8 month old can't sleep unless held by me

[Violetr8]

Hi everyone. Just looking to speak to someone who may be/has been in a similar situation!
My daughter is 8 months old and has always been a horrific sleeper. Up until she was about four months old she managed a couple of hours in her crib. Has always fed to sleep if that is relevant. Since four months she began waking hourly, now it is every half hour from when I put her down at bedtime until I eventually come to bed and I have to hold her all night. She sleeps most of the night this way and is the only way we both get any sleep.
I also have to hold her for naps. I have been trying to get her used to napping in her cot but it normally takes a million attempts (she cried when I put her down anywhwere) then she wakes up constantly. Most she ever manages in her cot is half an hour-day or night.
I am not interested in sleep training and I am sure she will grow out of it eventually but I wish I knew when!!! I don't have a single second to myself and it is starting to get pretty tough and I feel a bit trapped.
She just can't seem to link her sleep cycles without me. I have tried white noise, placing my hand on her etc.
I guess I am just asking if she will just one day manage to sleep by herself or is there something gentle I can do to help.
Thank you in advance

That sounds pretty rough! My daughter is almost 9 months and was the same up until 4.5 months. I started doing pick up put down with her and I use an app called Huckleberry which gives you a sweet spot when to put them down for a nap - it really helped. It took a few days, maybe a week but I was consistent and didn’t give in.

She’s currently going through another sleep regression so I’m having to do the pick up put down again but so far it’s working.

Sorry but I'd be doing hard sleep training. I had to go back to work when my son was 6 weeks old and no way could cope with this kind of disruption.

I've had the same issue with my 8 month old - he is always fed/held to sleep at bedtime and sleeps 2-3 hours max. The last couple of nights I've put him down 'drowsy but awake', mainly out of desperation. I was skeptical, but last night he slept 7 hours straight in his cot - I was amazed!
Sorry if you've tried it already, but if not it may be worth a go. We tried it a month ago and he wasn't having any of it, so it may be something that your baby comes round to.
It's not sleep training as such as at no point was he upset - I just hold or feed him as usual until his eyes are closing, then put him in his cot with a teddy and my hand on his chest. If he seems at all upset or restless I just pick him up and start again.