Jo
DD#1 "JellyBean" 6/08
DD#2 "Ha" 6/10
"Theory is great, but as I'm in the trenches of diapers and dishes and ear infections, I try to relax and focus on what's most important: love."--mjs64
My DD still sleeps with us, and she is 7. She is adopted from Guatemala and came home when she was 18 mos. old. She was used to sleeping with her foster mom and we started her sleeping with us from the beginning. I do believe it is time for her to sleep in her own bed, but I honestly don't see it happening anytime soon!
We have not done CIO at all. With DD1 we accidentally ended up co-sleeping after she was sick and we wanted her in bed with us to monitor her breathing. She never really left. We successfully transitioned her into her "real" bed a little before 2 (I was about to have DD2 and wanted it done before then). DH slept on an aerobed next to her bed and we slowly moved him away, then out of her room completely. She did great!
DD2 sometimes cosleeps with us, sometimes not. Whatever is easier that night. Right now she starts in her crib. she's 1 and sometimes still eats at night, so either ends up back in her crib or in bed with us. She used to cosleep a lot more, so I worked with her to get her more comfortable with her crib. It involved some crying, but not CIO. I was there soothing her the whole time. I still stay with her to help her fall asleep but it doesn't take as long.
Both transitions away from cosleeping were done because MY quality of sleep was going down. Between squirming kids, getting kicked, etc, I needed more and better sleep than I was getting. So it can be done!!