Preparing for the IBCLC Exam

You’ve completed your coursework and clinical hours to become an IBCLC – congratulations! The last step to becoming an IBCLC is taking the IBCLC exam. After applying for the exam during the exam application window, you’ll have ~3-4 months before your exam. Read below to learn more about preparing to take your exam!

Review the Detailed Content Outline

• The detailed content outline lists topics that may be tested on the IBCLC exam. This is the best place to start to familiarize yourself with what to study.
• As you read through the outline, think about how the topics listed relate to lactation and utilize your textbooks and study materials to learn more about these topics.

Map Out a Study Schedule

• After reviewing the detailed content outline, rank the topics into groups by how familiar you are with them (e.g. scale of 1-5 with 5 being the most familiar). Start with studying the topics you’re least comfortable with so you can have more time to reinforce those topics.
• Based on how long you have until the exam, divide the number of topics from the detailed content outline by the number of weeks you have left to study. You’ll likely need to devote more time to some topics and less to others, but this can be a starting point.
• From your study plan, determine which book chapters, professional statements/protocols, and course material from your lactation-specific education corresponds with which topic from the detailed content outline so you can make a quick reference for each topic on where to find what content.

Refer to Your Lactation Specific Education Materials

• Make sure you keep your materials from your lactation specific education and use these for studying for the exam, including textbooks! Three of the primary textbooks used by aspiring IBCLCs are The Breastfeeding Atlas, Core Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Lactation Care, and Breastfeeding and Human Lactation. Your course materials and textbooks will likely be your most comprehensive study references. The Breastfeeding and Public Health and Clinical Breastfeeding Support courses offered through NC State that fulfill the 95-hour lactation specific education requirements to become an IBCLC are based on the detailed content outline and make an excellent resource for studying for the IBCLC exam!
• In addition to your lactation coursework, familiarize yourself with international breastfeeding organizations and their statements (e.g. WHO/UNICEF’s International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent resolutions, WHO/UNICEF’s Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine protocols)
• There are many professional standards documents (e.g. Clinical Competencies for IBCLCs, Code of Professional Conduct for IBCLCs, Scope of Practice for IBCLCs) and advisory opinions available on the IBCLC Commission website. These are important for all IBCLCs and prospective IBCLCs taking the exam to be familiar with.

Utilize a Variety of Study Resources & Practice Questions

• Practice exams are available from a variety of sources. By utilizing different sources, you will be exposed to different ways questions may be asked, which will help you think about the questions in different ways and prepare you better for the exam.
• Consider completing practice questions throughout your study period so you can consistently get practice with answering questions. Even getting answers wrong will help you study so don’t worry about knowing the material perfectly before doing practice questions (after all, we learn best from our mistakes!). Save at least one practice exam to take about 2-4 weeks before the exam (consider the IBCLC practice exam from IBLCE since it will most closely mimic the exam itself)
• Many of the questions on the IBCLC exam will include pictures, so take advantage of any resources you can find that include pictures, including practice exams, The Breastfeeding Atlas, and The Melanated Mammary Atlas. The CDC also has a webpage dedicated to milestones at different ages which includes pictures/videos.
• Making your own flash cards can be helpful for memorizing definitions or short pieces of information. For example, infant anatomy, research definitions, and developmental milestones are well-suited for flashcards when studying for the IBCLC exam.
• There are many different free podcasts, websites, and videos you can utilize in addition to textbooks and practice exams. Different methods of engaging with the material (e.g. reading, watching, listening) may help you remember it better!

Tips for Studying

• As you’re reviewing content, try and explain what you’ve learned to someone else – you’ll learn best by trying to teach it to someone else!
• Remember, the IBCLC exam is an international exam, therefore answers to questions on the exam won’t necessarily be specific to the United States. Think about the answer that is most realistic across different countries with different resources. This website has helpful videos for thinking about breastfeeding from a global perspective.
• When you’re answering practice questions, remember the mantra “feed the baby and protect supply” as the first step when thinking about the most appropriate intervention or recommendation of what to do in certain breastfeeding scenarios.