20 Hour Breast-Chestfeeding Course

Overview

What you will study

This 20 Hour Breast-Chestfeeding Course offered by Douglas College will be useful for those students wishing to work and support breastfeeding families throughout their feeding trajectory. This introductory course covers the required minimum 20-hours of lactation education as suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) and provides participants with the skills needed to help to breastfeed families achieve their feeding goals.

At the end of the course, successful learners will be able to:

• Provide support to families through their breastfeeding journey, including acute or chronic issues

• Identify ways to promote, protect and support breastfeeding

• Understand the importance of breastfeeding

• Understand the anatomy and physiology involved in lactation

• Assess breastfeeding position & latch.

• Utilize effective breastfeeding & lactation techniques, assessment and breastfeeding counseling skills

• Support and assess milk production: expectations and challenges

• Review childhood development as it relates to lactation

• Utilize cultural and gender appropriate family-centered-care principles

• Use evidence-informed practice to manage acute and chronic breastfeeding challenges

• Understand scope of practice, when to refer, and collaboration with other health/other care providers

• Aware of local community resources including clinical support as well as other health equity support

• Establish breastfeeding as a cultural norm and utilize the revised Baby Friendly Initiative’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.

• Discuss health implication of prescribed medications and recreational substances on breastmilk/breastfeeding; apply harm reduction principles as applicable.