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Two- to three-month-old baby sleep and feeding schedule

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

Two- to three-month-old baby sleep and feeding schedule

Photo: iStockphoto

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

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 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

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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

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 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.

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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

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

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

This article was originally published on Mar 25, 2019

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Bonnie is a copywriter, editor and content consultant based in Thunder Bay, Ontario. She is also the founder and principal at North Star Writing. More of her work can be found in publications like Canadian Living, Best Health, and Chatelaine

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