Sleep Together, Safely

Dr. James McKenna

Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame

Dr. James J. McKenna (born 1948) is an American biological anthropologist and the world's leading authority on mother-infant co-sleeping. He founded and directed the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame, where he held the Edmund P. Joyce C.S.C. Chaired Professorship of Anthropology. Over more than 40 years of research, Dr. McKenna coined the term 'breastsleeping' to describe the integrated system of breastfeeding and bedsharing. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and author of 'Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions'. His work has fundamentally reshaped scientific understanding of infant sleep biology and the risks and benefits of different sleep arrangements.

Prof. Helen Ball

Professor of Anthropology, Durham University

Professor Helen L. Ball is Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre (DISC) at Durham University, UK. She obtained her PhD in Anthropology from Durham University and has spent over 25 years researching parent-infant sleep. She created the Baby Sleep Information Source (BASIS) at basisonline.org.uk, a trusted resource presenting research evidence about biologically normal infant sleep. Her groundbreaking studies on the protective 'C-curl' position of breastfeeding mothers have provided crucial evidence for safe bedsharing practices. She is the author of 'How Babies Sleep: A Factful Guide to the First 365 Days'.

Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum

Neuroscientist, Doula & Infant Sleep Specialist

Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum holds a PhD in Neuroscience, with a BSc from Dalhousie University and graduate training at the University of Toronto. She is a neuroscientist, certified doula, and infant and family sleep specialist. She is the author of 'The Nurture Revolution: Grow Your Baby's Brain and Transform Their Mental Health', which demonstrates how responsive caregiving — including responsive nighttime parenting — supports optimal brain development and stress regulation in infants during the critical first three years. She is a contributor to Psychology Today and founder of Nurture Neuroscience.