Sleeping baby safely and enjoying nights as best you can: a conversation with Professor Helen Ball

In this podcast, you’ll hear all you ever wanted to know about sleeping baby safely at night! Professor Helen Ball, the world’s leading infant sleep researcher, established the Parent-Infant Sleep Lab at Durham University in 2000. Helen begins this conversation with Dr Pamela Douglas by outlining the trajectory of her professional life, then by addressing the historical forces which have shaped safe infant sleep guidelines internationally. Helen goes on to discuss the positive things that have been achieved concerning infant sleep policies and guidelines in her lifetime and the things she’d like to see changed. Finally, she and Pam look very closely at what the research tells us about how to sleep our babies as safely as possible, with Helen addressing common questions asked by parents, including about formula feeding and sleep, sleeping baby between parents, and the parent who is a ‘heavy sleeper’. Access Professor Ball's full bio here. 

Associate Professor (Adjunct) Pamela Douglas is founder of the evidence-based Neuroprotective Developmental Care (or 'Possums') programs (possumsonline.com) and author of The discontented little baby book: all you need to know about feeds, sleep, and crying.