Night terrors? Or something I've done?

[CupidIsFired]

I have a 17 month old DD, for the last 7 months or so she has been crying in her sleep. There's no set time to when she does it's there's also no consistency with how long either. Some times it's 1 hour after falling asleep, sometimes it's the middle of the night, sometimes a an hour or 2 before wake up time and sometimes it could be all 3 on one night. Some times it's just for a couple of seconds, others it's for a minute or 2 and then sometimes she'll end up waking up. She always wants to be touching me though. She sleeps in with me as we share a room, I'm living with my mum as my ex left us when DD was 6 months and wants nothing to do with DD anymore, but he wasn't around much during the first 6 months anyway.
Also DD always pushes her hand underneath my body so her nails are scratching me, but she does it multiple times just pushing her hand in and out from underneath me.
She's always sleeping during all of this. I spoke to the HV at the 12 month check and as he told me she didn't believe that infants could have nightmares or night terrors but if it was to carry on as she grows then maybe speak to someone about it.
Has anyone got any experience with this? Did it stop? Is there something I can do to help? I'm gettin hardly any sleep because of this which means I'm feeling so shit, I was goijfto counselling for PND and I felt better but now I feel like I'm gettin bad again from being so tired. I'm also working so it means I'm really snappy with people when I'm really tired.

Please say this will stop and there's not something wrong with my DD. Also tips to get her to stay in her own bed are welcome.

It’s certainly nothing you have done, all you are doing is being a good mum. At this age they are still processing so much and trying to make sense of the world around them, my son suffers with night terrors and trying to explain to a 3 year old what is bad dream is is very difficult. Maybe try introducing a teddy so she can cuddle that (and scratch it) and yes it will certainly pass and she will not want to sleep with you forever, that I am certain of

@Babs5693 thank you for replying.

I will try the teddy, I think she likes to feel cuddled. Because when she wakes up during the night, sometimes she just wakes up without crying, she comes to me to cuddle in if she's not already. I was going to try a pillow and a duvet in her toddler bed to get her to stay there but everyone has made me so paranoid about SIDS. Last night she only had one episode of crying in her sleep so it was a good night. Although she woke about 3 times to be cuddled. My HV didn't make me feel very good about the fact she sleeps in with me. But if she's not feeling safe then I don't know what else to do.

I know lots of people that co sleep and I am a big believer in do whatever it takes to let your child and you get a good nights sleep. The time to change things is when you are no longer happy with the situation, until then carry on. Some HV are good and provide good advise but some do make you feel rubbish, I’ve been there. You can give them a duvet and pillow from 1 but I think because your daughter likes a cuddle a teddy may be the best way to start, when she comes in bed with you bring the teddy and she will start to associate it with you and cuddles. Glad you had a bit of a better night x