My baby does not sleep.

[sleepdeprived321]

A typical day (it does vary). He's 9 months

Baby wakes at 7am.

Nap 10:30-11:30

Nap 3:30-4:30

I try to put him to bed at 7:30/8, he fights it and is awake until 9:30/10 every night. He then wakes up every hour (2 hours max)-until he wakes at 7.

We can't had a solid routine as I work 3 nights a week and he's breastfed so some days it's bottle some days it's feed on demand- but there's nothing I can do about that.

I'm exhausted. Why does he sleep so little.

Maybe cut down the afternoon nap time

have a relaxing bed time routine, if a bath stimulates him don’t give him an bath at night - lights down, quiet voices etc

Time to sleep train by the sound of it. How does he get to sleep?

Cut down 2nd nap, either earlier or shorter and put to bed later as he maybe isn't tired enough at 7:30, that is still quite early.

at that age he is able to stay awake for 4-5 hours (shown by him getting from 11:30-3:30 without a nap) so bedtime for a 4:30pm nap wake would need to be 4-5 hours after (so around 8:30-9:30) in order to build enough sleep pressure. Either cap that second nap or try to get him to have it earlier. I found once my DS started moving more he tired quicker and second nap could be moved forward. You could try a shorted morning nap so he’s ready for the second naps slightly earlier.

night waking at this age is still very normal and age appropriate (but exhausting- I know!)

Look up justchillmamma on Instagram, she has some great advice.

It may be the morning nap which is the issue. What happens if your baby only has one nap in the day

I would move to one longer lunchtime nap per day. Early lunch then nap from 12.30 to 2.30. Aiming for bedtime at 7.30.

I'd alter the routine a bit - get him down for his first nap 9/9.30ish and awake by 10am.
Lunch at 12 and have him in bed by 1pm and awake by 3pm.

Start your bedtime routine at 7ish and give him lots of sleep cues like white noise and comforters and make sure he is falling asleep how you want him to stay awake eg on his own in his cot.

I would do the exact same as this!

Drop the naps. My first baby was not a sleeper. She did not sleep. She did not nap. In the end, we found a routine that suited her, which was about 11pm-8am. And we got some sleep around that and it worked. Do not get sucked into the idea that all babies sleep 7-7 with two naps. They do
not!

His naps are too late.
my son is the same age and naps
9-10ish
12-30-130/2.00ish
then bedtime starts at 6.30pm and asleep by 7pm ish.

This is so true and must be remembered! My first was not a good sleeper, she woke a lot during the night and still wakes once in the night sometimes even now at FIVE YEARS OLD 😂. School has helped with that though, she’ll just wake to come in with me (me and DH sleep apart because we’re weird 😂).

Currently on night feds with no2 although they’re only a few weeks old but so far they seem better with sleeping but we’ll see....

I agree with others here, if they’re not tired then don’t force bedtime. Our DD always had a late bedtime even now. The flip side is she sleeps in (compared to my friends kids wake times anyway!).

I would move both your naps forward. First one is too late and so you're starting the day with him overtired. Second one is also too late so he's not tired enough when you're trying to do bedtime.

If he wakes at 7:

Nap 9.15 30-45 mins

Nap 13.00 1.5-2 hours

Bedtime 19.00

I would try this for a few weeks before trying the view of him needing less daytime sleep. Some babies do need less sleep than the norm, but they're the minority.

Personally I would also get into a consistent routine with his feeding as that might be disrupting him as well, if needs be drop the breastfeeding if it's not feasible now you're back working,