Building the Best 2 Month Old Sleep Schedule for Your Baby

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Creating a 2 Month Old Sleep Schedule 

At 2 months old, your baby is growing and learning so quickly! You may be noticing some patterns developing in his eating and sleeping routine. If not, don’t be discouraged. Keep encouraging good sleep habits now, and he will start to settle into a schedule soon.

In this post, we’ll explore the number of feedings and how much sleep to include in your 2 month old sleep schedule. I’ll also include a sample 2 month old sleep schedule for you to use as a guide, and a FREE printable  schedule template so you can create your own!

Your 2 Month Old Sleep Schedule

When I say, “schedule”, I’m talking about a flexible but predictable routine for your baby. The goal is to provide some stability for your infant and some structure and confidence for you. 

You can start implementing a very flexible daily routine as early as 1-2 months of age. As you learn your baby’s sleep patterns and sleep cues, you can start adjusting your newborn schedule to fit your baby’s natural sleep patterns. Even at 2 months, many infants are still not following a predictable sleep routine. Hang in there! It just takes time!

 

Things to Consider For Your 2 Month Old Sleep Schedule

How Much Does a 2 Month Old Eat? 

If your baby is breastfeeding, you can expect your baby to nurse every 3-4 hours, in about 6-10 sessions per day. Some infants may need to eat more often at this stage depending on their needs. Always check with your pediatrician if you are concerned about your child’s nutrition.

Formula-fed babies will eat about 4-5 ounces every 3-4 hours.

How Much Sleep Does a 2 Month Old Need?

According to babycenter.com, a 2 month old needs about 14-17 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. This translates to roughly 9-11 hours a night and 6-8 hours during the day in the form of naps.

A 2 month old infant can stay awake for about 60-90 minutes at a time. You’ll want to try to keep naps between 30 minutes and 2 hours to avoid oversleeping during the day. An infant this age will probably nap 4-5 times during the day.

Sample 2 Month Old Sleep Schedule 

Remember this sample daily schedule is meant to serve as a guide not a rigid routine. You can adjust the schedule to fit the unique patterns and needs of your child. 

You can also get a FREE printable template for your baby’s daily schedule here. This way, you can create your own 2 month old sleep schedule that’s perfect for you.

Sample 2 Month Old Sleep Schedule / 2 Month Old Feeding Schedule

 

6:30am	Wake / Feed
7:30am-9:30am	Nap #1
9:30am	Feeding
10:45am-12:15pm	Nap #2
12:30pm	Feeding
1:30pm-3:00pm	Nap #3
3:30pm	Feeding
4:30pm- 5:30pm	Nap #4
5:30pm	Feeding
6:45pm	Start Bath/ Bedtime Routine
7:15pm	Feeding
7:30pm	Bedtime

 

Tips for getting Baby to Sleep

Here are a few tips for getting your 2 month old to sleep better at night:

1. Keep the days active and bright

Play together and interact during the day. I chose not to use the darkening curtains during the day to keep her sleep light. At night, I kept everything dark and quiet. This helped my baby distinguish between naps and nighttime sleep.

     2. Keep Stimulation to a Minimum at Night

When going in for nighttime feedings, keep the room dark and quiet. Don’t play or interact with your baby during nighttime feedings. 

     3. Have a bedtime routine and stick to it

Help your baby know it is time for bed by keeping a simple , predictable routine. Our routine was simply bath, feeding, book, and bed.

    4. Start your Nighttime routine 30 minutes before you plan to lay your baby down to sleep.

    5. At about 4 months, you can start laying your baby down when they are drowsy, but awake. This will help him learn to get to sleep on his own.

2 Month Milestones

When it comes to milestones, some children reach them at different times. Don’t worry if your child isn’t doing some of these things yet. It may just take a bit more time.

If you’re concerned about your child’s development, talk with your pediatrician.

2 Month Milestones:

This month your baby may begin to:

1. Bring his hands to his mouth
2. Make cooing noises
3. Make smoother leg and arm movements
4. Hold head up briefly during tummy time
5. Smile ! ( and melt your heart)

Suggested Activities for Playtime

During your child’s wake windows, enjoy playing and interacting as much as possible. 

Here are some activities you can try with your 2 month old:

1. Talk/ Sing to your baby

Your 2 month old knows the sound of your voice. Make sure she can see your face when you talk to her, sing to her, and make silly faces.

      2. Read to your baby

Try board books with bright, contrasting colors. Reading helps your baby develop her understanding of speech sounds and patterns that she’ll try to imitate later.

      3. Move to Music

Put on some music and gently move back and forth while you hold your baby. Gently clap your baby’s hands together, or move his feet while he sits in your lap.

      4. Walk outside 

Take a walk and allow your 2 month old to explore new sights and sounds. Talk to your baby about what you see. She won’t understand you yet, but you’re modeling speech and conversation for her. 

       5. Tummy Time

It’s important for your baby to develop large muscle groups by spending a few brief sessions of time on his tummy. Try laying beside him and talking or playing along to encourage him.

Need more great ideas for engaging with your child? I used the BabySparks app with my youngest daughter. It has great ideas (with demonstrations) for ways you can play with your baby that encourage cognitive, emotional, and physical development. It’s full of great ideas.