Courses

Australasian Lactation Courses

Our tailored courses are designed to provide you with the in-depth knowledge and practical skills you need to excel in your career.

The courses are done entirely online and are self-paced, allowing for flexibility and providing adaptability to the needs and commitments of the individual. There are no assignment deadlines, and you have access for one year to complete the Full and Recertification courses, or one month to complete the individual Modules.

They can be accessed from your desktop computer, smartphone or tablet, anywhere you are able to access the internet. 

We've consciously chosen to keep our course fees affordable and accessible. This means we've made strategic decisions about our offerings, and as a result, we don't include the same level of supplementary features as some other programs. Therefore, we don't view other similar but more expensive lactation education providers as direct competitors, as they have clearly invested significantly in their content and price their courses accordingly.
 
Specifically, we do not offer video content or presentations featuring well-known IBCLCs, and we do not engage in extensive marketing campaigns. We rely on positive word-of-mouth and our established reputation to reach students.
 
Our learning model emphasises the importance of independent learning and resourcefulness. We recommend, and indeed expect, that our students have access to at least one current lactation textbook. To support this, we provide specific chapter and page references for the three most widely used and currently available texts. Additionally, we offer carefully selected, topic-specific links to reputable external resources. We have deliberately chosen not to restrict access to essential learning materials solely to the duration of enrolment.
 
As healthcare professionals, the ability to locate and utilise current, evidence-based information is a fundamental skill. We believe that courses providing all necessary content within a closed platform may not adequately prepare individuals for the ongoing need to seek out and evaluate information in their professional practice. Continuous professional development is essential, and this requires knowing how to effectively find reliable sources. Up-to-date textbooks and the curated external links we provide are some of the key tools for developing this critical competency.

Please see our learning philosophy above in the Course Delivery section.

We have provided reading lists for each Module that include chapter numbers from three currently available textbooks, plus links to evidence based, topic specific articles available online. 

You are required to have access to at least one current lactation-specific textbook - we recommend either:

Breastfeeding & Human Lactation, 6th edn, 2021, Wambach, K, & Spencer, B. (hardcover available here, or e-book available here)

OR

Core Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Lactation Care, 2nd edn, 2022, LEAARC & Spencer et al. (hardcover & e-book available here)

OR

Counselling the Nursing Mother 7th ed, by Lauwers & Swisher (hardcover available here, or e-book available here)

Each Module is self-paced and comprises:

a reading list with links to augment your textbook;

a student Forum where you can discuss the Module content, interact with other students, and direct questions to the Module Facilitator

a Study Guide which you can download & work with offline;

an ungraded multiple choice Case Study quiz to help you identify your knowledge gaps;

and a graded, timed Practice Exam (80% pass mark, 3 attempts allowed, randomised questions)

You will receive a Certificate of Completion of each Module immediately upon successful completion of all of these assignments.

Registrations for the courses are accepted at any time during the year. Students have 12 months from registration to complete the Full and Recertification courses, and 1 month to complete individual Modules. 

Extensions are available in 3 and 6 month durations for a maximum of 3 years from your initial registration.