Washington Certified Lactation
Consultant Exam Questions With
Correct Answers
CLC EXAM PREP
Comprehensive Practice Exam with Answers and Explanations
Based on Latest Study Notes
SECTION 1: THREE STRATEGIES FOR BREASTFEEDING SUCCESS
1. According to WHO and UNICEF, what are the three strategies needed for
increasing breastfeeding initiation and duration in every country?
a) Education, Marketing, Advertising
b) Breastfeeding Promotion, Breastfeeding Protection, Breastfeeding Support
c) Hospital Policies, Home Visits, Formula Regulation
d) Prenatal Education, Postnatal Care, Pediatric Follow-up
Answer: b) Breastfeeding Promotion, Breastfeeding Protection, Breastfeeding
Support
Explanation: The World Health Organization and UNICEF have established three
essential strategies for increasing breastfeeding initiation and duration globally:
Promotion, Protection, and Support .
2. Breastfeeding Promotion focuses on:
,a) Government regulations and laws
b) The advantages of breastfeeding on personal, community, country, or global
levels
c) Hospital staff training
d) Formula marketing restrictions
Answer: b) The advantages of breastfeeding on personal, community, country,
or global levels
Explanation: Breastfeeding Promotion focuses on the advantages of
breastfeeding—personal connection, community impact, country healthcare
savings, and global reduction of waste from formula products .
3. Breastfeeding Protection focuses on:
a) Individual mother's choices
b) Government, manufacturer, and social responsibility to assure breastfeeding's
ability to compete with commercial interests
c) Hospital protocols only
d) Baby's health exclusively
Answer: b) Government, manufacturer, and social responsibility to assure
breastfeeding's ability to compete with commercial interests
Explanation: Breastfeeding Protection focuses on government, manufacturer, and
social responsibility. It includes addressing improper marketing practices,
breastfeeding in public, workplace rights, jury duty, family law, and mothers in
prison .
4. Breastfeeding Support focuses on:
a) Formula company donations
b) The interaction of "helpers" with family as well as program development and
implementation
c) Government regulations
d) International trade agreements
,Answer: b) The interaction of "helpers" with family as well as program
development and implementation
Explanation: Breastfeeding Support focuses on the interaction of helpers
(lactation consultants, healthcare providers) with the family, as well as program
development and implementation to assist breastfeeding mothers .
SECTION 2: MATERNAL HEALTH RISKS
5. Women who do not breastfeed are at greater risk for which of the following
diseases?
a) Only breast cancer
b) Myocardial infarction, metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, stroke,
DMII, HTN, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and breast, endometrial, and
ovarian cancer
c) Only osteoporosis
d) Only postpartum depression
Answer: b) Myocardial infarction, metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease,
stroke, DMII, HTN, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and breast,
endometrial, and ovarian cancer
Explanation: Research shows that women who do not breastfeed have increased
risks for multiple conditions including myocardial infarction, metabolic syndrome,
coronary artery disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia,
cardiovascular disease, and breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers .
SECTION 3: BARRIERS TO EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING
6. What is the number one reason why women do not exclusively breastfeed?
a) Physical pain
b) Unrealistic expectations from society about motherhood, along with lack of
preparation for what the newborn period would be like
c) Return to work
d) Lack of milk supply
, Answer: b) Unrealistic expectations from society about motherhood, along with
lack of preparation for what the newborn period would be like
Explanation: The primary reason women do not exclusively breastfeed is
unrealistic societal expectations about motherhood and lack of preparation for
the realities of the newborn period .
7. What is the second reason why women do not exclusively breastfeed?
a) Hospital policies
b) Lack of timely interventions; mother's problems at 3-7 days pose the greatest
risk for stopping
c) Formula marketing
d) Partner disapproval
Answer: b) Lack of timely interventions; mother's problems at 3-7 days pose the
greatest risk for stopping
Explanation: The second reason is lack of timely interventions. Problems
occurring at 3-7 days postpartum pose the greatest risk for stopping
breastfeeding, as this is when mothers are home from the hospital alone with no
support. The fastest drop-off occurs in the first 10 days following discharge .
