Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Practice
Exam Questions And Correct Answers (Verified
Answers) Plus Rationales 2025 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
1. A newborn has a tight lingual frenulum causing ineffective latch.
What is the FIRST intervention?
A. Recommend immediate frenotomy
B. Suggest exclusive bottle-feeding
C. Teach latch optimization and positioning (Correct)
D. Start nipple shield use
Answer: C
Rationale: Before referral or surgical intervention, IBCLCs first
optimize latch and positioning to determine whether function
improves.
2. A mother with mastitis reports fever, breast pain, and a firm
area. What is the appropriate recommendation?
A. Stop breastfeeding on the affected side
B. Encourage continued feeding and consider antibiotics (Correct)
C. Apply ice only and rest
D. Switch to pumping exclusively
Answer: B
Rationale: Continued milk removal helps resolve mastitis; antibiotics
are indicated when symptoms include fever and pain.
3. A preterm infant at 32 weeks is beginning oral feeds. Which
reflex is essential?
,A. Rooting
B. Extrusion
C. Suck-swallow-breathe coordination (Correct)
D. Moro
Answer: C
Rationale: Safe oral feeding requires mature coordination of sucking,
swallowing, and breathing.
4. A mother with flat nipples is struggling with latch. What should
the IBCLC suggest FIRST?
A. Nipple shield
B. Pumping exclusively
C. Reverse pressure softening (Correct)
D. Bottle supplementation
Answer: C
Rationale: Reverse pressure softening can help evert or soften the
areola to facilitate initial latch.
5. Which hormone is primarily responsible for milk ejection?
A. Estrogen
B. Oxytocin (Correct)
C. Prolactin
D. Progesterone
Answer: B
Rationale: Oxytocin triggers the let-down reflex and milk ejection.
6. A baby who feeds every 4–5 hours and has only 2 wet diapers a
day is at risk for:
,A. Overfeeding
B. Dehydration (Correct)
C. Thrush
D. Reflux
Answer: B
Rationale: Infrequent feeding and poor output signals inadequate
intake leading to dehydration.
7. Which factor most strongly predicts successful breastfeeding?
A. Maternal age
B. Prior breastfeeding experience (Correct)
C. Infant birth weight
D. Epidural use
Answer: B
Rationale: Women who breastfed previously typically have higher
success due to experience and confidence.
8. A mother taking sertraline asks about breastfeeding. The
preferred response is:
A. Recommend immediate weaning
B. Sertraline is generally compatible with breastfeeding (Correct)
C. Demand she discontinue medication
D. Suggest formula supplementation
Answer: B
Rationale: Sertraline is one of the safest antidepressants during
lactation per guidelines.
9. Cluster feeding in the first week is best explained as:
, A. A sign of low supply
B. A normal behavior to stimulate milk production (Correct)
C. A symptom of colic
D. Overfeeding
Answer: B
Rationale: Frequent evening feeds increase milk production and are
physiologically normal.
10. A mother reports nipple blanching, burning pain, and color
changes after feeds. Most likely cause?
A. Thrush
B. Vasospasm (Correct)
C. Mastitis
D. Plugged duct
Answer: B
Rationale: Raynaud’s phenomenon of the nipple presents with
blanching and pain after feeding.
11. Optimal weight gain for a term breastfed infant after day 5 is:
A. 5 g/day
B. 10 g/day
C. 15 g/day
D. 20–30 g/day (Correct)
Answer: D
Rationale: Expected average weight gain is about 20–30 g/day in
early infancy.
12. A mother has oversupply. What is an appropriate management
strategy?
Exam Questions And Correct Answers (Verified
Answers) Plus Rationales 2025 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
1. A newborn has a tight lingual frenulum causing ineffective latch.
What is the FIRST intervention?
A. Recommend immediate frenotomy
B. Suggest exclusive bottle-feeding
C. Teach latch optimization and positioning (Correct)
D. Start nipple shield use
Answer: C
Rationale: Before referral or surgical intervention, IBCLCs first
optimize latch and positioning to determine whether function
improves.
2. A mother with mastitis reports fever, breast pain, and a firm
area. What is the appropriate recommendation?
A. Stop breastfeeding on the affected side
B. Encourage continued feeding and consider antibiotics (Correct)
C. Apply ice only and rest
D. Switch to pumping exclusively
Answer: B
Rationale: Continued milk removal helps resolve mastitis; antibiotics
are indicated when symptoms include fever and pain.
3. A preterm infant at 32 weeks is beginning oral feeds. Which
reflex is essential?
,A. Rooting
B. Extrusion
C. Suck-swallow-breathe coordination (Correct)
D. Moro
Answer: C
Rationale: Safe oral feeding requires mature coordination of sucking,
swallowing, and breathing.
4. A mother with flat nipples is struggling with latch. What should
the IBCLC suggest FIRST?
A. Nipple shield
B. Pumping exclusively
C. Reverse pressure softening (Correct)
D. Bottle supplementation
Answer: C
Rationale: Reverse pressure softening can help evert or soften the
areola to facilitate initial latch.
5. Which hormone is primarily responsible for milk ejection?
A. Estrogen
B. Oxytocin (Correct)
C. Prolactin
D. Progesterone
Answer: B
Rationale: Oxytocin triggers the let-down reflex and milk ejection.
6. A baby who feeds every 4–5 hours and has only 2 wet diapers a
day is at risk for:
,A. Overfeeding
B. Dehydration (Correct)
C. Thrush
D. Reflux
Answer: B
Rationale: Infrequent feeding and poor output signals inadequate
intake leading to dehydration.
7. Which factor most strongly predicts successful breastfeeding?
A. Maternal age
B. Prior breastfeeding experience (Correct)
C. Infant birth weight
D. Epidural use
Answer: B
Rationale: Women who breastfed previously typically have higher
success due to experience and confidence.
8. A mother taking sertraline asks about breastfeeding. The
preferred response is:
A. Recommend immediate weaning
B. Sertraline is generally compatible with breastfeeding (Correct)
C. Demand she discontinue medication
D. Suggest formula supplementation
Answer: B
Rationale: Sertraline is one of the safest antidepressants during
lactation per guidelines.
9. Cluster feeding in the first week is best explained as:
, A. A sign of low supply
B. A normal behavior to stimulate milk production (Correct)
C. A symptom of colic
D. Overfeeding
Answer: B
Rationale: Frequent evening feeds increase milk production and are
physiologically normal.
10. A mother reports nipple blanching, burning pain, and color
changes after feeds. Most likely cause?
A. Thrush
B. Vasospasm (Correct)
C. Mastitis
D. Plugged duct
Answer: B
Rationale: Raynaud’s phenomenon of the nipple presents with
blanching and pain after feeding.
11. Optimal weight gain for a term breastfed infant after day 5 is:
A. 5 g/day
B. 10 g/day
C. 15 g/day
D. 20–30 g/day (Correct)
Answer: D
Rationale: Expected average weight gain is about 20–30 g/day in
early infancy.
12. A mother has oversupply. What is an appropriate management
strategy?
