Skip to main content
This is the image alt text

DISC used as a Durham University impact case study

Durham Infancy and Sleep Centre was selected as a Durham University impact case study for the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 submission.  

Read more about the impact case study
Couple laying down with baby

Evolutionary Anthropology and infant sleep

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.

2017 Nature Ecology and Evolution commentary

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. 

DISC research cited in policies

UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative guidance

UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative shares our research on Bed-sharing, Infant Sleep & SIDS
UNICEF logo

National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance

NICE has endorsed our  BASIS information sheets providing bed-sharing and safer sleep information for parents
NICE logo

Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Safer Sleep Guidance

Basis was recommended in the RCM safer sleep guidance for maternity healthcare professionals
RCM logo

Articles and reviews

Midwives Information & Resource Service (MIDIRS)

DISC research cited in the Essentially MIDIRS Review on bed-sharing & breastfeeding 
midirs logo

Helen Ball interviewed by Sheena Byrom

The facts behind the print on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Sheena Byrom
Sheena Byrom

other things

add something else!

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. 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

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.