These chapter numbers are provided for the three textbooks we recommend, however each textbook covers the material in different ways. If you cannot find specific or comprehensive answers to the Study Guide questions in your textbook, please refer to the 'Recommended readings' (and do please let us know if the links need updating!).
Required pre-reading :
Chapter 1 The IBCLC and the Healthcare Team
Chapter 8 Newborn Assessment
Chapter 21 Research, Theory and Lactation
Chapter 22 Breastfeeding Education
Chapter 23 The Cultural Context of Breastfeeding
Chapter 24 The Familial and Social Context of Breastfeeding
OR
Chapter 4 Normal Infant Behaviour
Chapter 10 Transition to Parenthood
Chapter 26 Counseling and Communication
Chapter 27 Problem Solving and Documentation
Chapter 28 Cultural Humility
Chapter 29 Lactation Protection, Promotion and Support
Chapter 32 Interdisciplinary Lactation Services
OR
Chapter 2 Interdisciplinary Healthcare Team
Chapter 3 Sociological Perspective on Breastfeeding Support
Chapter 4 Empowerment to Breastfeed
Chapter 5 Counseling Skills: Learning How to Help
Chapter 6 Client Consultations
Chapter 14 Infant Assessment and Development
Chapter 21 Special Counseling Circumstances
Chapter 28 Professional Considerations
OR relevant chapters from any other lactation-specific textbook (including but not limited to previous editions of those listed above)
Recommended reading:
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare (2025). Documenting Information, https://c4sportal.safetyandquality.gov.au/documenting
Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative: Revised, Updated and Expanded for Integrated Care. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2009. Session 2, COMMUNICATION SKILLS. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK153502/
Bailey R. R. (2017). Goal Setting and Action Planning for Health Behavior Change. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 13(6), 615–618. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827617729634
Body Language handout https://australasianlactationcourses.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Body-language-1.pdf
Global Breastfeeding Collective, 2020, https://www.globalbreastfeedingcollective.org/media/541/file/Advocacy%20brief%20on%20skilled%20breastfeeding%20counselling.pdf
Global Health Media, Helping a Breastfeeding Mother, https://globalhealthmedia.org/videos/helping-a-breastfeeding-mother/
Global Health Media, The Home Visit, https://globalhealthmedia.org/videos/the-home-visit/
Gonzales A. M., Jr (2020). Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy of Early Postpartum Mothers in an Urban Municipality in the Philippines. Asian/Pacific Island nursing journal, 4(4), 135–143. https://doi.org/10.31372/20190404.1023
IBCLE Documentation Guidelines, https://iblce.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/documentation-guidelines.pdf
Nelson, C. S., Wissow, L. S., & Cheng, T. L. (2003). Effectiveness of anticipatory guidance: recent developments. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 15(6), 630-635. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14631211/
Shariat, Mamak, et al. "The effect of nurses' communication skills with Nulliparous mothers on exclusive breastfeeding: A clinical trial study." Clinical Investigation 8.4 (2018): 131-137. https://www.openaccessjournals.com/articles/the-effect-of-nurses-communication-skills-with-nulliparous-mothers-on-exclusive-breastfeeding-a-clinical-trial-study.pdf
Sibiya, M. N. (2018). Effective Communication in Nursing. InTech. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/59779
SMART goals handout https://australasianlactationcourses.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SMART-goal-setting-.pdf
