Home - Possums Clinic

Evidence-based support for breastfeeding, sleep, unsettled baby behaviour and parent mood

Unlike other approaches to early life care, Possums uniquely acknowledges the interrelatedness of breastfeeding, sleep, baby’s sensory-motor and social needs, and cry-fuss behaviours – and how each impacts upon parent mood.

We offer genuinely holistic and deeply compassionate care, developed in over 30 international research publications since 2005. Our founder, Dr Pamela Douglas, is an international leader in baby-care.

Get the support you deserve

Our GPs, lactation consultants, and multi-disciplinary health professionals offer specialised services for mothers and babies.

The Possums Clinic Brisbane

Renowned for its care for mothers and babies, serving families in South-East Queensland since 2011.

The Possums Clinic Online

Our highly skilled team have been providing effective telehealth consults for parents and babies around the world for many years.

The Possums Clinics in Other Locations

We continue to expand to other locations throughout Australia, New Zealand and globally.

What are the Possums programs?

Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC), also known as ‘the Possums programs’, aims to protect the rapidly developing infant brain and gut during the critical first 12 months of life, starting antenatally, and supports parents’ mental health and psychological resilience during this challenging though rewarding time.

By consulting with NDC accredited health professionals,
parents avoid fragmentation of care and conflicting advice.

The Possums Programs, also known as Neuroprotective
Developmental Care (NDC), have been developed and
published over the past 15 years from the latest research in lactation science, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, gut science, sleep science, attachment psychology and a new set of powerful psychological strategies known as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

We believe NDC offers the best available protection for your baby’s developing gut, brain, and healthy emotional attachment.

Our 300 highly skilled NDC accredited health professionals
offer online, in person and at home support in a growing
number of locations around the world.

“Breastfeeding, sleep, baby’s sensory-motor and social needs, cry-fuss behaviour and parent mood are all interrelated.

This is a genuine paradigm shift, flipping much of the popular advice parents receive upside down.”

Dr Pamela Douglas
Founder and Medical Director, Possums & Co

“I booked in [to see an NDC practitioner] because I was desperate for help. It was a life-changing experience for us. NDC practitioner told me that it was ok to feed my baby to sleep! It was ok to breastfeed on demand! It was ok to carry her around in my arms, as much as I wanted! It was ok to go out and live my life and have my baby join in, in lieu of a strict sleep schedule. In fact, it was important to give my baby rich, sensory nourishment from being in other environments, other than just being at home. She taught me that babies sleep when they need to and that they take the amount of sleep that they need.”

Kiri’s Story

“Thank you possums clinic, I feel liberated!! It’s great to not worry about sleep schedules, routines and sleep cycles and knowing I am are not only following the evidence but also my baby. She and I both love her falling asleep on the boob, now I have no worry that it’s a bad habit. I wish I had watched this for my son.

My daughter’s sleep is far from perfect but it’s getting better and we are experimenting with what works. We are all enjoying getting out more, such a shame about this Coronavirus might have to restrict us.”

Susan’s story

"I discovered the Possums approach with my first baby, who had very low sleep needs, and I had been tearing my hair out trying to get her to fit with what I was told were normal sleep and nap routines for babies. My life with baby became so much easier and more enjoyable once we discovered Possums.

With my second baby I had some breastfeeding difficulties, and again turned to Possums for help. I found the online Gestalt breastfeeding course invaluable in modifying my breastfeeding technique and helping my baby gain weight - without introducing formula or top-up feeds, which I had been advised by other sources to do. It also helped me re-gain trust in my baby and myself, and see ourselves as a team, which is exactly what I needed."

Clare’s Story

"I just can’t thank the lactation consultant and GP enough for getting me on to this Possums Approach Program. It has been a complete game changer and I love the mother I am now.

I was ready to give up breastfeeding at around three months due to how traumatic it was for both baby and myself. Baby would never settle after a feed because she was so stressed. Some days she just refused to feed because it was too exhausting. Your team got me through, this was when I was first introduced to the Possums’ approach. Since implementing things from what I have learnt from the program, our nights have improved remarkably. My daughter no longer wakes every hour overnight and resettles or falls asleep after each feed. I just can’t believe how easy it is."

Shae’s story