sleep training a mobile baby

[Mumblemumble]

I've come to a point where I feel sleep training is in order. 8 month old seems to be getting worse rather than better (up to 7 months it was a slowly improving picture so I was happy to wait it out, but now I'm getting desperate).

The problem is that, if not fully asleep before I put him in the cot, DS immediately stands up and holds onto the side crying. I just don't see him lying down and going to sleep on his own with the sleep training method of regular visits whilst baby 'cries him/herself to sleep').

Anyone sleep trained an older baby and how did you make it work?
(I'm not yet convinced I can go through with the whole crying thing but, right now, I'm seriously flirting with the idea)

We did. It was the last resort. We tried gradual withdrawal when she was 10months (over two weeks each night moving further away from the cot). Was torture and did not work. Controlled crying was something neither of us wanted to opt for but in 3 nights she slept through and has done ever since.
Dd 3yrs sleeps 12 hrs a night.
Sleep deprivation is so unbelievably taxing. When you finally get a full night's sleep you feel like a different person. I really feel that if you are cracking up under the strain (as I felt once) it's worth a try.
I understand there are no-cry sleep solutions too now.
Hopefully someone can advise you about that.

thanks

I haven't found the no-cry sleep solutions very no-cry!

How about the baby whipsperer techniques? They don't involve leaving the baby - but just laying them back down until they get the idea! The baby whisperer Internet forum is a great place to get info

off to check it out. thanks

We found the baby whisperer methods amazing for ds when he was 8 months old. Similar problem, he would stand up but didn't seem to be able to get back down again. You just keep laying them down, saying shh sleepy time a million time until in the end they are too knackered to pop up again. Next time they get the message quicker. It only took us two bedtimes and a daytime sleep to go from having to rock ds to sleep or having to leave an arm in the cot for him to hang onto to him laying straight down and going straight off to sleep.

shopping do you just stand there doing that until they sleep or go out and leave intervals?

You just stand there. Trick is to not look at them and to repeat exactly the same phrase (choose something quick). I reckon the first time I was laying him down for about an hour and a half, sweating buckets and really pissed off but still whispering sleepy time in my calmest voice. Middle of the night took about 45 mins and the following day time nap about 20. The next night I laid him down and he stayed there and went to sleep without getting up. I just stood there for about five mins.
We then moved a few centimetres away from the cot every day for about a fortnight til we could just lay him down and leave. It's a long two weeks and you need to be consistent and stay strong but it really works. 6 years later and he is still brilliant at going to bed

I used to sit in dd's room and read a book after putting her down awake. I would sit by the door with the landing light on. She had to be fully asleep before I could risk leaving but this did work after a fashion. You need to be careful thoug because the anxiety stems from them worrying u will leave so if they catch u doing it you've has it!
Otherwise when dd was a bit older I used to put her in the spare bed and lie down with her. This worked too but I preferred reading - at least it kept me awake!

I just recalled I got so fed up once I laid out a fold up bed next to dd cot and would pretend to go to sleep next to her !