DS crying himself to sleep

[WaitingForMe]

DS was/is an ok sleeper but has started crying at the sensation of falling asleep. I'll feed him and he'll be all sleepy and snuggly, his eyelids will drop... then he'll rouse himself and start crying. He'll then often cry himself to sleep in my/DHs arms or car seat (he does the same when we're driving).

He's 8 months old. Please tell me it's a phase!

My DS has always cried before going to sleep> When he was a newborn obviously we held him, but since about 5mo we have put him down in his cot....he cries, rolls around a bit, is soothed by his dummy, cries a bit more and then usually goes to sleep within 10 mins.

When he was 5mo I used to go in to him every 3 mins, rub his tummy, give his dummy and say shhhhh shhhhh. Now (8mo), I just let him get on with it as he babbles and shrieks and whinges in his cot for 10 mins before falling asleep. He has a distinct tired cry, which me and DH refer to as him "talking himself down to sleep", which is very different from his upset or scared cry. He cries'down' to sleep, rather than crying 'up' into hysterics, if that makes sense? I think it's kind of his way of downloading all the experiences he has had that morning/afternoon etc etc.

What kind of cry is your DS making? If he is crying down, grumbling, whingeing with a bit of babbling thrown in, I would say put him down and see what happens. Obvs go in and reassure him every few mins if you're worried.

Don't they have big separation anxiety at 8 months. This might be why this is happening, they get clingy-er.

Totally agree with BotBotticelli dd does exactly the same. Even sings a bit now

You get to know which cries are which including the 'I've rolled and got stuck somewhere in the cot'

He cries up. I've left him to grizzle in the past and he's gone to sleep but now he gets hysterical.

Last night I had him in bed with me and DH went to DSS2s room and he was happy. Rolled away to sleep then periodically checked I was still there. It must be separation anxiety as he was happily in his own room for three months.

I think I'll have to keep him with me in the hopes he gets the reassurance he needs. Maybe set up the inflatable bed in his room so he's at least in the right room and try to separate slowly from there?