My LO is 15 months and as a newborn we could put him down awake in his cot and he would go to sleep.
Now when we put him to bed we lay him down and pat his bum until he's asleep enough to leave the room. Once asleep he sleeps 7-7 and if he stirs in the night he settles himself back to sleep (unless teething or upset and the bum pat again)
It's not a habit we have 'created' but it just seems impossible to put him to bed and leave him to go to sleep on his own.
We've tried leaving him and seeing what he does and on one or two occasions he's just laid back down and gone to sleep but mostly just cries and sobs and gets upset when he realises your not in the room.
Any similar experiences? Is this common at this age I read about separation anxiety? Thanks☺️