Two months is enough time to develop a bit of a routine with your baby. You have determined when they naturally want to sleep and be awake, and you may start wondering when to implement that sleep training you’ve been hearing about. This post will tell you what to expect and how to achieve the healthiest sleep for your baby at this age.
Time to Start Sleep Training?
While it’s great that you have an interest in sleep training, two months is a little early. Babies at this age can’t self-soothe, and they aren’t capable of having strict routines. You can go ahead and start reading up for when you hit the 4 to 6 months and it is time to start, and it is a good idea to start getting used to prepare your baby for sleep with calming rituals before bedtime and naps.
What Is A Healthy Sleep Schedule for a 2-month-Old?
You probably won’t be able to follow a specific routine just yet, but your baby does need a certain amount of total sleep in a day and you want to try to see that somehow that amount is achieved.
2-month old babies need from 14 to 17 hours of sleep each day. Each child has different needs, but it should fit in that range.
Around this age, children might start adopting a stronger day and night schedule where they sleep a longer stretch at night and have various naps during the day. These babies may sleep four to six hours at night, while others may still wake up every two hours to eat.
2-month olds are often awake 60-90 minutes in a stretch, then they will nap for 30 minutes to around two hours, and that process may last all day or until the nighttime.
As long as your baby doesn’t start showing signs of being overtired, their schedule is fine.
Sleep Tips for 2-months’
Start the Routine
No matter when bedtime is, always precede it with a 30-minute calming bedtime ritual. This will make it easier for your child to sleep and help them start learning a routine. This routine may include a bath, reading, a massage, singing, dimming the lights, putting on calming music, or putting on their pajamas. Make sure to feed them before or at the beginning of the routine to discourage them from depending on the food to know its bedtime.
Plan a briefer version of this routine for each naptime, something you can stick to during the day.
Put Them to Bed Sooner
Don’t wait until the baby falls asleep to put them down. It helps them get used to sleeping on their own later when you put them down to sleep when they are sleepy but not quite there yet.
Keep it Drowsy At Night
When you feed the baby at night, keep the room dim and quiet so they can go back to sleep more easily.
Don’t Get Up Immediately
When you hear the baby stir or cry, don’t go to them right away. Give them a few minutes to see if they’ll go back to sleep first.
Make Daytime Fun Time
Play with your baby plenty during awake times while it’s daytime so they can learn to distinguish day from night.
Get Your 2-month-old Sleeping with Petite Dreamers
Your baby, you, and your family deserve quality sleep. If you’re struggling to get your 2-month-old to sleep a healthy amount, Louise can help. She’s a certified sleep consultant who knows effective and safe ways to get any child to sleep. Book a discovery call today.