CERTIFIED LACTATION CONSULTANT EXAM
EXAM PREPARATION PACK 2026 KEY
CONCEPTS AND REVISION NOTES
◉ Conditioned Response from Milk Ejection (Let down).
Answer: -Example- Mother lets down when not near baby, but hears
a baby cry.
-Conditioned over time
-Faster for women who have BF in the past
-To condition the response can use any sense-smell, touch, sound
◉ Nipple stretching.
Answer: Only happens with a proper latch
◉ Hand massage: Baby.
Answer: When we allow babies to be more hands on they can help
control flow rate by how they massage the breast.
◉ How many triggers does Oxytocin have? Can it be triggered by
stress..
Answer: 3 triggers. Yes.
,◉ What is hormone is triggered by stimulation?.
Answer: Prolactin
◉ What 3 emotional/behavioral function do the hormones of
lactation have besides making milk?.
Answer: 1. Aggression
2. Protection
3. Bonding/trust
◉ What is special about the composition of milk?.
Answer: 1. Mammal species with higher water content milk feed
more frequently.
2. Prolactin triggers production of lactose in the mammary cells.
◉ What are the different care patterns of mammalian mother's and
their babies?.
Answer: 1. Nest (eg. puppies, cats) OR cache (deer, rabbit)
2. Carry (monkey), follow (giraffe, bison), or hibernate (bear)
◉ What kind of milk has the highest lactose of all mammalian milk?.
Answer: Human milk: high in water, low in protein and fat.
,◉ When does paracellular transport occur?.
Answer: 1. In the first few days after birth
2. Mother with low prolactin levels
◉ When are cells not plump?.
Answer: During paracellular transport
◉ Transcelluar pathway.
Answer: Substances must go through the milk cell to enter the milk.
Cells are plump and can no longer go around.
◉ Why is colostrum easier to suck/swallow.
Answer: Because it is thicker and takes longer to express from the
breast.
◉ What are the 3 stages of milk making?.
Answer: 1. Secretory Differentiation: Lactogenesis I
2. Secretory Activation: Lactogensis II
3. Lactation: Lactogenesis III
◉ What happens during Secretory Activation? Lactogensis II.
, Answer: Rapid drop in progesterone, mature milk making is
activated
◉ What happens during Secretory Differentiation? Lactogenesis I.
Answer: Cells grow and expand
◉ When does breast milk composition change?.
Answer: Can occur:
1. Within a feeding
2. Within a day
3. Over course of lactation
◉ What happens during Lactation? Lactogensis III.
Answer: Mature milk is being made. frequent expression of milk
◉ Preterm milk composition is....
Answer: Higher in protein, fat, and electrolytes than mature milk
◉ What is foremilk?.
Answer: first milk excreted at the beginning of feeding. Does not
always mean low fat.
EXAM PREPARATION PACK 2026 KEY
CONCEPTS AND REVISION NOTES
◉ Conditioned Response from Milk Ejection (Let down).
Answer: -Example- Mother lets down when not near baby, but hears
a baby cry.
-Conditioned over time
-Faster for women who have BF in the past
-To condition the response can use any sense-smell, touch, sound
◉ Nipple stretching.
Answer: Only happens with a proper latch
◉ Hand massage: Baby.
Answer: When we allow babies to be more hands on they can help
control flow rate by how they massage the breast.
◉ How many triggers does Oxytocin have? Can it be triggered by
stress..
Answer: 3 triggers. Yes.
,◉ What is hormone is triggered by stimulation?.
Answer: Prolactin
◉ What 3 emotional/behavioral function do the hormones of
lactation have besides making milk?.
Answer: 1. Aggression
2. Protection
3. Bonding/trust
◉ What is special about the composition of milk?.
Answer: 1. Mammal species with higher water content milk feed
more frequently.
2. Prolactin triggers production of lactose in the mammary cells.
◉ What are the different care patterns of mammalian mother's and
their babies?.
Answer: 1. Nest (eg. puppies, cats) OR cache (deer, rabbit)
2. Carry (monkey), follow (giraffe, bison), or hibernate (bear)
◉ What kind of milk has the highest lactose of all mammalian milk?.
Answer: Human milk: high in water, low in protein and fat.
,◉ When does paracellular transport occur?.
Answer: 1. In the first few days after birth
2. Mother with low prolactin levels
◉ When are cells not plump?.
Answer: During paracellular transport
◉ Transcelluar pathway.
Answer: Substances must go through the milk cell to enter the milk.
Cells are plump and can no longer go around.
◉ Why is colostrum easier to suck/swallow.
Answer: Because it is thicker and takes longer to express from the
breast.
◉ What are the 3 stages of milk making?.
Answer: 1. Secretory Differentiation: Lactogenesis I
2. Secretory Activation: Lactogensis II
3. Lactation: Lactogenesis III
◉ What happens during Secretory Activation? Lactogensis II.
, Answer: Rapid drop in progesterone, mature milk making is
activated
◉ What happens during Secretory Differentiation? Lactogenesis I.
Answer: Cells grow and expand
◉ When does breast milk composition change?.
Answer: Can occur:
1. Within a feeding
2. Within a day
3. Over course of lactation
◉ What happens during Lactation? Lactogensis III.
Answer: Mature milk is being made. frequent expression of milk
◉ Preterm milk composition is....
Answer: Higher in protein, fat, and electrolytes than mature milk
◉ What is foremilk?.
Answer: first milk excreted at the beginning of feeding. Does not
always mean low fat.
