Ruth I was where you are, I felt worried about CC but was exhausted having had no sleep for months - littlebob woke every 90 mins for a comfort feed and would not sleep in the day even though I tried and tried and read every and I mean every book and tried the techniques and gave them all chance to work. Also felt didn't want to do anything else but be led by him while he was very little. In the end at about 8 months I did CC starting at bedtime after introducing a bedtime routine - 6.30 bath, PJs on in bedroom with lights dimmed, last feed, teeth, story, bed. I tried first the leaving then going back after few mins and checking method but found it very upsetting for me and him, so did the leaving method. First night he cried for 40 mins (very very very hard but he was SUCH a bad sleeper as I say) I sat on the stairs and cried as well which looking back was a bit silly. Next night 30 min, then 20 min, 20 min, 10 min 10 min, 5 min and then just down to no mins - now he giggles and is pleased about it being bedtime AND naptime! He was still then waking twice a night for a feed and the time it took for him to go back to sleep after those feeds reduced in two nights and no crying after the 7pm routine started. He then dropped the two night feeds on his own gradually and with no CC in about two weeks. He was/is a small baby and slow gainer but his trajectory stayed exactly the same after he dropped night feeds which I had been worried about. Daytime naps also improved gradually after he had learned to settle himself to sleep. I do see both sides of this debate but like you I was desperate and getting ill (tonsillitis and stuff) both from sleep deprivation and bf-ing all day and all night. You don't seem harsh at all! good luck and look after yourself