Hi Hollo,
Just a short answer. You know your child is going to cry anyway because she cries whether you hold her or not. But the important thing is that she feels like she doesn't have to cry alone. Rocking etc. gets pretty hard so maybe try something else that will still let her know that you are there. E.g. Have her on your lap, put her in the cot and sit beside it and stroke her tummy with your hand etc. Also get yourself a pair of ear plugs - they will do wonders for your sanity. But just like we would never leave our partner to cry alone just because we couldn't stop them, I personally think we should apply that to our young ones as well. So let her know that you are there and that in itself will provide comfort. Hope this helps