eat
Your baby may be eating rice cereal, vegetables, and possibly meats by now; however, there may be certain foods that she has yet to eat. The following are the foods that your 9-10 month old baby can eat:
- Whole milk yoghurt
- Hard cheeses such as Muenster, cheddar, and Swiss.
- Tofu
- Pasta
- Legumes and beans
2. How to Introduce Solid Foods
Remember that solid foods are introduced as an addition to breast milk or formula and they are not a replacement to breastfeeding.
As new foods are introduced, one at a time with at least four days in between each new food, you may get confused about the quantity of breast milk or formula that should be given to your baby along with solid foods:
Your baby’s major source of nutrition till she becomes one year old is breast milk and formula milk.
3. Sample Meal Plan
You can inculcate a habit of eating 3 major meals in your baby. Each baby will have her personal choice when it comes to the quantity of food she is eating. For instance, your 9 month old baby may eat:
- Breakfast: 1/4th cup of oatmeal cereal in addition to pieces of banana and breast milk or formula.
- Lunch: 1/4th cup of rice cereal in addition to chicken and avocado and breast milk or formula.
- Dinner: Barley and chicken along with pears and sweet potatoes and breast milk or formula.
4. Amount of Foods Needed Per Day
The amount of food that your baby may eat per day:
- 3-4 sessions of nursing or 24-32 ounces of formula
- 2 servings of baby cereal (1 serving = 1-2 tablespoons of dry cereal)
- 1-2 servings of grain (1 serving = 2 crackers or ½ slice of bread or ½ cup Cheerios or ½ cup whole grain pasta)
- 2 servings of fruit (1 serving = 2-4 tablespoons)
- 2 servings of vegetable (1 serving = 2-4 tablespoons)
- 2-3 servings of protein (1 serving = 1-2 tablespoons)
- 1 serving of Dairy (1 serving= 1/3 cup cottage cheese or ½ cup yoghurt or 1 oz grated cheese)
Watch a video to learn more nutritional care and 9-10 month old feeding schedule—what to feed and how to feed:
