IBCLC Practice Exam 2026 – All-in-One Guide to Excelling in Your Lactation Consultant Certification!

The term "feedback inhibitor of lactation" refers to a specific substance in breast milk that plays a critical role in regulating milk production. This compound is believed to provide a feedback mechanism that helps to modulate and inhibit milk synthesis when it is not being effectively removed from the breast.

When milk is retained in the breast, the concentration of this feedback inhibitor increases, signaling to the body to reduce its production of milk. Conversely, when breastfeeding or milk expression occurs regularly, the levels of this inhibitor decrease, allowing for continued milk production to meet the infant's demands. This dynamic regulation is essential to ensure that milk supply aligns with the baby's feeding needs and helps prevent overproduction or underproduction.

The other options do not accurately describe this concept. A hormone promoting lactation is not the feedback inhibitor itself; rather, it would signal for increased production under certain circumstances. A neurotransmitter involved in milk ejection does not pertain to the regulation of milk synthesis, while a nutritional factor in breast milk would refer to the components that provide sustenance rather than regulating milk production.