Hellobee Boards

I read the first line and thought the same thing as @littlejoy: - this doesn't sound like separation anxiety, it sounds like the inability to self soothe. There are a lot of ways to address this and depending on the way you select there are tons of bees who will give you advice. I personally did sleep training, but that was because it made the most sense for our family.

I want to provide the context that I am a full-time working mom (I think you are too?) and I totally understand how hard the crying is. I think you are creating some unnecessary "mom guilt" by making yourself think it's separation anxiety. From an outside perspective it really doesn't sound like it - it sounds like a child that is unable to put himself to sleep and is thrilled when his means of getting to sleep comes in to alleviate his upset. You either need to commit to continuing the crutch or try to break it. People have rocked both ways!

ETA: I will say my kid went through some weird stuff at 8 months. I remember just thinking he was freak until I think @gingerbebe wrote that her kid did too. He started waking up really early in the morning inconsolable, seeming legitimately hungry (he had STTN since 10 weeks and was sleep trained at that point). We powered through and he went back to normal. So, my advice could be totally wrong and this could just be a stage. Babies are crazy. There are tons of people that never have to sleep train their kids and the whole "inability to self soothe" thing seems to be bull shit. My kid wasn't one of those, but here's to hoping for the next one!

@LBee: Totally, totally agree!! Ours didn't start sleep regression issues until 8 months, and then hit them HARD at every expected age. It was just our way of knowing we had to sleep train (DH and I both work full time, and just happened to be blessed with a good sleeper until 8 months) ... we chose the route that worked for us.