How many hours should a 2 month old sleep

Q: How long should 2 month old sleep at a time?

While every babys sleep needs are slightly different, a typical 2-month-old sleeps a total of 14 to 17 hours a day, including four to six naps. Day-night confusion should be subsiding, and you may see baby settle into a rough pattern of 60 to 90 minutes of awake time followed by 30 minutes to two hours of napping.

Here’s what to expect for your two-month-old baby’s sleep schedule, feeding routine and diaper changes in weeks nine through 12.

Table of Contents Show

Baby’s ninth week
Week 9 sleep schedule
Week 9 feeding schedule
Baby’s 10th week
Week 10 sleep schedule
Week 10 feeding schedule
Baby’s 11th week
Week 11 sleep schedule
Week 11 feeding schedule
Baby’s 12th week
Week 12 sleep schedule
Week 12 feeding schedule
How long should 2 month old sleep at a time?
How long should a 2 month old sleep at night without eating?
How many hours should a 2 month sleep at night?
Should I let my 2 month old sleep all day?

Your baby is two whole months old—wow! How’s that sleep situation coming along? It might sound counterintuitive, but it could be helpful not to think about how much sleep your baby is getting for a little while. “Let’s flip the equation around a bit and think about typical wake times for babies,” says Alexis Dubief, a child sleep consultant in Vermont and author of Precious Little Sleep. “This will help you focus on putting them to sleep at the right time. Your child will then show you the amount of sleep that is normal and healthy for them. Instead of ‘this is our target sleep,’ think ‘let’s set this child up for success.’” Sound like a plan?

Baby’s ninth week

Routines may take a hit around now, as your baby becomes increasingly aware of the world around them. Finding a way to wind down, like a mini baby massage or a soothing bath before bed, can help your baby learn cues that it’s time to rest. There’s still endless feeding going on, too, to fuel all that growth and development.

Week 9 sleep schedule

Wake time length: 45 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes
Sleep time length: Up to 4 to 8 hours (2 to 4 daytime naps, may wake once or twice overnight)
Total sleep time: 14 to 17 hours a day

Week 9 feeding schedule

Your baby: 9 weeks oldBreastfeeding: On demand, every 2 to 4 hours, or 7 to 12 times a day
Exclusive pumping: 15 to 20 minutes per breast, or 2 to 5 minutes after breast is empty, 8 to 10 times a day (avoid going longer than 5 to 6 hours without pumping)
Formula: 120 to 180 mL (4 to 6 oz) per feeding, about 6 to 8 times a day

Baby’s 10th week

You may notice that the whole “falling asleep while eating” thing is starting to ease off, as your baby becomes more alert and is able to eat more at a time. As far as naps go, you’re probably looking at two or three a day. Some babies can sleep up to eight hours at a stretch at night, but most will still be waking once or twice to feed.

Week 10 sleep schedule

Wake time length: 45 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes
Sleep time length: Up to 4 to 8 hours (2 to 3 daytime naps, may wake once or twice overnight)
Total sleep time: 14 to 17 hours a day

Week 10 feeding schedule

Breastfeeding: On demand, every 2 to 4 hours, or 7 to 12 times a day
Exclusive pumping: 15 to 20 minutes per breast, or 2 to 5 minutes after breast is empty, 8 to 10 times a day (avoid going longer than 5 to 6 hours without pumping)
Formula: 120 to 180 mL (4 to 6 oz) per feeding, about 6 to 8 times a day

Baby’s 11th week

By now, many babies are snoozing for longer chunks of time. But what do you do if you have a catnapper who only conks out for 30 minutes or so during the day? There are a few things you can try, like reducing the amount of light in their room by using room-darkening blinds or plugging in a fan or white-noise machine (but not too loud or you could damage their hearing). If they wake up, wait a few minutes before going in to see if they will fall asleep again. If you do check on them right away, try humming or singing quietly instead of picking them up immediately—it may soothe them enough that they will drift off again. As far as eating goes, you’re still feeding your child on demand, about 6 to 8 times in 24 hours for formula-fed babies and 7 to 12 times for breastfed babies.

Week 11 sleep schedule

Wake time length: 1 hour to 1 hour and 45 minutes
Sleep time length: Up to 4 to 8 hours (2 to 4 daytime naps, may wake once or twice overnight)
Total sleep time: 14 to 17 hours a day

Week 11 feeding schedule

Baby’s 12th week

Your little person is learning so much about the world around them now and becoming more alert than those first few weeks. Chances are, their routine is settling in a bit and you can predict naps and mealtimes better—with the occasional curveball thrown in, of course. Congrats! You’ve made it through the first three exhausting, wonderful months.

Week 12 sleep schedule

Wake time length: 1 hour to 1 hour and 45 minutes
Sleep time length: Up to 4 to 8 hours (2 to 3 daytime naps, may wake once or twice overnight)
Total sleep time: 14 to 17 hours a day

Week 12 feeding schedule

Read more:
What is a dream feed—and how do I do it?
5 common breastfeeding mistakes and how to avoid them

How long should 2 month old sleep at a time?

While every baby's sleep needs are slightly different, a typical 2-month-old sleeps a total of 14 to 17 hours a day, including four to six naps. Day-night confusion should be subsiding, and you may see baby settle into a rough pattern of 60 to 90 minutes of awake time followed by 30 minutes to two hours of napping.

How long should a 2 month old sleep at night without eating?

Between the age of 2 to 3 months old, healthy babies are often able to sleep for six hours without feeding. Research suggests that about half of babies are able to sleep at least six hours without a nighttime feed by 3 months of age.

How many hours should a 2 month sleep at night?

Learn How Much Sleep Your Baby Needs From two weeks to two months of age, they'll sleep an average of 15.5 to 17 hours total, broken down by about 8.5 to 10 hours at night and six to seven hours during the day spread out over three to four naps.

Should I let my 2 month old sleep all day?

Newborns who sleep for longer stretches should be awakened to feed. Wake your baby every 3–4 hours to eat until he or she shows good weight gain, which usually happens within the first couple of weeks. After that, it's OK to let your baby sleep for longer periods of time at night.