The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for infants under 6 months and continued breastfeeding with complementary foods for infants from 6 months to 2 years or beyond. However, the status of breastfeeding is far from satisfactory globally as well as in China (Fang et al., 2019; WHO et al., 2021). Healthcare providers have a central role in breastfeeding promotion. Breastfeeding education for healthcare students has been undertaken in several western colleges and the effects have been demonstrated (Bozzette and Posner, 2013, Davis and Sherrod, 2015, Spatz, 2005), whereas the education is just beginning in mainland China. Successful breastfeeding requires multidisciplinary support, but nursing and midwifery students are the major receivers of breastfeeding education in China. This inspired the researchers to conduct an optional course for healthcare students of various specialties, including nursing, midwifery, clinical medicine, pharmacy, medical imaging technology, etc. and to examine the teaching effects.