No Rest For the Weary

I wish I had a magic solution to get my 7 month old daughter to sleep at night. She does really well during the day with her sitter, but at night it is just impossible. I cant seem to break this cycle of nursing her to sleep, laying her down in the crib and then 30 to 45 minutes later she is awake thinking it is play time. I try to keep her on a routine such as dinner between 6:00 - 6:30, bath time between 7:00 - 7:30 nurse around 8:00. She usually falls asleep while nursing and I let her suckle for a few minute before switching to her binky.

I am so against cry it out, I cant stand to sit there and know that my baby is crying for me, but last night got the better of me. I tried to let her just cry. It lasted for at least an hour. I would go in there pat her butt and shoosh her until she calmed down and closed her eyes, but as soon as I walked out the door she was flipped over and crying again. Every three minutes I would repeat these steps. She refused to have any of it. She wanted her mommy and her mommy wanted her to go to sleep. I felt frustrated and defeated.  Is it really too much to ask that I would like 30 minutes to an hour to spend time with my husband or just have some me time?

We ended the night in her swing where she wistfully drifted into her slumber. My husband can pick her up and lay her in her crib where she slept until about 1:30 am. I am so guilty of picking her up in the middle of the night and carrying her back to our bed to nurse and go back to sleep. I am a working momma who really enjoys her sleep. Oh and I love the midnight cuddles. If my husband wasn't just so terribly against starting the night in our bed then I am sure we would just skip this whole nightly disaster.

Maybe it is time to read a few books and see what could possibly work for us. Maybe she just isn't ready, or maybe I am just a big wimp.