IBCLC EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
When does the breast begin to develop in utero? - (answer)4th week of gestation
Where does the primitive milk streak develop - (answer)Bilaterally from the axilla to the groin
By the 5th week gestation the milk streak becomes what? - (answer)Mammary Milk Ridge (or milk
line)
Thickening and inward growth into the chest wall continues during what weeks gestation? -
(answer)7-8 weeks gestation
Between weeks 12 and 16 gestation specialized cells differentiate into what? - (answer)Smooth
muscles of the nipple and areola
What forms the mammary pit? - (answer)Lactiferous ducts and their branches open into a shallow
epithelial depression
What creates an inverted nipple? - (answer)When the Mammary pit fails to elevate
What is witches milk? - (answer)After birth, a neonate's mammary tissue (under the influence of
maternal hormones) might recreate colostral like fluid
At what age do the primary and secondary ducts grow and divide and form the terminal end buds that
become the alveoli? - (answer)10-12 years old
When does complete development of mammary function occur? - (answer)During pregnancy
What is superficial fiscia? - (answer)Fibrous tissue beneath the skin
Where is the breast located? - (answer)In the superficial fascia between the second rib and sixth
intercostal space
,IBCLC EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What are the two major divisions of the breast? - (answer)Parenchyma and Stroma
What makes up the Parenchyma? - (answer)Ducts, lobes, and aveoli
What are alveoli? - (answer)Small sacs where milk is secreted
What makes up the Stroma? - (answer)Connective tissue, fat tissue, blood vessels, nerves, and
lymphatics.
What is Cooper's Ligament? - (answer)Suspensory ligament that are the fibrous connections between
the inner side of the breast skin and pectoral muscles. Help to shape the breasts
What does the nipple contain? - (answer)15-25 milk ducts, smooth muscle fibers, sebaceous and
apocrine sweat glands, and dense innervations of sensory nerve endings
What are Montgomery Tubercles? - (answer)Sebaceous glands in the areola surrounding the nipple
What do the Montgomery Tubercles secrete? - (answer)Oily secretions (lipoid fluid) to keep the areola
and the nipple lubricated and protected
What artery(s) supply blood to the breast? - (answer)Internal mammary artery (60%) and lateral
thoracic artery (30%)
Where does the lymphatic system of the breast drain excess fluids from tissue space, bacteria and cast
off cells? - (answer)Auxiliary lymph node
Where does the nerves of the breast mainly branch from? - (answer)4th, 5th, and 6th intercostal
nerve
,IBCLC EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What nerve supplies the greatest amount of sensation to the areola? - (answer)4th intercostal nerve
What part of the breast is most sensitive? - (answer)The areola followed by the general skin of the
breast, and then the nipple which is least sensitive.
What percent of breast milk is carbohydrates? - (answer)Approximately 7%
What are the six infant behavioral "states" - (answer)Crying, active alert, quiet alert, drowsy, active
sleep, and quiet sleep
Milk components that protect the infant/lactating breast actively bind ______, preventing their
passage through the permeable infant _____ _____ - (answer)pathogens
gut mucosa
How does the infant get the antibodies produced by mom? - (answer)antibodies are produced in
moms blood, targeted SIgA which is transported across the mammary secretory cells and released in
the milk.
What is sIgA? - (answer)Immunoglobulin A is an antibody that coats mucosal surfaces to prevent
adherence and penetration by pathogens
What are the most common food allergies? - (answer)1. Cow's milk protein
2. Eggs
3. Peanuts
4. Tree nuts
5. Fish
6. Shellfish
7. Soy
8. Wheat
, IBCLC EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What are the common symptoms of food allergies? - (answer)1. Eczema
2. Hives
3. Digestive or respiratory problems (e.g. mucus or blood in the stool)
The infant uses their _____ to draw in the nipple and ____ it in the mouth - (answer)Lips
Stabilize
What is weak lip tone? - (answer)Hypotonic lips result in the inability to seal lips around the breast
impacting the amount of suction created
What is a sucking blister? - (answer)friction abrasions resulting from retracted lips or a labial frenulum
that restricts the lips from flanging
What does weak lip tone look like? - (answer)Milk spilling, smacking sound (breaking suction), infant
tires faster due to increased work of the feedings even though they aren't efficient feedings
Things to look for when assessing the lips: - (answer)Seal/maintain seal around the breasts, normal lip
tone, stretchy labial frenulum, no breaks in suction, no milk spilling
What do fat deposits in the cheeks help provide? - (answer)structural support to stabilize nipple in the
mouth
Does low/weak tone cause the infant to have higher or lower levels of suction - (answer)lower levels
of suction
