I was in the exact same boat just a mth or so ago with my then 7 mth old son. My husband also wanted him out of our bed, and was more than willing to let him CIO (against my VERY vehement protests!). We tried for a mth to try to transition him to a crib, and after many nights of almost hrly. wake-ups and plenty of tears, I saw a post on this forum that suggested using a mattress on the floor instead of the crib. It has worked like a charm. I nurse or pat/rub him to sleep, and then roll off the bed and leave once he is sleeping. My son went from waking up almost every 45 mins screaming in his crib to sleeping 4-5 hours at a time, and will even wake up, make a few noises, and then put himself back to sleep before I can even get upstairs. When he does wake up in the middle of the night, I can go into his room and sleep with him if I need to. I cannot say enough how happy this has made all of us, and how well this has worked. Even my pro-CIO husband is ready to take the crib down! I would really suggest giving this a try, it has really worked for us.

Good luck!

Thanks so much for your reply!!! Looking forward to many more suggestions!!!

So, do you put anything around the mattress? Is it a baby mattress or a full-size mattress? I have both.

A larger mattress would be good...for your comfort and less roll away area. Unless you have a super high mattress and uncarpeted floors the roll off hazzard is little (or a super movement oriented child!) I have done this at one point or another with boy my boys and have only once had a roll off...and that is because I did not make sure he was in the middle (or close) before I left. (he was fine...it just woke him up!) The rest of the room should be made pretty safe and I always had a very sensitive monitor on so I could go in right away...just in case of any intersting or unusual noise. I could even hear my first born breathing it was so sensitive!

Anyway, you can always fold up a blanket or two next to the roll off points if you are worried about that. One of the biggest hazzards are getting stuck under or between nearby furniture so make sure the mattress has room around it not butted against random side tables, toyboxes etc.

Let us know how it goes! Your child wants your comfort, and you want to be avalible. It can be a balancing act for sure!

Okay, I tried the mattress thing last night with his baby mattress. I placed pillows all around the sides. When I first lied down with him, he fell instantly asleep, and I was able to roll off the mattress while he was still sleeping. HOORAY!!!!

However, after his first waking, he would not let me off of the mattress. It was like he knew when I was trying to sneak out of the room. SO, I did end up co-sleeping, but on the tiny baby mattress. I'm exhausted!!!

I love this idea, but I'm wanting to make sure I can sneak out in the middle of the night, too.

Any more suggestions???

Give it a week or so!
Relax!
After he trusts that you will come when he needs you he will be less likely to freak when you try to leave.....and get a bigger bed so you are Comfortable!!!

Thanks for the reassurance. Yes, I might have to get the bigger mattress up from the basement. My son's room is small, but I really think this might work. I guess my husband is a little impatient and wants a quick-fix to the situation. I just find it SO strange that my son KNEW I was trying to leave the room all night. And it wasn't that he wanted to nurse. He would grab me and give me the biggest hug. Poor little guy.