Dr Douglas is an Australian GP and an international leader in the care of parents and babies.

 

She is a writer and researcher, with special interest in perinatal mental health and breastfeeding medicine. Over the past twenty years, Dr Douglas has published the evidence-base to the programs known as Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC or 'The Possums Programs'), translating the research into education programs for both parents and health professionals. Dr Douglas's groundbreaking work is detailed in 30 international research publications and in her best-selling The Discontented Little Baby Book. 

 

The same social and market forces which have brought us to the brink of catastrophic ecological crisis shape women's experiences in the healthcare system at this time of life. Conflicting advice, and over-diagnosis and overtreatment are widespread. NDC/Possums programs offer a paradigm shift in the way we help families who face breastfeeding, baby sleep and cry-fuss challenges, and is changing practice world-wide. 

 

Dr Douglas began developing the NDC/Possums programs from the late 1990s. She was Founder and Medical Director of the charity Possums for Mothers and Babies Pty Ltd from 2013. She tendered her resignation as Medical Director on 30 January 2023 and is continuing to develop programs for parents at drpam.au. Dr Douglas also continues to teach the NDC Masterclasses and now offers NDC Accreditation for health professionals at The NDC Institute ndcinstitute.com.au.

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For a statement concerning Dr Douglas's intellectual property and the charity Possums for Mothers and Babies Pty Ltd (recently rebranded as 'The Possums Collective'), please read here.