T is rocked to sleep for naps and bedtime and put in his crib after he goes to sleep. But now he doesn't want to be rocked to sleep anymore at 10 months. I can still make it work, but only after a long, stressful, and exhausting rocking session. I basically HAVE to make it work because otherwise he will lay in his bed and be awake even longer than if I had rocked him to sleep. And he will have to CIO. I don't want to do CIO.

How do I transition into putting him down drowsy but awake so he can put himself to sleep?