from my understandings, and research.... I think there is a number of 'methods' that are similar, but slightly different.
Controlled Crying has been explained, where you leave a baby for increasing amount of time before returning to them. I think this method is becoming less popular, although it does work for many people.
Controlled Comforting - is where you stay with the baby until they are calm, then leave the room (not for any particular amount of time). You listen to their cries... and when they are distressed you return and calm them down. There is not set times for crying or comforting. Because of this Tresillian are renaming this method something else (forgot what). This is the method I was taught at QEC sleep centre, and has been really effective.
There are other methods like
Camping out... where you sleep in the same room as a baby and move a bit further from their cot each night.
Extinction (like Kelly mentioned above) - and I think this method is becoming really extinct!
And there are the comforting methods... like rocking and feeding your baby to sleep, co-sleeping etc.
Each to their own, and I think mothers should do whatever they are comfortable with. Sometimes the 'controlled' methods don't work for some - and sometimes the 'comforting' methods dont' work.
Mothers should know that there is help if they need it. Some mums can cope with sleep deprivation... some can't. So if any mum is not coping, talk to your maternal nurse, GP, and if you've got the energy - read books.
I have discovered that not every method works all of the time either. Sometimes I can bring James into bed with us and he settles right away and goes to sleep. Other times he gets more worked up in bed with us and I have to get up and settle him in the rocking chair. Other times he just needs a little cuddle and some reassurance and he is right back to sleep in the cot. So it depends on the baby and the day and the situation.
I would have to say that from the "definitions" I am using a combination of co-sleeping and comforted sleeping and it works for us. We take a few steps forward and then a few steps back but we are consistently making progress - even if it is slow and that is what matters most to me.
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