Even though your newborn is sleeping a lot still and doesn’t seem to have a set schedule you have formed a routine to follow which will help pave the way in the future.
My two month old sleeps a lot still, he wakes to eat every 2.5 to 3 hours during the day and sleeps through the night most times.
He is awake for 45 minutes to an hour and a half to play and do tummy time and then back so sleep or I have a very grumpy baby!
During this time in their newborn life, they are growing and learning a lot about the world around them and that makes them tired most of the time.
This also makes taking a nap more difficult and getting them to settle for bed a bit harder because they are afraid of missing out.
You may have a baby that only naps for 45 minutes because they don’t want to miss anything and that is ok as long as they aren’t awake for to long and are overly tired.
If you are having trouble getting your baby to nap I have some tips for you that work great for me. So keep reading you don’t want to miss them!
Everyone has a different lifestyle and what works for one person will not work for another yet the principles are the same. You are getting your baby into a routine so they know what to expect most of the time.
If you are breastfeeding your feeding schedule will be different compared to formula feeding.
So how do you structure a routine so that your baby sleeps through the night, doesn’t fight nap time and has a good feeding schedule?
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Two month old schedule
When creating a routine schedule for your baby you will have to follow your baby’s lead in most respects and what I mean by that is you can’t feed a baby if they aren’t hungry or expect them to sleep if they aren’t tired.
That being said you follow the schedule that your baby has for feedings, playing and eating and try to keep them around the same time each day.
You still have some flexibility but for the most part, even if you are out and about your baby will expect to eat around the same time and take a nap.
sleep schedule
At two months your baby still needs a good amount of sleep and by that, I mean around 15.5 to 17 hours a day.
Your baby will take three to four naps during the day and sleep at night waking only to eat and go back to sleep.
The nighttime routine is one of the most important as it will pave the way for your child for the rest of their childhood.
Set a good bedtime routine making things calm and quiet, warm bath, eat and read a book then off to bed.
I don’t do the bath every night for my little man because he has eczema and it will dry out his skin but we do quiet time, swaddle sack at night only, feed him, read a book and then off to bed.
Sometimes he is already tired and cries over a book and we skip it and go right to bed.
You do what works best for you and what works, this works for me so I do the same thing every night and bathe him during the day before a nap instead.
At night we put our son to sleep in the pack n play in our room and during the day he sleeps in his crib in his room, this actually does help when you transition them to the crib only.
I know not many people do this but since this is our third child we have learned a few tricks and this one worked on our last baby and made things easier.
We started doing this at a month old so that we didn’t need to move the pack n play around.
He did get used to his room in the pack n play and then really liked taking naps in the crib when we moved it our of our 4 year olds room.
However, every baby is different and your baby may not like the crib, do what works for you.
Try to keep the same bedtime and night routine around the same time.
The key to get them to sleep through the night I will share later on so keep reading.
feeding schedule
Your two month old is going to eat around every three to four hours sometimes sooner.
Honestly, I feed on demand and don’t try to keep a schedule for that, your baby will go through a growth spurt and tends to eat more during this time and a bit more frequently so don’t panic.
Most two month olds eat anywhere from 3oz to 4 or 5 as they get closer to three months in age. 6 to 7 Feedings every 24 hours is pretty normal.
If you have concerns about how much your baby is eating always talk to your pediatrician.
Sometimes your baby may miss a feeding especially if they are fighting a cold, as long as it isn’t two in a row it isn’t cause for concern.
For more information on colds you may like this article: Dealing With Baby Being Sick With A Cold
Play time
Having playtime can be difficult when they sleep so much but when they are awake and you are changing their diaper you can make faces at them and mimic their mouth and copy your babies’ cooing sounds.
Show your newborn their hands and feet and put them up to their mouth or so they can see them.
Giving your infant a massage is a great idea and a good way to help them understand parts of the body.
Anything that appeals to your baby’s sight, sound or touch is great for them.
- Rattles
- Music
- Bright books
- Mirror
- Socks that rattle
- Different textures
nap time
It is important for your newborn to get enough sleep during the day even if it is only 45 minutes at a time.
If your infant is staying awake they won’t be able to sleep at night because they are overly tired.
If you are having trouble getting your little one to take a nap here are some tips for you!!
- Do lots of tummy time to help tire them out
- Get a heating pad and set it on medium low leave it on the area they will sleep on for a minute and then lay them on it. Warning: Never leave it in the bed with your baby or they will get burned.
- Have a fan, white noise machine or shusher and some eye catching lights like this mobile to help them go to sleep.
Babies need noise and they love anything warm which is why they wake when you lay them down. You are warm and the bed is cold and makes them wake up.
Final thoughts on two month old schedule
Make a routine that works for you and your family so that your baby gets into the rhythm of it and can adjust later on to how it works.
Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect, most of the time being a parent is pretty much trial and error and you are learning as you go.
Now for my secret tips on getting your infant to sleep through the night. This has worked for me many times now!!
As long as they eat consistently throughout the day it is much easier for them to sleep longer at night.
By sleeping through the night I mean a good 7 hours before waking up again.
Another thing that works well is using a swaddle to help them feel more secure and sleep better at night. I use the halo swaddle and it works great!!
Life with your infant does get easier and when you have a schedule established it helps you get more done at home and makes your little one happy too.
It’s amazing how the perfect amount of play is important! Bored or overstimulated – I though I would never differ that and it just comes to you at some point. I was following Susan Ubran’s tips on sleeping from the very beginning and I remember the tip about laying baby “drowsy but awake” – it was pretty tricky too! Although I loved the HWL method, it’s the best!
Hi Grance
Yes, it is! You do eventually figure out your babies’ cues on what they need. I discovered the drowsy method with my older son and it worked perfectly for sleep training though it is a slow process.