Co-sleeping tips for getting 18 month old off to sleep?

[justlookatthatbooty]

We have a large family bed for the four of us and DS, 18 mo, goes to bed in it with a solid bath, books, bottle routine at around 7.30 each night but takes usually about an hour to become sleepy but can be up to 2 hours or more. WE have til now, stayed with him for the duration, encouraging sleepyness and are starting to feel that it might be time to do the ritual, cuddle if he'll be cuddled and then leave the room, coming back now and then if necessary. How do other co-sleepers do it? We have a three week old DD who will eventually join the ritual but for now any tips on how to get a little more evening time to ourselves without using controlling behaviour or crying out techniques etc?

[MoominMymbleandMy]

We put our 22-month-old in a sling in the evening and take him out of it when he's soundly asleep.