cried himself to sleep, and it's OK

[wombato]

I have one child, 11 months now.

This phenomenon has happened a few times that I've recognized, and probably more times where I just kept trying to shove a breast into him (and he keeps refusing).

Sometimes baby wants to cry a bit before sleep. Tonight was one of those. He was nursing on his side in the dark. He popped off the breast, sat up, and cried. When I offered soothing touches, he gently pushed my hand away. When I pulled him onto my chest lying down, he rolled away. The crying wasn't escalating. He just cried. He paused a couple of times, just sat there silently. He crawled around the bed a bit. After a few minutes, he flopped on his stomach and stopped making noise, asleep.

This is, of course, different from angry/upset screaming miserable crying, or crying that is getting worse (escalating).

I think he may be teething again.

I know that crying in baby's sleep has been mentioned here before...not sure if this has been, but it definitely happens.

[song_of_the_soule]

it could just be his temperment, it does happen

[Carhootel]

it has happened with my ds before too. i think it's an unwinding thing. it's hard to hear but like your lo sometimes it's not me (or breast) that he wants

[JessieBird]

Mine did that for about 6 mos - from 10 to 14 mos or so. It really troubled me at first, especially when all the old soothing tricks wouldn't work, but I came to accept that it is part of his winding down process. Like yours, he would gently push me a way and wanted to be a bit a part from me with his own space. Whether I stayed in the room or left didn't seem to make much difference, though often he'd fall asleep faster if I left him alone. My DH pointed out that I am similar - I cry when I am over tired or experience a strong emotion, even if it is happiness. DS is the same and it's possible that this is simply the temperament of your LO too.