Is This Normal? A Real 9-Month Sleep Case Study with a Nanny

Is This Normal? A Real 9-Month Sleep Case Study with a Nanny

Author: Sally Woods and Bec Maher December 8, 2025 Duration: 37:54

Sally's all-access sleep platform Snooze is LIVE! Sign up before December 31 and get the REST OF 2025 FREE


A nanny reached out with a question we hear all the time: is it normal to keep waking my baby from that first nap? Sally and Bec unpack a real 9-month-old case study, breaking down when to cap naps, why overnight feeds might actually be a scheduling issue, and what to do when a two-nap schedule isn't quite clicking.


This episode also covers the moment they realized Nap Trapped made it into Spotify Wrapped (top 5%!), Sally's new all-access sleep platform Snooze going live, and why sometimes the best fix is going back to three naps temporarily.


What You'll Learn:

- When to wake a sleeping baby (and when to let them snooze)

- Why two overnight feeds at 9 months might not be hunger-related

- The OG schedule vs short/long schedule for 9-month-olds

- How to bring back a third nap to reset overnight issues

- Why the last wake window before bed matters so much

- Signs your baby needs schedule tweaks vs sleep training

- How nannies and parents can stay on the same page


Chapters:

00:00 Intro & Spotify Wrapped celebration

06:37 Case study: 9-month-old nap and overnight questions

08:19 Is it normal to wake baby from nap 1?

11:22 Why nap refusal doesn't always mean schedule change

15:01 The OG schedule vs adjusting wake windows

17:26 When to bring back a third nap temporarily

19:55 Overnight feeds: hunger or habit?

23:29 The four-hour rule for overnight weaning

27:40 Final thoughts for nannies and caregivers

34:31 Wrap-up & Snooze platform announcement


ABOUT NAP TRAPPED

Sally Woods and Bec Maher are baby sleep consultants who believe exhausted parents deserve real answers, not judgment. Each episode of Nap Trapped breaks down one sleep challenge with evidence-based advice and a healthy dose of humor.


Links

Get updates + exclusive tools: Subscribe www.naptrappedpodcast.com


Follow Sally & Bec on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thesleepconcierge/

https://www.instagram.com/_thesleepcentre/


Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts


Ever found yourself stuck on the couch, scrolling in the quiet, while your little one finally sleeps? You're not alone, and that's exactly where Nap Trapped finds its groove. Hosted by Australian sleep consultants Sally Woods of The Sleep Concierge and Bec Maher from The Sleep Centre, this podcast meets you in that exhausted, sometimes isolating space. It’s a direct conversation between two experts who are also mums, blending solid, evidence-based strategies with the real-world chaos of family life. They break down the 'why' behind restless nights and short naps, moving beyond rigid rules to offer adaptable, practical solutions that actually fit your day. The tone is all solidarity and zero judgment, recognising that every family's sleep journey is different. You'll hear honest stories, debunk common myths, and get actionable advice that aims to bring more rest to your household, not just your baby. Tune into Nap Trapped for a genuinely helpful mix of professional insight and relatable commiseration, all delivered with a warm, Aussie sensibility. It's the kind of podcast you listen to while you're, well, nap trapped, and finish feeling equipped and understood.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 87

Nap Trapped
Podcast Episodes
Solids & Sleep: How to Introduce Food Without Wrecking Naps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:43
Picture this: your seven-month-old has been sleeping beautifully, you introduce solids with the best intentions, and suddenly the nights are a mess. The 3am wake is back, the bedtime bottle is barely touched, and you hav…
Weaning Breastfeeds Without Wrecking Sleep [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:59
Wondering how to wean breastfeeds without undoing all your hard sleep work? Nervous that dropping that cosy bedtime feed might send your great little sleeper back to square one?Want to subscribe to every ep and enjoy FRE…
Sleep Detectives: Back After Sickness, Do You Sleep Train Again? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:34
Want to subscribe to every ep and enjoy FREE sleep tools? 👉 www.naptrappedpodcast.comDid your amazing sleeper suddenly turn into a night owl after a head cold—and now you're wondering if you have to start sleep training…
Sleep Regressions: Real or Not? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:04
Want to subscribe to every ep and enjoy FREE sleep tools? 👉 www.naptrappedpodcast.comThis episode tackles one of the most loaded terms in baby sleep: the regression. Sally and Bec dig into whether sleep regressions are r…
The Reason Tired Mums Don't Ask For Help [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:05
Want to subscribe to every ep and enjoy FREE sleep tools? 👉 www.naptrappedpodcast.comHave you ever hesitated to look into sleep training because of what someone might think? Your sister-in-law. The mums' group. A strange…
Sleep Associations: What They Are & Why They Matter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:14
Sleep associations aren't the villain they've been made out to be. But here's the truth: the ones your baby can't recreate on their own at 2am? That's where things get complicated.Sally and Bec break down exactly what sl…
The Chronic Catnapper: When 20-Minute Naps Won't Budge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:00
Picture this: Your 7-month-old self-settles beautifully at bedtime, sleeps through the night like a champion, but every single nap is 20-30 minutes. You thought sleep training would fix this. It didn't. Welcome to catnap…
Is That Overnight Feed Habit or Hunger? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:36
Wondering if your baby actually needs that 2am feed or if it's just become part of the routine?This week, Sally and Bec tackle one of the most confusing parts of baby sleep: figuring out what's genuine hunger and what's…
Feed Play Sleep: Why the Math Doesn't Math (& What Actually Works) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:23
Everyone says feed, play, sleep is the golden rule. But what happens when your baby catnaps every 32 minutes and you're stuck feeding like a newborn at 8 months old?In this episode, Sally and Bec unpack why feed-play-sle…