IBCLC EXAM COMPREHENSIVE SCRIPT 2026
FULL STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE RESPONSES
◉ 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
◉ What does it mean if an infant has thing cheeks due to reduced fat
pads? Answer: That the infants intraoral space is larger than normal,
forcing them to create a larger vacuum to generate and sustain
suction. So the work for a feeding increases
◉ What does the dancer's hand help with? Answer: Cheek stability
◉ What does the jaw provide stability for? Answer: Tongue, lips, and
cheeks
◉ Almost all babies have ___ jaws Answer: receding
◉ Preterm infants usually have jaw instability because of Answer:
low muscle tone and immature muscles
,◉ What is micrognathia? Answer: abnormally receding chin (can
happen in certain breach positions)
◉ What is Pierre Robin Syndrome? Answer: Severe micrognathia
that can obstruct the airway
◉ How do you help with nipple pain if a baby has a receding jaw?
Answer: Tip the infants head in a slightly extended position to bring
the chin closer to the breast
◉ Abnormally wide jaw excursions can cause a ____ in ____ Answer:
break in suction
◉ What are some methods to help during a feeding with an
abnormality in the jaw? Answer: 1. provide external support with a
finger placed under the jaw to help with distance of jaw excursions
2.position infant so head is extended up to help lower jaw extend to
breast
3. find a position that is comfortable for mom and baby to help with
jaw stability
◉ How does the tongue create negative pressure with a baby is
latched? Answer: The tongue should be able to lift freely and lift the
mothers nipple against the hard palate so with each drop of the
tongue, the oral cavity gets larger and creates negative pressure
,◉ When assessing the tongue you should look for all of the
following: Answer: 1. shape
2. restrictions
3. position
4. abnormalities
◉ True or false: an infant who is struggling with a fast flow will
break suction on their own Answer: True!
◉ How does the palate get shaped in utero? Answer: The tongue
pressed against it
◉ Bubble palates result from what? Answer: Tongue Tie. The tongue
is not able to extend all the way to the middle of the palate due to the
restriction. So where the tongue is anchored, you will feel a bubble
on the palate
◉ What is the job of the hard palate during a feeding? Answer: It
opposes the tongue helping to compress the nipple and maintain its
position in the mouth
, ◉ What are Epstein's pearls? Answer: They are small, round, white
cysts that are found on the ridge of the hard palate or gums and they
usually go away within 2 months (do not affect BF)
◉ Epstein's Pearls can sometime be mistaken for what? Answer:
teeth or thrush
◉ What is a partial or incomplete cleft lip? Answer: Small gap or
indentation of the lip
◉ What is the difference between a unilateral and bilateral complete
cleft lip? Answer: Unilateral refers to 1 side, bilateral refers to both
sides and complete means that it continues into the nose.
◉ What is an incomplete cleft palate? Answer: A "hole" in the roof of
the mouth, usually as a cleft soft palate
◉ What is a complete cleft palate? Answer: Soft and hard palate,
possibly including a gap in the jaw
◉ Why does a cleft palate make BF more difficult? Answer: Because
the infant is unable to seal the oral cavity to create suction
FULL STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE RESPONSES
◉ 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
◉ What does it mean if an infant has thing cheeks due to reduced fat
pads? Answer: That the infants intraoral space is larger than normal,
forcing them to create a larger vacuum to generate and sustain
suction. So the work for a feeding increases
◉ What does the dancer's hand help with? Answer: Cheek stability
◉ What does the jaw provide stability for? Answer: Tongue, lips, and
cheeks
◉ Almost all babies have ___ jaws Answer: receding
◉ Preterm infants usually have jaw instability because of Answer:
low muscle tone and immature muscles
,◉ What is micrognathia? Answer: abnormally receding chin (can
happen in certain breach positions)
◉ What is Pierre Robin Syndrome? Answer: Severe micrognathia
that can obstruct the airway
◉ How do you help with nipple pain if a baby has a receding jaw?
Answer: Tip the infants head in a slightly extended position to bring
the chin closer to the breast
◉ Abnormally wide jaw excursions can cause a ____ in ____ Answer:
break in suction
◉ What are some methods to help during a feeding with an
abnormality in the jaw? Answer: 1. provide external support with a
finger placed under the jaw to help with distance of jaw excursions
2.position infant so head is extended up to help lower jaw extend to
breast
3. find a position that is comfortable for mom and baby to help with
jaw stability
◉ How does the tongue create negative pressure with a baby is
latched? Answer: The tongue should be able to lift freely and lift the
mothers nipple against the hard palate so with each drop of the
tongue, the oral cavity gets larger and creates negative pressure
,◉ When assessing the tongue you should look for all of the
following: Answer: 1. shape
2. restrictions
3. position
4. abnormalities
◉ True or false: an infant who is struggling with a fast flow will
break suction on their own Answer: True!
◉ How does the palate get shaped in utero? Answer: The tongue
pressed against it
◉ Bubble palates result from what? Answer: Tongue Tie. The tongue
is not able to extend all the way to the middle of the palate due to the
restriction. So where the tongue is anchored, you will feel a bubble
on the palate
◉ What is the job of the hard palate during a feeding? Answer: It
opposes the tongue helping to compress the nipple and maintain its
position in the mouth
, ◉ What are Epstein's pearls? Answer: They are small, round, white
cysts that are found on the ridge of the hard palate or gums and they
usually go away within 2 months (do not affect BF)
◉ Epstein's Pearls can sometime be mistaken for what? Answer:
teeth or thrush
◉ What is a partial or incomplete cleft lip? Answer: Small gap or
indentation of the lip
◉ What is the difference between a unilateral and bilateral complete
cleft lip? Answer: Unilateral refers to 1 side, bilateral refers to both
sides and complete means that it continues into the nose.
◉ What is an incomplete cleft palate? Answer: A "hole" in the roof of
the mouth, usually as a cleft soft palate
◉ What is a complete cleft palate? Answer: Soft and hard palate,
possibly including a gap in the jaw
◉ Why does a cleft palate make BF more difficult? Answer: Because
the infant is unable to seal the oral cavity to create suction
