What exactly constitutes as ‘independent’ sleep? How ‘independent’ are your LOs?

Question

I haven’t used any fancy sleep training books or programmes and I have just done what felt right/natural to ‘sleep train’ my son. 
I’m wondering what is classed as an independent sleeper?
For naps I put my son down in his cot and leave the room. Most of the time he’ll fuss for 10 or so minutes but drop off by himself. Sometimes I have to go back in and hold him (without actually picking him up) and hush him to calm him down. Other times he won’t settle so I nurse him but this only happens very occasionally. 
When he’s asleep he’ll sometimes wake up. Lots of the time he’ll get himself back to sleep with no issues. Sometimes I have to settle him. 
Tonight I put him down for the night and he was fine. He started fussing after he couldn’t get himself to sleep. I went up to calm him down and held his hands and hushed him but left the room again while he was still awake. He nodded off after that, by himself. 
Would this be considered an independent sleeper? How do your LOs fair at getting themselves to sleep?

Answer

Mines not independent at all lol. He’s a mommas boy... I’ve been trying to get him into his own crib FOR AGES. But due to unfortunate circumstances he’s had to sleep in the bed with me ☹️🙂 (apartment gave us bed bugs and we didn’t have a crib for almost two weeks..)......... I wish I knew how to break this new habit of sleeping with me.......

Answer

Independent sleep is free from any ‘props’ or sleeping aids ie dummy, bottle, breast, rocking. To be a truly independent sleeper, babies should be fed before bedtime but not AT bedtime (the pros recommend 40 mins prior), and should be put down in the crib/bassinet wide awake (not asleep or even drowsy) with no external props for soothing. Through learning, baby then puts himself to sleep when ready. This takes some training but is very attainable. Studies have shown that babies who rely on an external prop to be able to get off to sleep tend to wake more often through the night wanting to be soothed again - particularly those who are fed to sleep. Baby learns very quickly that if he wakes up he’ll get milk...

Answer

I think if they can fall asleep in the crib or bassinet without you there the whole time then they’re independent, especially at this stage. My baby also needs a little help some naps and occasionally at bedtime, where we go in and shush/pat her if she’s still fussing after a few minutes. But she goes into her crib awake and we leave the room before she’s asleep. 
When she cries after a short nap or after bedtime I try to wait a few minutes before rushing in, and more and more often she’ll put herself back to sleep within a minute or two without my help! This makes me optimistic that she’s developing independent sleep and soothing skills 😊

Answer

I wonder about this as well my little lady has a dummy. I put the dummy in and leave her and she will go to sleep. If she loses the dummy before she’s in a deep sleep I put it back in. Sometimes when the dummy falls out she will moan for me to put it back other times she’ll just go back to sleep it depends how tired she still is. I’m happy with how it is as it’s normally only twice in the night and she is beside me. So I barely have to wake up just roll over and pop it in.

What exactly constitutes as ‘independent’ sleep? How ‘independent’ are your LOs?

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