SECTION 4: THE INTERNATIONAL CODE
8. What is the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes?
a) A law requiring formula companies to donate to hospitals
b) An international health policy framework to regulate the marketing of breast
milk substitutes in order to protect breastfeeding
c) A marketing campaign for formula
d) A hospital policy document
Answer: b) An international health policy framework to regulate the marketing
of breast milk substitutes in order to protect breastfeeding
Explanation: The International Code is an international health policy framework
created in response to marketing activities of the infant feeding industry that
Consultant Exam Questions With
Correct Answers
CLC EXAM PREP
Comprehensive Practice Exam with Answers and Explanations
Based on Latest Study Notes
SECTION 1: THREE STRATEGIES FOR BREASTFEEDING SUCCESS
1. According to WHO and UNICEF, what are the three strategies needed for
increasing breastfeeding initiation and duration in every country?
a) Education, Marketing, Advertising
b) Breastfeeding Promotion, Breastfeeding Protection, Breastfeeding Support
c) Hospital Policies, Home Visits, Formula Regulation
d) Prenatal Education, Postnatal Care, Pediatric Follow-up
Answer: b) Breastfeeding Promotion, Breastfeeding Protection, Breastfeeding
Support
Explanation: The World Health Organization and UNICEF have established three
essential strategies for increasing breastfeeding initiation and duration globally:
Promotion, Protection, and Support .
2. Breastfeeding Promotion focuses on:
,a) Government regulations and laws
b) The advantages of breastfeeding on personal, community, country, or global
levels
c) Hospital staff training
d) Formula marketing restrictions
Answer: b) The advantages of breastfeeding on personal, community, country,
or global levels
Explanation: Breastfeeding Promotion focuses on the advantages of
breastfeeding—personal connection, community impact, country healthcare
savings, and global reduction of waste from formula products .
3. Breastfeeding Protection focuses on:
a) Individual mother's choices
b) Government, manufacturer, and social responsibility to assure breastfeeding's
ability to compete with commercial interests
c) Hospital protocols only
d) Baby's health exclusively
Answer: b) Government, manufacturer, and social responsibility to assure
breastfeeding's ability to compete with commercial interests
Explanation: Breastfeeding Protection focuses on government, manufacturer, and
social responsibility. It includes addressing improper marketing practices,
breastfeeding in public, workplace rights, jury duty, family law, and mothers in
prison .
4. Breastfeeding Support focuses on:
a) Formula company donations
b) The interaction of "helpers" with family as well as program development and
implementation
c) Government regulations
d) International trade agreements
,Answer: b) The interaction of "helpers" with family as well as program
development and implementation
Explanation: Breastfeeding Support focuses on the interaction of helpers
(lactation consultants, healthcare providers) with the family, as well as program
development and implementation to assist breastfeeding mothers .
SECTION 2: MATERNAL HEALTH RISKS
5. Women who do not breastfeed are at greater risk for which of the following
diseases?
a) Only breast cancer
b) Myocardial infarction, metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, stroke,
DMII, HTN, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and breast, endometrial, and
ovarian cancer
c) Only osteoporosis
d) Only postpartum depression
Answer: b) Myocardial infarction, metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease,
stroke, DMII, HTN, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and breast,
endometrial, and ovarian cancer
Explanation: Research shows that women who do not breastfeed have increased
risks for multiple conditions including myocardial infarction, metabolic syndrome,
coronary artery disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia,
cardiovascular disease, and breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers .
SECTION 3: BARRIERS TO EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING
6. What is the number one reason why women do not exclusively breastfeed?
a) Physical pain
b) Unrealistic expectations from society about motherhood, along with lack of
preparation for what the newborn period would be like
c) Return to work
d) Lack of milk supply
, Answer: b) Unrealistic expectations from society about motherhood, along with
lack of preparation for what the newborn period would be like
Explanation: The primary reason women do not exclusively breastfeed is
unrealistic societal expectations about motherhood and lack of preparation for
the realities of the newborn period .
7. What is the second reason why women do not exclusively breastfeed?
a) Hospital policies
b) Lack of timely interventions; mother's problems at 3-7 days pose the greatest
risk for stopping
c) Formula marketing
d) Partner disapproval
Answer: b) Lack of timely interventions; mother's problems at 3-7 days pose the
greatest risk for stopping
Explanation: The second reason is lack of timely interventions. Problems
occurring at 3-7 days postpartum pose the greatest risk for stopping
breastfeeding, as this is when mothers are home from the hospital alone with no
support. The fastest drop-off occurs in the first 10 days following discharge .
SECTION 4: THE INTERNATIONAL CODE
8. What is the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes?
a) A law requiring formula companies to donate to hospitals
b) An international health policy framework to regulate the marketing of breast
milk substitutes in order to protect breastfeeding
c) A marketing campaign for formula
d) A hospital policy document
Answer: b) An international health policy framework to regulate the marketing
of breast milk substitutes in order to protect breastfeeding
Explanation: The International Code is an international health policy framework
created in response to marketing activities of the infant feeding industry that
