Breastfeeding Course for Health Care Providers provides comprehensive information in breastfeeding counseling and lactation theory. This curriculum incorporates the latest evidence-based information in humam milk feeding and offers the tools needed to help students support, counsel and empower families to reach their breast/chestfeeding goals. The curriculum meets the 95+ hours of lactation specific education required to write the IBCLC Exam.
This online course focuses on engagement through live sessions led by experienced IBCLC's and guest speakers. Student presentations and case study sessions provide an opportunity for students to work together to apply what they have learned. Throughout the course students will engage in observational experiences to broaden and consolidate learning.
This course is focused towards health care providers or students including nurses, doulas, midwives, massage therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dietitians, dentists, etc.
Course Outline and Expectations
Zoom Sessions:
- Six core 1.5 hour sessions with option to select an evening or weekend
- Four optional guest speaker sessions
Attendance at live session No. 3 student tool and technique demo assignment in week 7 is mandatory. Exceptions can be considered for extenuating circumstances.
Students will have live sessions throughout the semester, with options to join typically on:
Wednesday and Thursday evenings PST and Friday and Saturday morning PST
Please note the following:
- Sessions are subject to the number of registrants and the days may change
- Additional webinars and discussions may be scheduled outside of these times
- All sessions are recorded for later viewing if needed
- All students will be contacted via email closer to the start of the course to explain how to get started
Each live session is capped at 25 students. Live sessions repeat to accommodate different schedules and are recorded for student viewing.
Weekly Course work
Students will work at their own pace through course content on a weekly basis over 12 weeks. Each folder contains:
- Short video lectures
- Textbook readings and articles as provided
- Brief quiz
- Supplemental podcasts, webinars and readings students can select for observational watch, listen and learn experiences
Discussion Forums
- Students will be asked to participate in 6 brief written discussion forums over the duration of the course
- Participation in a guest speaker session can be used to in place of 2 of the 6 discussion forums
Assignments
- Prenatal class outline
- 5 minute tools/technique presentation
- Clinical controversy bibliography and discussion session
- Self reflective journal
Final Exam
- Required and online
Additional information
- The course is the equivalent to a fourth-year university course
- Good understanding of medical terminology, biology, anatomy and physiology and evidence-based theory are required to be successful in the course
- All course participants should be fluent in both spoken and written English
- In addition to serving as a nursing elective at various educational institutions, this course prepares students to write the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Exam. However, if you are looking for a basic breastfeeding course, we recommend our 20 Hour Breastfeeding Course: Foundational Concepts
- ***If you are a Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) employee please contact your Supervisor, Manager or Educator prior to registering for this course as sponsorship may be available through this health authority
For the first time we are offering a Summer BCHP!
This is a compressed timeframe course therefore students will complete this course in 8 weeks and can expect minimum of 12 hours of work each week via readings, lectures, quizzes, discussion forums and live sessions.
Course fee: $1,017.00
CRN: 21071
Start date: Monday, May 6th, 2024 - End/Exam Date: Thursday, June 27th, 2024
Deadline to withdraw: Tuesday, April 30th, 2024
Fall Session
Course Fee: $1,037.00
CRN: 31020
Start date: Monday, September 9th, 2024 End/Exam date: TBA - December 2024
Deadline to withdraw: Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024 @ 4:00 pm PST
Notification of withdrawal and/or refund request, by email or contacting CE Registration at 604-527-5472 - 3 business days prior to the beginning of classes, minus $15 processing fee.
NO exceptions and no refunds will be granted after the above stated timelines.
If 30% of the course has gone by with no student participation, the student will be graded with a "UN".
Required Text book:
Students must purchase the book:
Wambach & Spencer, Breastfeeding and Human Lactation (Includes Navigate 2 Preferred Access) 6th Edition; ISBN: 978-1-284-15156-5 Can be ordered or purchased at the Douglas College David Lam Bookstore (www.douglas.bc.ca/services/books)
Please Note:
We recommend the required textbook be purchased as soon as possible. The textbook can also be purchased at the Douglas College Bookstore email: bookstore@douglascollege.ca.
Optional Textbooks
Breastfeeding Answers: A Guide For Helping Families 2E, Nancy Mohrbacher, June 1, 2020 release
Optional Resource
Interdisciplinary Lactation Care, Approval Review Committee (LEAARC)
ISBN: 978-1-284-11116-3, 1284111164, eText ISBN: 978-1-284-17411-3, 9781-284-17411-5
- Provide basic knowledge to help support families through their breastfeeding journey
- Provide students with comprehensive evidence-based understanding of the basics of lactation, including childhood development and anatomy and physiology of the lactating breast
- Utilize cultural and gender appropriate family-centered-care principles
- Encourage the development of sound and effective breastfeeding techniques, counseling and assessment skills
- Establish breastfeeding as the cultural norm in hospitals, communities and the workplace
- Discuss health implication of prescribed medications and recreational substances on breastmilk/breastfeeding
- Become change agents in the area of breastfeeding/lactation and disseminate this knowledge among breastfeeding families and other health care providers
- Identify breastfeeding agencies of national and global significance
- Discuss key frameworks such as Family-Centered Maternity & Newborn Care Principles and Primary Health Care & Population Health including informed/shared decision making, social determinants of health, health equity, cultural humility & safety, trauma informed care, and importance of community partnership.
