The Douglas College Perinatal Program is recognized as a leader in perinatal education, offering high-quality, evidence-informed courses for those beginning or advancing a career in perinatal care. Our curriculums are regularly updated to reflect current best practices and equips learners with the knowledge, practical skills, and confidence to provide compassionate, family-centred care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Learn from experienced educators through flexible, engaging courses that help you enhance your professional development and advance your career in this rewarding field.
Whether you've been dreaming of a career supporting new and expecting parents or are ready to expand your skills and offer more services in your practice, we have a course for you.
Learn more by visiting our course websites, where you'll find course outlines, upcoming dates, and everything you need to register.
Childbirth Educator Program
The Douglas College Childbirth Educator Training Program provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to prepare families to give birth in Canada. With an emphasis on evidence based information, students will learn a wide variety of activities and teaching strategies to make their prenatal classes informative and memorable.
Teaching Skills Workshop
The Douglas College Teaching Skills Workshop is the final step to completing the Childbirth Educator Program. It is also a great source of continuing education credits for doulas, nurses and others working in maternity care.
The Workshop incorporates the latest concepts of brain science based learning to provide an innovative and exciting approach to teaching effective and enjoyable childbirth education classes. The two-day Teaching Skills workshop will give students the hands-on skills and techniques to become excellent, engaging childbirth educators.
Doula Training Program
Are you passionate about pregnancy, birth and postpartum care? Do you hope to have a positive impact on birth experiences for families? A career as a Birth and Postpartum Doula may be your calling!
The new Douglas College Doula Training Program offers students the opportunity to train as both a Birth and Postpartum Doula simultaneously. Our program provides students with an in-depth understanding of pregnancy, birth, lactation and postpartum knowledge they need to support expecting and new families giving birth in B.C.
Breastfeeding Course for Health Care Providers
The Breast/Chestfeeding Course for Health Care Providers (BCHP) provides comprehensive information in lactation anatomy, physiology and counseling. This curriculum incorporates the latest evidence-based information in human milk feeding and offers the tools needed to help students support, counsel and empower families to reach their breast/chestfeeding goals. The course content covers all the topics of the International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) detailed content outline and meets the 95 hours of lactation specific education which includes the five hours of education focused on communication skills and the two hours of education specific to the World Health Organization International Code of Marketing or Breast-milk Substitutes required to be eligible to write the IBCLC Exam.
Learn more about the Breastfeeding Course for Health Care Providers
20 Hour Breastfeeding Course: Foundational Concepts
This comprehensive, interactive online course provides the latest evidence-based foundational concepts in breastfeeding and lactation. It is designed for students seeking to enhance their understanding of the basics of lactation and to effectively support breastfeeding families throughout their feeding journey. The course fulfills the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation of a minimum of 20 hours of lactation-specific education and equips participants with practical skills to help families achieve their feeding goals.
Breastfeeding Education Day
Our Annual Breastfeeding Education Day brings together healthcare professionals, community support workers, students, parents, and anyone interested in learning more about breastfeeding and infant feeding. This engaging event features expert speakers, evidence-informed education, and practical strategies to support families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Whether you support families in a professional or volunteer role, are expanding your knowledge, or are simply curious about breastfeeding, you'll gain current information, valuable insights, and the opportunity to connect with others who share an interest in improving breastfeeding support and outcomes.
Have a Course Suggestion?
Have an idea for a perinatal course you'd like to see us offer? We'd love to hear from you! We welcome suggestions from healthcare professionals, educators, and members of the perinatal community to help us develop courses that meet evolving learning needs. If there's a topic, skill, or area of practice you'd like us to explore, please email us your idea. Your feedback helps shape future learning opportunities and ensures our course offerings remain relevant, practical, and responsive to the needs of those who care for families.
Contact our Perinatal Team at ce_perinatal@douglascollege.ca with your course suggestion, a brief description of the topic, and any supporting information you'd like to share.