Ahh, two months old. Right now you may be at the end of your rope. Try to keep in mind that baby is just as confused and bewildered as you are right now. So much new stimuli. In fact, everything is still pretty new. If this is your first baby it is all new for you as well. So it’s time to stop and organize! So, what is a good daily routine for an 8 week old baby? Well, a lot of it is going to depend on your little one, so any plan s going to need a little customizing. That said, in this article we will discuss your baby’s needs and provide a sample schedule to help you get started on making your own!
Breastfeeding schedule for an 8 week old
When creating a schedule for a 2 month old you will first want to determine how much your child needs to eat! So how much does a 2 month old need to grow fast and strong? The answer is pretty simple. As much as they want! Often this is simply going to translate out to 6 – 8 times a day and a time or two at night so be ready!
A sleep schedule for an 8 week old
Next we need to know how much baby needs to sleep if we are going to create a proper schedule for your 8 week old. As a general rule, baby is going to require 14 – 17 hours of sleep. It will be a combination of nighttime sleeping as well as daily naps. Establishing a schedule early on can help you immensely, as it not only means sleep for your baby but more sleep for you too! With this in mind we have crafted a sample schedule for an 8 week old to give you a better idea of what yours might look like.
Sample schedule for an 8 week old baby
Now, before we proceed, please keep in mind that we realize not everyone’s baby is going to adhere to this sample schedule. If you use this one, try it for a week to see how it goes. Likely you will need to tweak it but if you DO then be sure to stick to your guns and try any new schedules for at least a week to see if your baby is receptive to it. Scheduling can work but it will take time, so be patient. Without further ado, here is the sample schedule:
- 7:30a – Wakey, wakey! – It’s a new day and baby is hungry! Let’s get some nutrients into your little one and then it is going to be time to play!
- 8:00a – Playtime – A little time in the playpen is called for. Your child needs to start building up strength in their limbs and this is how you do it. Load up their favorite toys and give them free reign for an hour while you grab a little breakfast!
- 9:00a – First nap – Your little one is tired by now (hopefully) and it’s time for a nap of about an hour and a half. Even if they aren’t tired, put your kiddo in bed. You want them to start getting used to a feeding and napping schedule.
- 10:30a – Brunch time – Time for another feeding in preparation for a second playtime period.
- 11:00a – Yay, playtime! – For the next hour and a half its playtime for baby. A little exercise is good for them and you can get a few things done in this time with a mobile playpen at your disposal to keep an eye on them.
- 12:30p – Sleepytime – After that rigorous play session baby will be tired again. Put your angel to sleep for the next hour and a half.
” Whether that is the case or not it IS naptime…”
- 2:00p – Snack time – Baby is going to be hungry after that refreshing nap, so it’s feeding time. Don’t worry, there is another playing session afterwards.
- 2:30p – Playtime number three! – Baby is energized and ready to play again for another hour and a half.
- 4:00p – Third nap of the day – Baby is hopefully tired, but whether that is the case or not it IS naptime. For the next hour and a half baby is going to rest.
- 5:30p – Dinner time! – Baby is ready for dinner, so let’s feed them and then it’s time for the last play of the day.
- 6:00p – Last playtime – For one last hour and a half, baby can go wild in the playpen. Be sure it’s stocked with their favorite toys and baby should then get plenty of exercise.
- 7:30 – Bedtime stories – Alternately, you can play ‘it’s almost bedtime’ music in order to calm baby. Stories are fun, even if they won’t understand yet. The tone of your voice will soothe them and get them drowsy.
- 8:00 – Bedtime – Put your child to bed and get some dinner, it’s been a productive day for both of you and you need to keep energized too!
- 10:30 or 11:00 – Late night feed – Baby may well want more than one of these, but don’t worry if that is the case. When they get older one ‘night feed’ will do. Try waking baby for a feeding at 10:30 and see how long they sleep. Get some sleep yourself and do so as much as you can, baby may be a bit unpredictable for awhile.
Some final words
This concludes our article on setting up a good daily routine for your 2 month old. Give the sample schedule a try and change things around so that you can create a schedule that is a perfect fit for you and your child. Establishing a schedule early on is important and will help to ensure that both you and your baby are getting adequate sleep and attention. So start scheduling early, you’ll be glad that you did!