Do I have to be a nurse to take this course? What are the Pre-requisites?
It is recommended to have some sort of health care background as the course is equivalent to a fourth year health science course. If you want to start and have a basic understanding while you get your science courses as required by IBCLC (see pathways link), you can take our 20 Hour Breastfeeding Course: Foundational Concepts: https://www.douglascollege.ca/programs-courses/continuing-education/perinatal-career/20-hr-breastfeeding
Can I sit the IBCLC exam after I finish this course?
No, you cannot sit the IBCLC exam after this course if you do not have all the requirements to write the exam. This course is just ONE of the requirements depending on which pathway you fall under. Please check here to get an idea of what you will need to sit the exam.
I am on parental leave, can I take this course during my parental leave?
It is up to you if you want to take it during your parental leave.
I would like to become a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). What are the steps to follow?
Please check the IBLCE website to determine which pathway you fall under and what courses you need to take. https://ibclc-commission.org/how-to-become-an-ibclc/
Why do I have to take this course?
BCHP is one of the requirements to become a lactation consultant. You will need 95 lactation education hours (L-CERPS) in order to meet the lactation education (in addition to other courses as per their website). This course has been approved by LEAARC. This course includes the 5 hours of communication that are required to apply for the board exam.
Do your clinical hours/observational experiences hours qualify for IBCLC and I can sit the board exam?
No. The observational/alternative experiences hours required for the reflective journal are not hands on clinical practice so do not qualify as clinical practice hours for the purpose of application to write the IBCLC exam.
Will the college provide the clinical hours required to sit the board exam?
No, Douglas College does not provide clinical practice hours.
Should I take this course first before applying to a job?
It is up to you. You can take our breastfeeding course for healthcare providers and have the course in order to provide adequate support to breastfeeding moms at work.
No/minimal experience working with breastfeeding families but I would like to take this course. Can I take it?
Yes! If you are not familiar with breastfeeding, we have our 20 Hour Breastfeeding course which provides the foundation for anybody who is starting out helping parents breastfeed.
| Dr. Christine Leong, PharmD, Assistant Professor, Clinical Pharmacist. College of Pharmacy, RFHS, University of Manitoba. Dr. Leong’s research focuses on drug utilization and outcomes from a population perspective. Her program aims to optimize treatment and to improve the quality of care for patients taking medications. Projects include examining the use of adherence of medication before, during, and after pregnancy; and describing the experiences of people and healthcare provides regarding mediation use during breastfeeding. Pharmacoepidemiology, qualitative research and survey studies are methods used in this program. |
| Karen Lasby, RN, MN CNeoN(C), with more than 35 year of experience as a neonatal nurse, educator, research and author and is a respected expert in in caring for premature babies and their families. Karen leads a specialized nursing team in post-discharge follow-up of extremely premature babies beyond the neonatal intensive care unit. Her experience, compassion and dedication to preemies and parents make her a leading expert in the neonatal journey. |
| Marnie, Indigenous Birth Keeper and Lactation Counsellor. I am Okanagan, French Canadian and European. I have supported North American First People with all things postnatal for the past ten years. However, a few years ago I was gifted the opportunity to learn and work with Indigenous families prenatally and birthing. |
| Shahrzad Tayebi, IBCLC, CST, practiced midwifery in Iran for 18 years before coming to Canada. She is a prenatal educator, private practice LC, educator, Youtube producer, speaker and documentary director producer. We’re Mammals documentary demonstrates how we can support infants, inform feeding behaviors to improve lactation experiences. |
| Nadia Hawkins, BScN, RN, IBCLC The More Milk Sooner team originates from Saskatchewan. In 2018 Dr. A. Prollius, Dr. T. Yen and Naida Hawkins teamed up to help more families to have access to prenatal/first hour hand expression after noting their patients were finding this helped them to have an easier time starting and continuing to breastfeed. Seeing the success of this approach in their own practices they recognized the responsibility they had to bring this life changing practice to families and health care providers as possible. They have presented both nationally and internationally on this subject but feel the most impactful thing they did was start a website and YouTube channel for families and healthcare providers to learn more. |
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