I would HIGHLY recommend you buy the book today called "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weisbluth. It is excellent. I will be the first to admit we had some horrible habits established for sleep and eating still at the 9 month (adjusted) mark. We were able to turn the sleep issues around with the help of this book (and the eating by just establishing a schedule similar to the other posting's suggestions). It will feel like a drastic schedule overhaul but better this way and they will learn quickly the new routine.

Many of the suggestions in the book seemed like they should have been obvious -- like establishing a soothing environment before sleep -- but we were still letting ours nap in the swing, etc. THe swing would barely even move since one of ours was pushing 20 pounds and still sleeping in it!

One of the girls responded immediately to the bedtime routine and was sleeping in her crib wonderfully within a couple days. The other two took a little while and one had to be separated for naps, but eventually they got it.

Cry it out is not fun, but honestly I found it to be somewhat liberating since at least you are not worrying about holding them, rocking them, trying to get them back to sleep, etc. And really only one did that much crying and only at naps because they were more realxed at sleep times by having a good routine.

Good luck.
Lara
Mom to GGG born at 25+4 on 12/25/09