What does Hypotonia mean? - (answer)Low tone
When does the breast begin to develop in utero? - (answer)4th week of gestation
Where does the primitive milk streak develop - (answer)Bilaterally from the axilla to the groin
By the 5th week gestation the milk streak becomes what? - (answer)Mammary Milk Ridge (or milk
line)
Thickening and inward growth into the chest wall continues during what weeks gestation? -
(answer)7-8 weeks gestation
Between weeks 12 and 16 gestation specialized cells differentiate into what? - (answer)Smooth
muscles of the nipple and areola
What forms the mammary pit? - (answer)Lactiferous ducts and their branches open into a shallow
epithelial depression
What creates an inverted nipple? - (answer)When the Mammary pit fails to elevate
What is witches milk? - (answer)After birth, a neonate's mammary tissue (under the influence of
maternal hormones) might recreate colostral like fluid
At what age do the primary and secondary ducts grow and divide and form the terminal end buds that
become the alveoli? - (answer)10-12 years old
When does complete development of mammary function occur? - (answer)During pregnancy
What is superficial fiscia? - (answer)Fibrous tissue beneath the skin
Where is the breast located? - (answer)In the superficial fascia between the second rib and sixth
intercostal space
,IBCLC EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What are the two major divisions of the breast? - (answer)Parenchyma and Stroma
What makes up the Parenchyma? - (answer)Ducts, lobes, and aveoli
What are alveoli? - (answer)Small sacs where milk is secreted
What makes up the Stroma? - (answer)Connective tissue, fat tissue, blood vessels, nerves, and
lymphatics.
What is Cooper's Ligament? - (answer)Suspensory ligament that are the fibrous connections between
the inner side of the breast skin and pectoral muscles. Help to shape the breasts
What does the nipple contain? - (answer)15-25 milk ducts, smooth muscle fibers, sebaceous and
apocrine sweat glands, and dense innervations of sensory nerve endings
What are Montgomery Tubercles? - (answer)Sebaceous glands in the areola surrounding the nipple
What do the Montgomery Tubercles secrete? - (answer)Oily secretions (lipoid fluid) to keep the areola
and the nipple lubricated and protected
What artery(s) supply blood to the breast? - (answer)Internal mammary artery (60%) and lateral
thoracic artery (30%)
Where does the lymphatic system of the breast drain excess fluids from tissue space, bacteria and cast
off cells? - (answer)Auxiliary lymph node
Where does the nerves of the breast mainly branch from? - (answer)4th, 5th, and 6th intercostal
nerve
,IBCLC EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What nerve supplies the greatest amount of sensation to the areola? - (answer)4th intercostal nerve
What part of the breast is most sensitive? - (answer)The areola followed by the general skin of the
breast, and then the nipple which is least sensitive.
What percent of breast milk is carbohydrates? - (answer)Approximately 7%
What are the six infant behavioral "states" - (answer)Crying, active alert, quiet alert, drowsy, active
sleep, and quiet sleep
Milk components that protect the infant/lactating breast actively bind ______, preventing their
passage through the permeable infant _____ _____ - (answer)pathogens
gut mucosa
How does the infant get the antibodies produced by mom? - (answer)antibodies are produced in
moms blood, targeted SIgA which is transported across the mammary secretory cells and released in
the milk.
What is sIgA? - (answer)Immunoglobulin A is an antibody that coats mucosal surfaces to prevent
adherence and penetration by pathogens
What are the most common food allergies? - (answer)1. Cow's milk protein
2. Eggs
3. Peanuts
4. Tree nuts
5. Fish
6. Shellfish
7. Soy
8. Wheat
, IBCLC EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025
What are the common symptoms of food allergies? - (answer)1. Eczema
2. Hives
3. Digestive or respiratory problems (e.g. mucus or blood in the stool)
The infant uses their _____ to draw in the nipple and ____ it in the mouth - (answer)Lips
Stabilize
What is weak lip tone? - (answer)Hypotonic lips result in the inability to seal lips around the breast
impacting the amount of suction created
What is a sucking blister? - (answer)friction abrasions resulting from retracted lips or a labial frenulum
that restricts the lips from flanging
What does weak lip tone look like? - (answer)Milk spilling, smacking sound (breaking suction), infant
tires faster due to increased work of the feedings even though they aren't efficient feedings
Things to look for when assessing the lips: - (answer)Seal/maintain seal around the breasts, normal lip
tone, stretchy labial frenulum, no breaks in suction, no milk spilling
What do fat deposits in the cheeks help provide? - (answer)structural support to stabilize nipple in the
mouth
Does low/weak tone cause the infant to have higher or lower levels of suction - (answer)lower levels
of suction
What does Hypotonia mean? - (answer)Low tone
