Will this work? Gradual withdrawal/retreat....

[bluetop]

Am trying to get 8mo ds to stop nightwaking every hour or so, and to stop bf to sleep. So I just started feeding him almost asleep, or asleep and then waking him slightly, and then holding him to sleep before i put him in the cot.
How does GW/GR work exactly? Is it hold him to sleep for 3 nights, then hold in cot for 3 nights, then stay in room until asleep etc?
For the nightwakings I am spacing out the feeding - last night I held him to sleep instead of feeding at 2am, but decided to still feed at 4:30 incase he needs it. Then again at 6am. Plus I fed him a lot when he woke up at 11pm.
Sorry for the billions of info - just wondered if anyone experienced could give me any advice...if I'm on the right track? Thank you!

Bumping for you cause I'm hoping to give this method a go soon with my DS!

Hiya, i haven't got a sleeping through baby but I do think she has improved gradually and prob would have improved more if i hadn't enjoyed co-sleeping so much!

My advice is use the book as inspiration but follow your instincts. I did milk then settled her in her cot with hands on (as you) then hands off (and sssh) as she got sleepy then waiting for a bit then 'night night' and left the room. But at any point I would go back a step if she cried. BUt would make sure she saw me leave. And sometimes abandoned it all if she wouldn't settle.

I started this at 8mths because it seemed she understood a bit more and needed to see me leave and still do this now although it seems she has jumped in the last couple of weeks and just goes to sleep without the gradual stages (now 16mths).

Thanks you two - I haven't got the book, just read about gw/gr on threads here! Its so far a bit of a nightmare really. Last two nights he woke at 11pm so I fed him but then he wouldn't settle for a few hours, made worse by the fact that I felt frustrated and it was hard for me to calm him. Then eventually he fell asleep, only to wake up an hour later - gutted! So then I took him into bed. (have been cosleeping since he was born and only now am trying to keep him in the cot)
He screams if dh tries to settle him so it is just down to me at the mo, which makes it even harder. Can't believe I am surviving on so little sleep!
Good luck Megbusset. Bumping for you too! I am also reading another thread about bf to sleep on here at the mo - might join it as it seems like what we are trying to do.

I and a few others have been doing GR and yes elements do work but it is a very lengthy process. It won't necessarily work quickly but it is very gentle and follows your babies lead so it depends on how you want to approach it. We often have to take steps back (or ignore altogether) when teething, development, being unwell etc but the general principles of taking small steps to encourage them to sleep on their own do work but then again, age has a lot to do with it too. My general advice would be to take it very slowly and don't stress if you 'fail' they will all get there eventually. Some just take a lot longer than others.

Incidently, I never read the book just made up manageable steps myself. (that includes time frames) I figured that if it caused any stress then it wasn't the right time and we step back a bit. There was a thread about it recently which you may find if you do a search. Good luck.