Broad Aims of the Course

The broad aims for this course are:

• To uphold the global principles governing breastfeeding through alignment with the WHO Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, and the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, ensuring that breastfeeding promotion, protection, and support are grounded in ethical, evidence-based, and rights-based care frameworks
• To strengthen the ability of health professionals to provide effective, empathetic, and woman-centred counselling that supports informed decision-making, builds confidence, addresses emotional and physical challenges, and contributes to sustained breastfeeding outcomes and maternal satisfaction
• To promote understanding of breastfeeding as a normal physiological, emotional, and social process, supporting mothers and families in recognising feeding cues, responsive feeding patterns
• To equip health professionals with the knowledge and skills to identify, assess, and manage common breastfeeding difficulties—including issues related to positioning, latch, milk supply, pain, and infant health—while fostering resilience, reassurance, and continuity of care throughout the breastfeeding journey

Course Information

This course is equivalent to 20 hours of learning. The completed 20 hours can be used as:

• Baby Friendly Hospital (Health) Initiative Step 2 education
• International Code of Marketing Breast-milk Substitutes education
• Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs) for recertifying International Board Certified Lactation Consultants® (IBCLC®s), and/or,
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for medical officers, midwives, nurses and allied health professional.

This 20-hour course is ideal for midwives, nurses and doctors who work with pregnant women, mothers, and their babies in maternity and paediatric settings. Inherent in this course content is the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, which looks at lactation education to enhance the skills of practitioners when they are caring for women during the antenatal period through to establishing and maintaining breastfeeding. Underpinning the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding is the World Health Organization International Code of Marketing Breast-milk Substitutes, known as the "Code'. The Code is a global initiative to promote breastfeeding by operationalising appropriate marketing strategies by formula companies and companies that make accessories used in conjunction with formula e.g., bottles and teats. 

Other components of the course address anatomy and physiology of the breast and infant, the dynamic nature of breastmilk and infant digestion, beginning breastfeeding techniques and management of early and later lactation challenges. Some breastfeeding issues that are also addressed in this course include but are not limited to the management of neonatal jaundice, hypoglycaemia, breastmilk supply challenges and breast and nipple issues. 

When health professionals use evidence-based knowledge to enhance their clinical skills in lactation management, women, babies, families, and society reap the benefits.

Access Time

This course will be open for 60 days from activation. You can activate the course when you have the time and motivation to work through the activities. If you are unable to complete the 20 hours in the allocated time, please contact the Managing Director.

A certificate of completion will be issued upon completion of the course.

Learning Resources

The course is inbuilt with video presentations, self-directed learning activities and quizzes in each section. There are additional resources in the 'Resources' section.

There are:

• Downloadable resources
• Links to additional content
• Self-directed learning (SDL) activities
• Downloadable handbook