2 Month Old Sleep Schedule
At two months old, it’s common for sleep to still be variable for your baby. That said, babies at this age may start to develop more predictable sleep patterns. Working on sleep hygiene is important for helping your baby settle into a somewhat predictable sleep schedule and pattern can help the days feel a bit more predictable.
In this article, I’ll share a sample 2 month old sleep schedule, tips for implementing the sleep schedule, and what you can be doing now to promote great sleep hygiene for your baby. As a certified pediatric sleep consultant and also a mom of four kids (with #5 on the way), I’ll share what has worked great for me personally and also the schedule and tips I use with my clients.
2 Month Old Sleep Schedule
2 Month Old Sleep Schedule
Typical Baby Sleep Needs and Wake Windows at 2 Months Old
While each individual baby is different, it’s very helpful to know what you can likely expect for a 2 month old baby based on their age and development. Here are some guidelines for sleep needs at 2 months old.
Total Sleep: Most 2 month old babies need between 14 and 17 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. This includes both overnight sleep and daytime naps.
Wake Windows: Most 2 month old babies have a maximum wake time (also called a “wake window”) of 60-90 minutes. Once they are awake for that length of time, they will become fussy and overtired if they do not go to sleep.
Tip: the maximum wake time is measured from the end of one period of sleep to the start of the next (ex: end of 1st nap to beginning of 2nd nap). You may notice the wake windows are shorter in the morning and longer later in the day. You may also notice they are shorter as baby approaches 2 months and then lengthen out as baby nears 3 months old.
Nap Length and Number of Naps: Naps at this age vary widely in length. You can expect a 2 month old baby to have 4-5 naps throughout the day.
At this age, babies still have newborn-like sleep patterns. This will all change around 4 months old when they go through a major biological change that is sometimes referred to as the 4 month sleep regression (read more about that here).
Tips For Better Sleep at 2 Months Old
One of the best things you can do for your 2 month old baby is ensure you’re covering all the basics to set them up for great sleep and healthy development. These include an optimal sleep environment and following signs for hunger to ensure full feeds and tiredness to ensure adequate sleep. Here are some tips:
Optimal Room Temperature: the best room temperature for baby sleep is 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature ensures baby does not get too warm overnight and allows for dressing them in layers, including a swaddle. If you want to learn more about how to dress your baby for sleep, click here.
Sound Machine: use a sound machine to create a soothing sleep environment for naps and sleep that mimics what they heard in the womb. This can also drown out household noise.
Swaddle: using a swaddle can provide comfort by re-creating the cramped, cozy feeling of being in the womb and help prevent the startle (Moro) reflex from waking your baby.
Feed Baby When Hungry and Ensure Adequate Daytime Feeds: your 2 month old is in serious growth mode, which means they will need to feed frequently. At 2 months, they should be fed every 2-3 hours during the day (or as directed by your pediatrician). This helps ensure they receive most of their calories during the day. It will eventually allow them to consolidate sleep overnight and not rely on nighttime feedings for nutrition. For now, be sure you know how to identify signs that your baby is hungry. Feeding your baby when they show signs of hunger and not letting them go more than 3 hours between feeds during the day is a great approach that works for many families.
Follow Wake Windows & Learn Signs For Tiredness: overtired babies fight sleep, so it’s important you pay attention to the wake windows noted above to ensure your 2 month old does not become overtired. Putting them down for sleep at an appropriate wake window and when they are showing the first sign of tiredness will ensure optimal naps and overnight sleep. Learn the signs for tiredness here if you aren’t familiar yet.
Start A Bedtime Routine: Establishing a simple bedtime routine can help your baby learn it’s time to go down to sleep. This can be as simple as diaper change, PJs on, read a short book, swaddle on, white noise on, and down to sleep. Over time, a bedtime routine becomes a powerful cue for your baby that it’s time to sleep.
2 Month Old Sleep Can Be Variable: baby is still incredibly young, so don’t put pressure on yourself and your baby to have a perfect schedule and sleep yet. It’s completely normal for there to be a lot of variation and for the schedule to look a bit different each day.
2 Month Old Sample Sleep Schedule
Here is what a typical daily schedule, including both overnight sleep and naps, may look like for a 2 month old baby. Keep in mind the schedule can vary depending on the family’s schedule (ex: preferred morning wake time). You can adjust the specific times of this schedule to meet your needs. Be sure to look at the tips below to help you and your baby with great sleep at 2 months old.
7:00am - morning wake up
8:00am - nap #1
10:30am - nap #2
1:30pm - nap #3
4:00pm - nap #4
7:00pm - bedtime
Importantly, the schedule for a 2 month old baby can very from day to day—it’s critical that you focus not just on the clock but also on cues for sleepiness and hunger, wake windows, and your baby’s nap lengths that specific day. The schedule above is something you should use as an example rather than something you try to follow exactly.
How To Implement Your 2 Month Sleep Schedule
First Set A Morning Wake Time: To customize your schedule for you and your baby, I recommend deciding first what time you want to start your baby’s day. You can then build the rest of the schedule based on the preferred morning wake time. The example above uses 7am, however, you can set the morning wake time to whatever works best for your family.
Timing Of Final Nap Matters: The timing of the final nap of the day is important. You want to be sure it is not too late in the day, even if this means waking your baby up from their last nap. You want to ensure that the final wake window between the end of the last nap and baby’s bedtime is around 90 minutes. This will ensure your baby has enough sleep pressure to fall asleep quickly at bedtime
Short Naps: Short naps can still be common at 2 months old, so if your baby’s naps are shorter, they may need 5 naps per day in order to get their total recommended sleep within a 24 hour period. As baby gets older, daytime naps will continue consolidating into fewer naps that are longer. There can still be quite a bit of variability at 2 months old.
Flexibility Is Important: Life (and sleep!) can still be a bit unpredictable at 2 months old, especially once baby starts going through the 4 month sleep regression. Be sure to follow wake windows, watch for cues for tiredness and hunger, and adjust the schedule based on your baby’s naps that day. A flexible mindset and approach to baby sleep at 3 months is incredibly important!
Final Thoughts
By setting up a sleep-friendly environment, establishing consistent routines, and being responsive to your baby’s cues, you can help your 2 month develop better sleep patterns and habits. Remember that flexibility is important—what works today might need adjusting tomorrow. Keep the focus on creating a calm, nurturing environment that promotes healthy sleep for your little one.
If you want to learn more details about exactly how to do this, I dive deeper in my eBook, The Ultimate Guide To Better Baby Sleep. It’s a no-crying, gentle approach to creating healthy sleep patterns and habits specially designed for babies aged birth through 3 months so that you can breeze right through the 4 month sleep regression with minimal, if any, disruption to your baby’s sleep. Click here to learn more.
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