18 mth old DS crying himself to sleep - worried

[thebecster]

DS used to love going to bed - used to snuggle up with his bear and say 'bye bye' to me and even if he didn't go straight to sleep he'd be chatting to his bear until he dropped off, and the bedtime was a lovely routine. But now he's crying as soon as he gets into his cot - but he only cries for 2 minutes at most before falling fast asleep, so he's clearly knackered. The problem started when he was on strong steroid tablets for his asthma and he couldnt' get to sleep at all (but literally at all - he went 48 hours without a nap after his first dose). I think he's forgotten how to get to sleep and that he's got into the routine of crying as just 'what he does' before going to sleep. It's been going on for 2 weeks now - every night he listens to his story happily, kisses me goodnight happily, but as soon as he gets near his cot he screams, but then falls asleep within 2 minutes. I've been leaving the room saying 'bye bye, go to sleep' because he's only crying briefly. But still I hate to hear him crying every single night, it doesn't seem right. Anyone got any ideas, I'm worried as I don't know how to break the cycle. Thanks so much!

Do you read him his story while he is in his cot or do you put him in afterwards?
you could give him a bath, put his pyjamas on and then put him into his cot, then read him a story, and stay with him until he falls asleep, stroking his head or sing to him as he nods off.
They do tend to go through a period of restlessness though just when you think they are ina settled routine. I think it is also the realisation that bedtime means being away from you.
Asthma is a horrible thing to have at his age as well, I really feel for him.

I have a thread about sleep issues with my 18 mo - after he had a few weeks of illness (nothing serious, coughs, colds, high temp) he became a nightmare to settle as we were having to rock him/stay with him when he was ill, we did leave him to cry and he now settles perfectly - its horrible to do and I needed dh to help me as I find it upsetting but after a week he was settled again - it could be a phase and he might grow out of it??
if its only a couple of minutes then Lazarous suggestion of singing and staying with him could help as its not that long, we only left ds as after hour of being with him he was still wide awake and with us being there he thought it was time to play...

sorry not much help but didn't want post to be unanswered as crying and sleep can get you down can't it?

Thank you both for replies, really appreciate it. You're not wrong insywinsy, it's really upsetting . We did controlled crying a while back, but this is different - he's not crying for long - just a few minutes, but it is every single night, he isn't going to sleep without a cry first.

Might try your suggestiong Lazarou and stay with him until he falls asleep a few times in the hope that it breaks the cycle. His asthma is such a worry to me - he's been hospitalized three times now as blood oxygen got too low, and I age ten years every time it happens... By the time he's three years old I'll be a hundred and twenty! The poor little blighter...

Both my DS's complained about being put in their cots at night time regardless of the number of stories, wave machine going etc.

I think they just reach a stage when they don't want their day to end and crying is their only way of telling you that.

Sometimes I leave DS2's door ajar so he's got a little light and he drops off.

DS1 was the same and now happily snuggles down in his big boy bed after a story, kiss and a night night Mummy love you so don't worry you're not scarring him for life.