Desperate for advice - what should I do?

[toomanyquestions]

I have been co-sleeping with my 5-mo-old since birth. He often nurses to sleep. Before that, he would only sleep in my arms and it took a long time to get him able to sleep next to me. For naps, he is rocked or nursed to sleep and sleeps in a swing.
I had to leave him for one night this weekend for the first time. I think it was a success. Overnight, my mom gave him the bottle in bed and he fell asleep, she slept next to him in the bed, although I was cautious about that and was hoping he might sleep in the arm's reach. He woke about 3x throughout the night and ate 3oz each time. Overall it went fine...BUT....
I have a sales job and for the next month I will have to spend 1 night away each week. My mom, my husband, and many others are saying that in order to make their lives easier, I need to train him to sleep in the crib all night and do this when I am home too. I am so torn because I feel like he and I will both need the extra assurance when I am home to make up for being away. One idea I have (I saw this on a Dr. Sears video) is to try to train him to fall asleep in his crib, but bring him to my bed at his first waking...will this be confusing for him?
Has anyone been through anything like this? Please tell me what you did...

[chattyprincess]

I am so sorry you are having such a tough time! My intial thought was I wonder if your mother would like to tag along with you to where you are going and spend day with grandchild and then you guys can still cosleep that night?? Or maybe anyone else can come with you?
My dd (3yo) still cosleeps from about 3 am on, she falls asleep with one of us there as well. My inlaws were intially very against this and now that they have kept her a few nights ( I know not once a week!) they are fine with and actually enjoy having her sleeping with them...good luck!