I had a 12 month old who also came with a 'warning' from his parents that he was a horrible sleeper, needed to be rocked, in a dark room, with a bottle, etc. From day one, I gave him his bottle to have before being put in the playpen and he would finish it first. Then I laid him down in the playpen and let him cry it out. First day he cried for about 1/2 hour. He's been here about a month, and he still cries when I lay him down but only for a minute or two.