![James McKenna](https://voiceamericapilot.com/station/52/guest/james_mckenna_51559.jpeg)
James McKenna
JAMES MCKENNA, MA, San Diego State University; PhD, University of Oregon. A biological anthropologist, Dr. James McKenna pioneered the first behavioral and electro-physiological studies on mothers and infants sleeping together and apart. He is the nation's foremost authority and press spokesperson on topics pertaining to infant and child sleep issues, sleep development, and breastfeeding, and is known worldwide for his work. He coined a new term, breastsleeping, to describe the safe combination of mother-infant cosleeping and breastfeeding. He directed the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame for 22 years. He has received numerous accolades, including the Anthropologist in the Media Award for promulgating the importance of SIDS research, infant sleep, breastfeeding, and other anthropological concepts to the public. He has published over 180 peer-reviewed articles and chapters on SIDS. His book, Safe Infant Sleep, will be published January 2020.