More about Sleep, Baby & You

About Professor Helen Ball

Professor Helen Ball is Director of the Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre, Durham University. She studies infant sleep and the parent-infant sleep relationship from a biosocial perspective. She has conducted research in hospitals and the community, and contributes to national and international policy and practice guidelines on infant care. Helen also pioneers the translation of academic research on infant sleep into evidence for use by parents and healthcare staff via BASIS - the Baby Sleep Information Source website (www.basisonline.org.uk). In 2013 Helen received an award for Outstanding Impact in Society from the Economic and Social Research Council, and in 2018 Durham University was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize for her research and outreach on parent-infant sleep.

A large preliminary study led by Professor Ball demonstrating the benefits of Sleep, Baby & You in the UK is published here.

The following are examples of parent responses to The Possums Sleep Program from a 2018 evaluation study led by Professor Ball)

• "It was more than useful, it was life changing. I experienced such a difference in the enjoyment of my time with my baby and I'm still reaping the benefits. Honestly, it was probably the best thing I have ever done in my life because I felt so lost".
  Participant 51

• "I relaxed and stopped worrying about not doing what [others] were telling me was extremely important with regards to 'teaching' self settling". Participant 15

About Dr Pamela Douglas

Dr Pamela Douglas introduces Sleep, Baby & You (6:28 minutes)

Dr Pamela Douglas started in general practice in 1987, also practicing as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in breastfeeding medicine from 1994. Pam is an Associate Professor (Adjunct) with the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, and Senior Lecturer with the General Practice Clinical Unit, The University of Queensland. She is author of the bestselling The discontented little baby book.

Pam has developed the evidence-base to Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC or 'the Possums programs') in 30 research publications. She developed and began delivering The Possums Sleep Program to parents in 2011. The underlying theoretical model to the sleep domain of NDC was published in 2014. This model is now also known as the NDC Contextual Model of Infant Sleep. In 2013 Pam founded the Australian charity Possums for Mothers and Babies in 2013, which closed in August 2023.

She continues to upskill health professionals in the NDC or Possums programs at The NDC Institute ndcinstitute.com.au, with updated and expanded versions of The Possums Sleep Program and other parent programs projected to come online from late March 2024.

"We think you'll find this an incredibly valuable set of strategies to have at your fingertips as you work with families who are dealing with baby sleep challenges. We hope that you really enjoy our materials".

Dr Pamela Douglas, The NDC Institute (ndcinstitute.com.au)