2020 Baby – Details, episodes & analysis

In this latest 2020 Baby podcast, Dr Pamela Douglas enjoys a conversation with the co-authors of the remarkable book Mothertongues, Ceridwen Dovey and Eliza Bell.  Mothertongues, published in April 2022, is described as an experimental book of bio-autofiction about early motherhood.  It blurs the boundaries between different modes of expression - including prose, poetry, theatre and song - to bring the absurdity of motherhood to the page.

In this podcast, you’ll hear all you ever wanted to know about sleeping baby safely at night! Professor Helen Ball, the world’s leading infant sleep researcher, established the Parent-Infant Sleep Lab at Durham University in 2000. Helen begins this conversation with Dr Pamela Douglas by outlining the trajectory of her professional life, then by addressing the historical forces which have shaped safe infant sleep guidelines internationally. Helen goes on to discuss the positive things that have been achieved concerning infant sleep policies and guidelines in her lifetime and the things she’d like to see changed. Finally, she and Pam look very closely at what the research tells us about how to sleep our babies as safely as possible, with Helen addressing common questions asked by parents, including about formula feeding and sleep, sleeping baby between parents, and the parent who is a ‘heavy sleeper’. Access Professor Ball's full bio here. 

Associate Professor (Adjunct) Pamela Douglas is founder of the evidence-based Neuroprotective Developmental Care (or 'Possums') programs (possumsonline.com) and author of The discontented little baby book: all you need to know about feeds, sleep, and crying.

Homo sapiens environment of evolutionary adaptedness bathed the infant in rich environmental stimulation, both social and non-social. Because of this, 21st century babies still thrive best in the context of diverse and complex sensory-motor experience, and when loving adults and older children respond to the baby and grow increasingly long and complex social reciprocity chains. The latest neuroscience proposes the primacy of motor development for optimal developmental outcomes. Motor development is enhanced by experiences of postural variability and sensory-motor stimulation from the beginning of life. Dr Pamela Douglas and Honorary Associate Professor Peter Hill reflect upon the potential risks of infant sleep training practices, which problematise sensory-motor stimulation, during a time of social isolation. Pam is a GP-researcher and founder of the evidence-based Neuroprotective Developmental Care (or 'Possums') programs www.possumsonline.com. She is also author of The discontented little baby book: all you need to know about feeds, sleep, and crying. 

Mothers often suffer significant fatigue in the midst of their highly demanding and ever changing occupations and roles, especially when they are primary caregiver which is the norm in most societies. For evolutionary reasons, babies quickly become discontent in interior environments for want of more complex and dynamic environmental stimulation. Considering families' everyday activities and routines, how does a primary carer (or both parents together) manage the baby’s hunger for rich and changing sensory-motor input during a pandemic - and stay sane? Dr Emma Crawford is an occupational therapist and researcher, and co-founder of Fig and Vine Well-being for Little Ones. She discusses this dilemma with Dr Pamela Douglas, GP-researcher and founder of the evidence-based Neuroprotective Developmental Care (or 'Possums') programs www.possumsonline.com. Pam is also author of The discontented little baby book: all you need to know about feeds, sleep, and crying.

The current disruptions to, and adaptations of, the health system in response to COVID-19 are an opportunity for a seriously strengthened primary care response to the common problems parents face after the birth of their baby - if we are serious about cost-effective protection of infant developmental outcomes and maternal mental health. This conversation between two Australian GPs addresses telehealth and the urgent need for government to invest in primary care including in post-birth care. Breastfeeding and unsettled infant behaviour problems are subject to widespread inappropriate medicalisation and expensive use of tertiary outpatient visits and residential admissions, in the absence of a co-ordinated, evidence-based, primary care response. Dr Wendy Burton is Chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners' Antenatal and Postnatal Specific Interest Group (maternity-matters.com.au). Associate Professor (Adjunct) Pamela Douglas is founder of the evidence-based Neuroprotective Developmental Care (or 'Possums') programs (possumsonline.com) and author of The discontented little baby book: all you need to know about feeds, sleep, and crying. 

Honorary Associate Professor Peter Hill has spent a life-time working to improve health systems both in Australia and in developing countries. Now, as we brace for COVID-19 in Australia and pull together to flatten the curve, Peter reflects with Dr Pamela Douglas about the implications of the pandemic for our health system both short and long-term, and in particular how this applies to service delivery for families with babies. Pam is a GP-researcher and founder of the evidence-based Neuroprotective Developmental Care (or 'Possums') programs www.possumsonline.com. She is also author of The discontented little baby book: all you need to know about feeds, sleep, and crying. 

In this time of COVID-19 threat, we want breastfeeding to work for our babies so that their immune system remains as strong as possible. We want breastfeeding to work for women so that life is as easy as it can possibly be in the midst of everything. Fussing and crying at the breast is miserable for both mother and baby - and can usually be prevented or repaired. Emma McCabe, a breastfeeding counsellor in Brooklyn, New York, and Dr Pamela Douglas, an Australian GP-lactation consultant and breastfeeding medicine specialist, discuss three main causes of unsettled baby behaviour with breastfeeds. Dr Pam is founder of the evidence-based Neuroprotective Developmental Care (or 'Possums') programs and author of The discontented little baby book: all you need to know about feeds, sleep, and crying. 

Welcome to 2020 Baby, a podcast for parents and health professionals committed to caring for babies in a way that is research-based and as aligned with a baby’s evolutionary needs as is possible in this incredibly complex, COVID-19 world. Adjunct Associate Professor Pamela Douglas is an Australian GP and researcher, also a lactation consultant and breastfeeding medicine specialist. Mostly she'll be in discussions with others; sometimes she'll fly solo. Pam is founder of Neuroprotective Developmental Care, known as NDC or the Possums programs, an innovative evidence-based approach to the care of parents with babies. You can find NDC or the Possums programs at possumsonline.com. Our health promotion charity educates and accredits health professionals in NDC, and we also offer online consultations by NDC accredited practitioners available wherever you are in the world at possumclinic.com. For parent connection and peer support, we invite you to join PIPPS, a growing closed Facebook community accompanied by a video library of the latest, evidence-based NDC information. Who knows, together we may become a movement for change in early life care!

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic hits New York City hard, and Australia, like the rest of the world, battens down. It's vitally important that women are supported to breastfeed their babies in a way that is easy and enjoyable. Emma McCabe, a breastfeeding counsellor in Brooklyn, New York, and Dr Pamela Douglas, a GP-lactation consultant and breastfeeding medicine specialist, discuss two very commonly unidentified causes of breastfeeding problems. Pam is founder of the evidence-based Neuroprotective Developmental Care (or 'Possums') programs and author of The discontented little baby book: all you need to know about feeds, sleep, and crying. 

Now more than ever we want to grow as much enjoyment of our baby as possible. As crazy as it sounds (in a world going crazy), misunderstandings about burps and pukes can make life with your baby much harder than it needs to be. Emma McCabe, a breastfeeding counsellor in Brooklyn, New York, and Dr Pamela Douglas, a GP-lactation consultant and breastfeeding medicine specialist, discuss baby burps, reflux, and misunderstandings about gas and vomiting which can be very disruptive to easy, enjoyable days and nights with a baby. Pam is founder of the evidence-based Neuroprotective Developmental Care (or 'Possums') programs and author of The discontented little baby book: all you need to know about feeds, sleep, and crying.