Case Studies

Two useful overviews that explain how we use the perspective of evolutionary anthropology to ask questions about the sleep of infants and the night-time care behaviour of parents can be found in the following two publications. One is a commentary on the past 20 years of research arising from the Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre, and the other is a review of a talk of the above material. 

• 2017 Nature Ecology & Evolution commentary on Evolution-informed maternal-infant health outlining the role of  DurhamInfancy and Sleep Centre research in UK policy and practice 
• ISEMPH 2016 Plenary by Helen Ball re Maternal-Infant Sleep Ecology by Andrew F Read

Influencing How We Think About Infant Sleep and Night-time Care 

These examples illustrate how our research is used to support an agenda for change regarding infant care, advice to parents, hospital policy and healthcare practice. 

• The latest on bed-sharing & breastfeeding Essentially MIDIRS Review
• Royal College of Midwives Keeping mothers and babies together -- breastfeeding & bonding
• NICE has endorsed our ISIS info sheets providing bed-sharing info for parents
• UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative shares our research on Bed-sharing, Infant Sleep & SIDS
• The facts behind the print on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Sheena Byrom

UK-wide Infant Sleep Recommendations 

The links below illustrate how organisations are using / have used our research to support professional recommendations and guidance to parents in UK on issues regarding infant sleep. 

• Safe Sleep & the Breastfed Baby La Leche League GB
• NHS Choices: Helping your baby to sleep links to our info sheets on normal infant sleep and sleep training
• TAMBA getting your twins or more to sleep
• UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Health Professionals' Guide to Caring for your baby at night
• UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Co-sleeping and SIDS: guide for Health Professionals
• Infant Safer Sleep Guidanceco-produced and co-branded with Lullaby Trust, Unicef UK BFI and Public Health England 

UK and International Policy, Practice and Public Impact 

The research of Durham Infancy and Sleep Centre, and our Baby Sleep Information Source (BASIS) website, are cited widely in policy, support 'official' guidance and recommendations to parents, and are shared informally by support groups, parenting charities, and parent-to-parent discussion around the world.