My DD is 5+ months old and has been a little madam between the hours of 6pm and 10pm since birth. DH and I have never had an evening to ourselves and because i am EBF i was always up and down the stairs offering her a BF etc etc and it was wearing me out.
Anyway, i started to wean her onto a few solids a couple of weeks a go. Last week she began having a little more so i decided it was time to get tough on her and make her realise her bedtime ws between 6-7pm.
Last Thursday i ordered a takeaway pizza and DH, DS and i had it in our bedroom (DS thought it was christmas). I put DD down to bed after a breastfeed and then spent the next 3 hours doing the controlled crying method beginning with leaving her for 1 min, then 2, then 5, the 10 to finally going in every 15 mins. It was the most truely heart wreching 3 hours but she finally fell to sleep on her own. Since last Thursday the longest she has taken to go down too sleep is 10 minutes having only to go in once to resettle her.
I can't tell you the difference it has made to me and my family. I am able to spend an hour of quality time with DS before his bedtime and then DH and i have enjoyed every evening together.
I know some don't agree with the method but i just wwanted to share my experience that it does work and DD is so much happier and content during the day because she is having her required sleep and i'm a very very happy mummy