NDC Lactation Modules

What is in an NDC Lactation Module?

The NDC Lactation Modules provide the latest evidence-based information about how to make breastfeeding and lactation work as easily and enjoyably as possible. They are developed by Dr Pamela Douglas, GP-researcher, Breastfeeding Medicine Physician and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, also a Fellow of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.

Pam has worked for decades in the clinic supporting breastfeeding and lactating women, and her work and research publications concerning breastfeeding and lactation support are changing practice internationally.

The NDC Institute is making these modules available for any interested member of the public. We recommend that in addition to an NDC Lactation Module, you also purchase access to The Possums Sleep Program, if you don't already have access as a member of The NDC Institute. This is because at the moment, whilst The NDC Institute and the parent-facing Possums site remain under development, important aspects of the NDC Lactation Modules build on the wealth of material available in The Possums Sleep Program/Breastfeeding.

The NDC Lactation Modules are accompanied by a guest speaker program, available here.

What do the NDC Lactation Modules contain?

On each selected topic, an NDC Lactation Module contains advanced content for health professionals and providers, or scientifically minded members of the public. Once completed, the NDC Lactation Modules will form a series of 13 modules, which cover all aspects of breastfeeding and lactation.

You can now purchase the following NDC Lactation Modules:

• The Fussy Breastfed Infant

• Nipple Pain and Wounds in Breastfeeding and Lactation

• Breast Inflammation in Lactation

• Synchronising Maternal Breastmilk Production With Infant Caloric Need

• Infant development

You can now access the following NDC Lactation Modules free of charge from your NDC account (anyone can create a free account here in under 2 minutes):

• Abscess, Galactocoele, Phlegmon and Fistula in the Lactating Breast, which comprises one part of the module on Breast Inflammation in Lactation

• Imaging of the Breast in Pregnancy and Lactation; Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis + Benign Breast Diseases

The NDC Lactation Fellowship also meets eligibility criteria as an education route prior to sitting the IBCLE exam, although 1000 hours of observation would need to be organised independently. The NDC Lactation Fellowship meets eligibility criteria as an education provider for IBCLE CERPs, which will need to be self-logged.

NDC Lactation Modules: health professional content

The Lactation Modules are written for health professionals who are experienced NDC Accredited Practitioners and who are undertaking advanced NDC training in clinical breastfeeding and lactation support. You can find out more about the NDC Lactation Fellowship here. We are also making the Lactation Modules available to the public.

Each module's health professional content contains, relevant to the topic

• NDC Clinical Guidelines (downloadable pdf)

• NDC Workbook (downloadable pdf)

• Pre-recorded videos (Dr Pamela Douglas)

• Text and audio content

• Theoretical foundations

• Clinical translations, available as a wealth of mandatory content for competent practice and optional content for your interest

• Relevant references and research publications.

How long will it take to make your way through each module?

Each module is expected to take a health professional about eight hours of self-paced reading, listening or viewing of the content marked mandatory. Each module offers the latest, comprehensive information relevant to clinical practice on that particular topic.

Why is NDC breastfeeding and lactation different to standard breastfeeding medicine or clinical breastfeeding and lactation support approaches?

Currently within our health systems in advanced economies, there is widespread conflicting advice for breastfeeding problems, and breastfeeding mothers report dissatisfaction with the help that is available when common problems arise.

This occurs because the knowledge required to best help breastfeeding and lactation problems remains a research frontier. Unfortunately, many available approaches to breastfeeding and lactation support use unnecessary and expensive pharmaceuticals, surgery or bodywork exercises, which lack an evidence-base and which, in the absence of evidence, often also lack a scientific physiological, functional or anatomic rationale. Ideological positions concerning breastfeeding and lactation continue to underpin both overservicing and overtreatment. At the same time, unnecessary treatments and exercises bring unexpected side-effects, and can even make breastfeeding challenges worse.

The NDC Lactation Modules offer effective ways to help women breastfeed, stripped bare of unnecessary treatments. We believe these modules are the way of the future in breastfeeding support, building on the NDC breastfeeding and lactation work which Pam has published in the international research literature. There are now ten evaluation studies, nine of which are published in the international research literature, showing the benefits of NDC for families.

For how long will you be able to access the module and its content?

You'll have 24 months from date of purchase in which to access the module and its content. If you wish to have access for longer, you'll need to re-purchase (at the same price).

If you're a health professional who is interested in upskilling to practice Breastfeeding Medicine or becoming an NDC Lactation Consultant using these modules, it's necessary to become NDC Accredited first. Otherwise, the modules are available for your interest and self-education.