Night separation anxiety in 8 month old

[pleasethanks]

My 8 month old DD was previously a decent self settler at night and fed (ish) to sleep for naps. Now however she is screaming and screaming when put in her crib and it is taking ages to settle her and night wakings have started too. I think this is down to separation anxiety as it gets worse when we try and leave the room. We have been sitting with her/holding her etc to calm her and stay with her till she is asleep. But I am worried that she will then be reliant on us to sleep. Is there any point in doing some sort of sleep training?

I have the same pleasethanks. Nightmare isn't it? My main problem is that I don't know whether or not to pick up and settle him (and potentially mess up the good sleep habits) or to continue with what we've been doing and hope he settles. We get totally exasperated trying to do as before, drive ourselves mad, and then pick up, feed etc anyway, so feel like we may as well have done that in the beginning and saved ourselves the hassle, but then wonder what does the future hold if he always needs picking up etc?

Interestingly though, I just had a 2 hour nap this aft (:D) and then had to deal with the screaming etc, and with a bit of patience, the usual way (no talking, just hand on chest, a few kisses, putting his dummy back in) actually worked so I'm wondering whether it's a patience thing, and I just don't have enough patience in the night. So difficult!