How Babies Sleep: A Factful Guide to the First 365 Days and Nights - Softcover

Ball, Professor Helen L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1804948012 ISBN 13: 9781804948019

Publisher: Penguin, 2026

Synopsis

The definitive new science and data-led guide on baby sleep for new parents from director of the University Durham Sleep & Infancy Centre, Professor Helen L. Ball.

‘As compassionate as it is clinically rigorous . . . a myth-busting, parent-respecting, evidence-soaked call to rethink everything we think we know about infant sleep.’
Guddi Singh, British Medical Journal

‘Clearly written and engaging, with really useful suggestions that will help manage parents’ expectations and anxiety . . . a must-read for anybody who wants to understand the first 365 days of a human life.’
Russell Foster, neuroscientist and Sunday Times-bestselling author of Life Time

‘Finally - the baby sleep book all new parents actually need.’
Amanda Ruggeri, award-winning science and parenting journalist

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How babies sleep is both exceedingly simple and excruciatingly complex. It is simple because it is based on a few straightforward biological principles that affect all babies the world over. It is complex because we have made it so.

Over the past century and a half, we have tried to manipulate baby sleep to fit with the rapidly changing nature of adult lives. The mismatch we have created with our babies’ biology is framed as ‘baby sleep problems’, and infants are often ‘treated’ using behavioural and clinical interventions.

But it is not baby sleep that needs fixing – only our understanding of it.

In How Babies Sleep, pioneering and award-winning infant sleep researcher Professor Helen Ball brings together cutting-edge science, anthropological insight and practical advice to provide parents with everything they need to help them confidently – and sanely – navigate the first 365 night-times with a new baby.

Accessible, reassuring and free of judgement, How Babies Sleep will teach you how to harmonise your needs with those of your infant, and empower you to reject approaches that make you uncomfortable and experiment with strategies that work for you and your family.

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What parents are saying:

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The only sleep book parents need.'

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This book is insightful, reassuring, and empowering. A definite 10/10.'

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'You need this in your home . . . I intend to gift this book to any future pregnant women.'

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A validating and paradigm shifting book for parents - I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know who is due to go through the newborn period!'

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This is a fantastic resource for anyone caring for a baby. It's honest and frank, but most importantly backed by science and not just opinion . . . It would make my list of top five books for parents.'

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'As a first-time mum I found this book so helpful and interesting, it's really helped me understand what to expect and how I can support my baby in a healthy and loving way.'

About this title

About the Author

Helen L. Ball is Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre, Durham University. She 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. She serves as Associate Editor of the journal Sleep Health, Chair of the Lullaby Trust Grants Committee, and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board. 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.

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1804948012
• ISBN 13: 9781804948019
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336