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All Outputs (126)

Airway covering during bed-sharing (2009)
Journal Article
Ball, H. (2009). Airway covering during bed-sharing. Child: Care, Health and Development, 35(5), 728-737. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2009.00979.x

Background Parent–infant bed-sharing is a common practice in Western post-industrial nations with up to 50% of infants sleeping with their parents at some point during early infancy. However, researchers have claimed that infants may be at risk of su... Read More about Airway covering during bed-sharing.

Practices, advice and support regarding prolonged breastfeeding: a descriptive study from Sri Lanka (2008)
Journal Article
van den Berg, M., & Ball, H. L. (2008). Practices, advice and support regarding prolonged breastfeeding: a descriptive study from Sri Lanka. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 26(3), 229-243. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646830701691376

Practice and duration of breastfeeding were examined in relation to traditional practices and modern recommendations on infant care in Sri Lanka. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among 60 Sri Lankan mothers whose youngest child was 0.5-4 yea... Read More about Practices, advice and support regarding prolonged breastfeeding: a descriptive study from Sri Lanka.

Together or apart? A behavioural and physiological investigation of sleeping arrangements for twin babies (2007)
Journal Article
Ball, H. L. (2007). Together or apart? A behavioural and physiological investigation of sleeping arrangements for twin babies. Midwifery, 23(4), 404-412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2006.07.004

Objective the pros and cons of co-bedding for healthy twin babies on the postnatal ward and in the home are issues with which midwives need to be familiar; however, little objective research has been conducted on which to base policies and recommenda... Read More about Together or apart? A behavioural and physiological investigation of sleeping arrangements for twin babies.

Mother–Infant Cosleeping, Breastfeeding and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: What Biological Anthropology Has Discovered About Normal Infant Sleep and Pediatric Sleep Medicine (2007)
Journal Article
McKenna, J. J., Ball, H. L., & Gettler, L. T. (2007). Mother–Infant Cosleeping, Breastfeeding and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: What Biological Anthropology Has Discovered About Normal Infant Sleep and Pediatric Sleep Medicine. American journal of physical anthropology, 134(S45), 133-161. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.20736

Twenty years ago a new area of inquiry was launched when anthropologists proposed that an evolutionary perspective on infancy could contribute to our understanding of unexplained infant deaths. Here we review two decades of research examining parent–... Read More about Mother–Infant Cosleeping, Breastfeeding and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: What Biological Anthropology Has Discovered About Normal Infant Sleep and Pediatric Sleep Medicine.

Breastfeeding and mother-infant sleep proximity: implications for infant care (2007)
Book Chapter
Ball, H., & Klingaman, K. (2007). Breastfeeding and mother-infant sleep proximity: implications for infant care. In W. Trevathan, E. Smith, & J. McKenna (Eds.), Evolutionary medicine and health : new perspectives (226-241). (2nd). Oxford University Press

Research into mother–infant cosleeping with breastfeeding represents a relatively new area for behavioral and physiological investigation inspired by evolutionary thinking. This topic within the evolutionary medicine rubric might well be the furthest... Read More about Breastfeeding and mother-infant sleep proximity: implications for infant care.

Bed-sharing practices of initially breastfed infants in the first 6 months of life (2007)
Journal Article
Ball, H. L. (2007). Bed-sharing practices of initially breastfed infants in the first 6 months of life. Infant and Child Development, 16(4), 387-401. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.519

This paper explores the manner in which bed-sharing is practised by breastfeeding infants in the UK, and examines how alternate definitions and interpretations of breastfeeding and bed-sharing can lead to confusion in understanding what bed-sharing e... Read More about Bed-sharing practices of initially breastfed infants in the first 6 months of life.

Anthropology of caesarean section birth and breastfeeding: Rationale for evolutionary medicine on the postnatal ward (2007)
Journal Article
Klingaman, K., & Ball, H. (2007). Anthropology of caesarean section birth and breastfeeding: Rationale for evolutionary medicine on the postnatal ward. Durham anthropology journal, 14(1),

Investigating biology and behaviour in the context of evolution enables the public, scientists and medical professionals to better understand the impact of particular medical care on human physiology and emotions. Evolutionary medicine is a useful st... Read More about Anthropology of caesarean section birth and breastfeeding: Rationale for evolutionary medicine on the postnatal ward.

Randomised trial of infant sleep location on the postnatal ward (2006)
Journal Article
Ball, H., Ward-Platt, M., Heslop, E., Leech, S., & Brown, K. (2006). Randomised trial of infant sleep location on the postnatal ward. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 91(12), 1005-1010. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2006.099416

Objective: To determine whether postnatal mother–infant sleep proximity affects breastfeeding initiation and infant safety. Design: Randomised non-blinded trial analysed by intention to treat. Setting: Postnatal wards of the Royal Victoria Hospital (... Read More about Randomised trial of infant sleep location on the postnatal ward.

