What is an Independent Sleeper?

    My name is Mica, and I am a certified sleep consultant and founder of Rested Mama, Happy Baby. I help families on their journey to establish healthy sleep habits and get the whole family sleeping again! I talk a lot about independent sleeping in my coaching and my classes, and instead of providing you with a “google worthy” definition, I will paint you a picture:

What it looks like:

   Imagine your days were predictable and productive.  You’re home from work, you have an early dinner, and notice the clock.  It’s about 6:15 pm, and you have about 15 mins to relax before it’s time for your child’s bedtime routine. Your 4-month-old little babe is sitting in a bouncer, no fussing, no crying because his schedule has ensured he isn’t overtired.  It’s now 6:30 pm. You bring him upstairs for a bath, massage, and read him a book in about 20 minutes. Finally, you give him a big last snuggle, tell him you love him, say goodnight, shut the door, and leave.  It’s quiet.  You might hear some coos, but it’s bedtime, and you confidently go clean the dishes or have your glass of wine because he is DOWN FOR THE NIGHT.

   This is what it means to teach your child how to sleep independently. But, it is so much more than teaching them the ability to self-soothe.  It allows them to have an uninterrupted sleep, which they have more control over and allows you to have your evenings back as a parent.  

Fully Awake Without Assistance:

   So what else is really going on in that scenario? He is going down fully awake, without a swaddle, in his crib, without any assistance from you for ALL naps and bedtime.  That little independent sleeper doesn’t need any of the following:

• A paci
• Rocking
• Patting
• Nursing/feeding

No Night Time Wake Ups:

   The benefits of independent sleep do not stop there.  It is extremely normal for children to have 2-5 sleep cycles each night, which requires them to connect each cycle to go back to sleep.  If they require you to do this, you will have multiple wake-ups in the night as they search for you to help them connect and return to sleep.

  But imagine if you enabled your child to do this on their own successfully?  Yes, you can ditch the 1-2+ hour bedtime routine because you have to feed or rock your child to sleep, as well as the multiple nighttime wake-ups.  How glorious does that sound?  

Yes, it is possible for YOUR baby!

   Independent sleep has been a reality for many families who have utilized the methods I teach.  From laying the foundation when they are a newborn to teaching your older baby, after 4 months of age, please know they ARE capable of this and truly need to become independent sleepers to get the sleep they need.  Our classes and consultations can help determine the right method for your family.  

   If you're ready to start setting healthy sleep habits for your baby and get your entire family sleeping again, head on over to Rested Mama, Happy Baby to learn more because a happy mama and dad lead to a happy baby.

 Learn more about how we work with families to help their babies sleep 10+ hours at night without Cry-it-out or Ferber.  Join our free webinar!

Sleep is around the corner,

Rested Mama, Happy Baby Founder