How long to let a baby cry it out ? (does it take a few days or weeks?)?

At 10 months, our son has learned to stand & now will not go to sleep without being rocked or nursed- this just started a week ago & it is taking over an hour to get him to fall asleep. He used to lay in there, play, then go to sleep... now we put him down, he pops right up & sreams.
He also wakes up 2 times a night to nurse, but is eaing plenty in the day, & doesn't nurse much at all, just wants me around (I think).
How do I go about doing this? How many days does it last? We have company coming this weekend & next but then we have to travel, so I thought I should just do it now. Any suggestions? (I don't want him to be crying when the company is here- I hate for them & him to have to go through that during a visit). Thanks.
(PS- he is also doing this for naps).

Additional Details

6 minutes ago
He doesn't take a bottle (never did), just a cup with a straw or nursed.
I think I tried the NO CRY SLEEP SOLUTION book, but it seemed to promote rocking, co-sleeping, ect.. and we don't want to get into a new habit of that.
Also- as soon as we pick him up after he has cried for a few minutes, then when we hold him, he starts "playing" with our faces, ect... and gets excited again.

4 minutes ago
We have a very consistant schedule:
Dinner, walk, snack of cereal, bath, breastfeed, book with daddy, then bed (until he started not wanting the "bed" part this week)

sounds like he's just gotten into the habit of waking up. if he isn't nursing much at night and gets enough to eat during the day, then he doesn't need you to get up and feed him. of course he wants it, but he doesn't need it.

we used the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth. I have 19 month-old twin boys and this book is very popular in my twins group. At 6 months my boys were still waking up every 3 hours. We let them cry it out and I got up once a night to feed them because I wasn't strong enough to let them cry it out. I thought that they "needed" the food at night since they ate about 4 ounces... but really it was just a habit and once we stopped the night feedings, they ate more during the day to make up for it.

Sleep training took us about a week. After our boys started sleeping better, they were MUCH happier kids. And I had much more patience with them!

As far as your son standing up and screaming... he simply knows that that works. He's a smart kid and knows that if he screams enough and for long enough, you will come and get him. Of course, if he's screaming in a different way than normal and/or you have a feeling that something IS wrong, then go in and get him. But otherwise, I'd let him cry.

Anyway, the book I recommended is great and addresses everything. He says that sleep begets sleep, and I totally agree. Also that your baby shouldn't be awake more than 3 hours at a time during the day, except for during the last period of awake time before bed. So, say he wakes up at 7am, he should be in his bed for a nap by 10am. If he wakes up at 11:30, he should be back in bed by 2:30pm.

Good luck - it DOES work and a sleeping family is a happy family! Oh - get fans to turn on at night and you can't hear the crying (I know it sounds horrible but it's really worth it for everyone).

Door cracked and you two listenin intently and let him cry 20 minutes. then go in and put him down and leave. let him cry 20 minutes more and then go put him down again.

repeat as reiquired every night till he goes to sleep. It takes less than 2 weeks and he will be fine and go down the first time.

We were at our wits end and saw this on 20/20 TV Show . Works like a champ. Very little pain after months of no sleep for us it was easy to do. It is not cruel and it works.

Old Guy

Sounds to me that he learned something new and is very excited to try it out. I know it is frustrating for you but if you just stick to your guns -letting him know that it is night time and that you will play in the morning. He will probably cry for a while but I think they say at this age go back in there in a few minutes and position him down again (without hugging, cuddling etc) and let him know that it is night time again. That will help let him know that you have not left him and that he is still safe. He will get it.

Also, I think he may be playing you in the nursing department. I am not sure but just from my experience, I was told to stop the night time feedings around 6 months. I would see if he is getting enough food during the day or just wants his mommy at night, could be either one.

Hope that helps

Although I personally dont practise cry it out or care for it... I will try to help you by the things I have heard.

You start out by just letting them cry for 5 minutes, go in check on them for 5 minutes, repeat until baby is asleep. (Sorry, typing strange because I am holding daughter). Dont stay in room with baby, because if they see you - they will cry harder for you. I believe from what I heard it takes a week to start working. Hope that helps. Oh and as time progresses, make the crying time longer - five minutes turns into 10 minutes, 15 , 20 - you get the idea.