Pregnant or navigating life with a newborn? By Your Side is the podcast that gets it. Hosted by Katie Barron — educator, parent support advocate and big believer in honest conversations — each episode brings real talk, expert insight and emotional backup for the messy magic of early parenthood. From baby sleep to identity shifts, crying to co-regulation, this is the place to feel calmer, more connected, and a little more like yourself. Because no one should have to figure this out alone — and now, you don’t have to.
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Pregnant or navigating life with a newborn? By Your Side is the podcast that gets it. Hosted by Katie Barron — educator, parent support advocate and big believer in honest conversations — each episode brings real talk, expert insight and emotional backup for the messy magic of early parenthood. From baby sleep to identity shifts, crying to co-regulation, this is the place to feel calmer, more connected, and a little more like yourself. Because no one should have to figure this out alone — and now, you don’t have to.
How Babies Really Sleep — with Professor Helen Ball
By Your Side
33 minutes
4 months ago
How Babies Really Sleep — with Professor Helen Ball
The conversation doesn't have to end here.
👉 Join us in the podcast lounge the calm, comforting corner of the internet that gets the challenges of parenting. https://byyoursideapp.com/invitation?code=566EEB
Sleep. It’s the thing every new parent craves — and the one thing that can feel completely out of reach. So how do babies really sleep, and what should we actually be doing about it?
In this episode of By Your Side, Katie is joined by world-renowned infant sleep researcher Professor Helen Ball for a myth-busting, reassuring conversation that blends science with real-life common sense.
Helen is Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Infancy and Sleep Centre at Durham University. With decades of research into how babies sleep (and how we sleep with them), she’s helped shape everything from NHS guidance to public attitudes on co-sleeping, breastfeeding, and safe sleep practices. She’s also the author of the brilliant new book How Babies Sleep — an essential, evidence-based guide for any parent navigating those sleepless nights.
Together, we explore:
Why newborns sleep the way they do — and why it’s not a problem to solve
How Western culture has shaped unrealistic expectations around infant sleep
What safe sleep really looks like (it’s not one-size-fits-all)
How to find an approach that works for your baby, and your family
Whether you’re up for the fifth feed of the night or simply wondering when sleep gets easier, this episode is full of grounded advice, practical takeaways, and the reassurance you didn’t know you needed.
🔗 Grab Helen’s book How Babies Sleep
Find out more about Helen at:
www.durham.ac.uk/disc
www.basisonline.org.uk
https://www.howbabiessleep.com
and find free parenting resources, our course, and community at https://byyoursideapp.com/invitation?code=566EEB or via the episode notes.
By Your Side
Pregnant or navigating life with a newborn? By Your Side is the podcast that gets it. Hosted by Katie Barron — educator, parent support advocate and big believer in honest conversations — each episode brings real talk, expert insight and emotional backup for the messy magic of early parenthood. From baby sleep to identity shifts, crying to co-regulation, this is the place to feel calmer, more connected, and a little more like yourself. Because no one should have to figure this out alone — and now, you don’t have to.
