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Moms describe this phase as exhausting but common around 2–3 months, sometimes linked to growth spurts or startle reflex. Support, swaddling options, and talking to a pediatrician can help.
⚠️ Caution:If baby has fever, poor feeding, vomiting, breathing changes, or crying is high-pitched/inconsolable for long periods, seek medical advice to rule out illness or reflux issues.
Parents worry they’re doing something wrong or baby is in pain. Moms often say some nights are survival mode—support, calming routines, and checking health red flags matters more than perfect sleep training at this age.
Here's what moms in our community shared based on their own experience.
Some moms relate to rocking their babies in different ways all night and getting barely any sleep around 2–3 months.
A few moms found that swaddling or ‘arms up’ sleep suits reduced the startle reflex and helped babies sleep a bit longer, though not all babies tolerate swaddles.
When nights are consistently very tough, moms suggest getting help (nanny, family) and discussing the baby’s sleep and weight gain with the pediatrician.
At that age one of the leading causes of crying is colic; try colic aid and see if baby feels better. Babies also cry when overtired, so look up wake windows and stick to them. Sometimes they just want to be held and walked.
Post-midnight crying happens a lot in colic. What really helped her sleep was contact napping; I had a recliner and held her in my arms all night. Your baby is super new to the world and you are their number 1 source of comfort, so don't worry about creating a clingy baby; contact napping builds secure attachment.
Get colic medicine from the doctor, it helps a lot. Keep baby upright for 20 minutes after every feed and burp every time. During the day make the baby sleep on tummy under supervision - the pressure on their tummy helps them. It feels unending but it will pass.
We took him out on a car ride every evening whenever he would start crying - only that calmed him down. It will eventually get better.
Their digestive system isn't completely developed. When babies start moving their body and the digestive system develops, the colic issue resolves.
This could be a 3-month growth spurt. The startle reflex reduces if you swaddle - try a sleep cocoon or arms-up swaddle technique. After feeding give a little top feed (like 30 ml) so they feel full and sleep better.
Get help - a nanny/caregiver who can look after the baby so you can rest, or you'll get anxiety.
Colic gets better after 3 months. Arching the back and gagging are signs. Apply hing roll-on around the belly button and do light tummy exercises.
Give him expressed milk in a bottle - that gives you an idea if he got enough and gives him the satisfaction of fullness.
A new skill or activity does take away their sleep. There will be off days, but if it isn't consistent it's okay - she's a human baby, not a robot. If she's doing 11-12 hours on average in 24 hours, it's fine.
After my baby's vaccine he slept much less for a couple of days then crashed and did about 14 hours to reset. A long wake day can make her overtired, so keep soothing with dim lights and white noise and she'll have one long sleep to reset.
12 hours is a very long wake window for a 2-3 month old - she's overtired, which makes sleep even worse. Try asking someone else to put her to sleep since babies can smell mom and won't settle. Check she's not too warm or cold (room temp 24-25 degrees), keep the room dimly lit, and gently rub the bridge between her nose and forehead to help her close her eyes.
Feed her completely, then swaddle, use side/stomach position, shushing, swinging and sucking (pacifier or breast) - the 5 S's by Harvey Karp.
Take her out for a bit, come back, do a nice oil massage, give a bath, feed, then make her sleep. That worked for me.
Try a walk in a sleeping position in your arms, or rock her while walking down stairs. Walking outside in open, dark areas with less light also helps.
It's normal. Just make sure that at least once in the day he sleeps for 5-6 hours. Don't always hold him - even if he wakes, put him down. Sometimes they do this when hungry, so make sure he's well fed. It will change slowly.
The information shared on this page comes from real experiences of mothers in our community. While we strive to provide helpful insights, this content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with your pediatrician, healthcare provider, or other qualified medical professional for any questions regarding your child's health or development.
Last reviewed: January 12, 2026
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