IBCLC case studies
IBCLC · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) credential is issued through the IBLCE and its IBCLC Commission, whose stated mission is "serving the global public interest by advancing professional practice in lactation consultation and support through credentialing." The Commission reports a community of over 39,000 IBCLCs worldwide, and the IBCLC programme is accredited by NCCA. Candidates move through a published pathway - prepare for certification, review fees and key dates, then apply - and sit a scheduled examination administration; the Commission's site currently lists a September 2026 examination and a March/April 2027 examination, each with its own candidate dashboard, examination options and examination-day guidance, live remote proctoring information, and test centre information. The IBCLC case studies are 5 cases and about 4,509 words.
1Day 5, 36-Week Infant: 10% Loss, Rising Bilirubin, and a Mother Who Refuses Formula
Infant born at 36+0 weeks by vacuum-assisted delivery, birth weight 2.72 kg, now day 5 of life and 2.44 kg - a 10.3% loss. The mother's milk came in on day 4.
829 words, about 4 min2Day 5 After an Insulin-Treated GDM Pregnancy: Delayed Secretory Activation or Primary Insufficient Supply?
Mother, 34, BMI 33, with PCOS and insulin-treated gestational diabetes; emergency caesarean at 39+1 for failure to progress. She has never felt breast fullness or leaking.
835 words, about 4 min3Day 19 of Nipple Pain With a Flat Weight Curve: Sorting Mechanical Trauma From Infection and Spasm
First-time mother, day 19. She describes pain as 8/10 through the whole feed on both sides, slightly worse on the left.
958 words, about 5 min4Five Weeks Postpartum: Three Medications, a "Just Enough" Supply, and a Request for the Combined Pill
Five weeks postpartum. The mother is taking labetalol 200 mg twice daily for postpartum hypertension, sertraline 50 mg daily (started day 3 for anxiety and low mood), and ferrous sulfate.
917 words, about 5 min5Four Months, a 50th-Centile Baby, Night Waking, and "Just Tell Me It's Fine to Stop"
Mother of a 4-month-old, exclusively breastfed, returning in 10 days to 10-hour shifts as a warehouse picker. Her employer offers one 20-minute break and a curtained corner of a locker room for pumping.
970 words, about 5 min