Caring for twin infants: sleeping arrangements and their implications (2006)
Journal Article
Ball, H. L. (2006). Caring for twin infants: sleeping arrangements and their implications. Evidence Based Midwifery, 4(1), 10-16

Aim. The study aimed to assess sleeping arrangements used by parents for twin infants and to determine what information might be useful for health professionals and parents regarding twin infant sleep. Method. A self-selected sample of 60 families re... Read More about Caring for twin infants: sleeping arrangements and their implications.

Bed-sharing on the post-natal ward: breastfeeding and infant sleep safety (2006)
Journal Article
Ball, H. (2006). Bed-sharing on the post-natal ward: breastfeeding and infant sleep safety. Paediatrics and Child Health, 11(Supplement SA), 43A-46A

Many hospitals make a commitment to institute 'baby-friendly' initiatives on post-natal wards. Bed sharing (bedding-in) is one of these initiatives. By allowing mothers to comfort, feed and care for their babies in bed, bed sharing may assist the est... Read More about Bed-sharing on the post-natal ward: breastfeeding and infant sleep safety.

Parent-Infant Bed-sharing Behavior: effects of feeding type, and presence of father (2006)
Journal Article
Ball, H. (2006). Parent-Infant Bed-sharing Behavior: effects of feeding type, and presence of father. Human Nature, 17(3), 301-318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-006-1011-1

An evolutionarily informed perspective on parent-infant sleep contact challenges recommendations regarding appropriate parent-infant sleep practices based on large epidemiological studies. In this study regularly bed-sharing parents and infants parti... Read More about Parent-Infant Bed-sharing Behavior: effects of feeding type, and presence of father.

Bedding-in and Rooming-in on the post-natal ward: breastfeeding initiation (2005)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Heslop, E., Ball, H., & Leech, S. (2005). Bedding-in and Rooming-in on the post-natal ward: breastfeeding initiation. In L. P. J. J. Noldus, F. Grieco, L. W. S. Loijens, & P. H. Zimmerman (Eds.), Proceedings of Measuring Behavior 2005 : 5th International Conference on Methods and Techniques in Behavioral Research (504-505)

Hospitals making a commitment to the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative adopt a number of practices to help increase breastfeeding initiation rates. Allowing mothers and their infants uninterrupted skin to skin contact for at least the first 30 minut... Read More about Bedding-in and Rooming-in on the post-natal ward: breastfeeding initiation.

Observing mother-infant sleep behaviour (2005)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Ball, H. L., Volpe, L. E., Heslop, E., & Leech, S. J. (2005). Observing mother-infant sleep behaviour. In L. P. J. J. Noldus, F. Grieco, L. W. S. Loijens, & P. H. Zimmerman (Eds.), Proceedings of Measuring Behavior 2005 : 5th International Conference on Methods and Techniques in Behavioral Research (668-670)

Research teams from the Parent-Infant Sleep Lab at Durham University, UK, and the Mother-Baby Sleep Lab at Notre Dame University, USA both study mother-infant sleep behavior and night-time care-giving and utilise The Observer® Video Pro 5.0 (Noldus I... Read More about Observing mother-infant sleep behaviour.

The prevalence and characteristics associated with parent–infant bed-sharing in England (2004)
Journal Article
Blair, P., & Ball, H. (2004). The prevalence and characteristics associated with parent–infant bed-sharing in England. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 89(12), 1106-1110. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2003.038067

Aims: To investigate the characteristics of parent–infant bed-sharing prevalence in England. Methods: Data on night-time sleeping practices from a two year, local, longitudinal study and a three-year, national, cross-sectional study were obtained. A... Read More about The prevalence and characteristics associated with parent–infant bed-sharing in England.

'New' practice of bedsharing and risk of SIDS (letter). (2004)
Journal Article
Ball, H., Blair, P., & Ward-Platt, M. (2004). 'New' practice of bedsharing and risk of SIDS (letter). The Lancet, 363(9420), https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736%2804%2916171-0

In commenting on the paper by R G Carpenter and co-workers,1 David Tappin and colleagues (Mar 20, p 994)2 claim parent-infant bedsharing to be a “new practice”, and urge caution in “tampering with our own culturally derived infant care practices”. Bu... Read More about 'New' practice of bedsharing and risk of SIDS (letter)..

Breastfeeding, bed-sharing and infant sleep (2003)
Journal Article
Ball, H. (2003). Breastfeeding, bed-sharing and infant sleep. Birth, 30(3), 181-188. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-536x.2003.00243.x

Background: Expectations for infant sleep development and for the appropriate degree of parental proximity for infant sleep are culturally weighted and historically shifting aspects of parenting behavior, and are known to affect breastfeeding prevale... Read More about Breastfeeding, bed-sharing and infant sleep.