Wow sounds like some awful experiences!
Mine was a good one. We went with Caden when he was just 11 weeks old and it saved our lives (literally I expect, we were both pretty depressed by then). DS#1 just screamed almost constantly when he was awake, and was murder to get to sleep. I suffered this from around 5 weeks, and it didn't stop until we went to sleep school. With doctors prescribing medications that I just wasn't comfortable with, I felt it was the best option.
It was a gentle approach, and maybe easier given that DS was just so unsettled that if he cried in bed versus crying in my arms, what difference? Given I was near exhaustion, and borderline PND, I was willing to take more of their advice.
So we put him in bed, and let him cry for a minute or so. Then I would go in and either pick him up or comfort him in his cot. If he got too out of control (you know that cry) then I would just pick him up. They taught me the difference between a pain cry and an insistent cry as DS would cry as if you were hacking off his arm, but would stop the instant I picked him up. Pain would not switch off so suddenly.
It wasn't easy, and was emotionally draining, but after day three, at home in his cot, he fell asleep by himself WITHOUT CRYING for the first time, and after that was a dream to put down. The kid just wanted space to sleep, and really needed me to back off and give that to him.
So for us the experience was a turning point, and even now DS is an awesome sleeper. I noticed other mums from my mothers group had difficulty later on because they had to go through the same thing with older bubs. It was hard to do it at the start, but easier in the long run.
Make up your own mind of course. I have recommended sleep school to lots of mums with problems. I even went back myself this time as I wanted some tips on letting DS#2 get to sleep. They were very considerate of my desire not to let him cry, and I pretty much did what I did at home, but with him in the cot instead of in my arms (music, rocking the cot, picking him up for a cuddle if things got too intense, etc). So far so good as even that has shown DS that it is ok to fall asleep in the car or pram. That on its own is great because he would shriek like a banshee in the car.
Ok, now I am rambling, but for my two cents, it was a great experience and I thank them for my sanity!
