Certified Breastfeeding Counselor (CBC) Practice

What is the basic principle behind breast milk production?

1. Hand express

2. Do not supplement

3. Supply and demand

4. Formula feed

The correct answer is: Supply and demand

The basic principle behind breast milk production is "supply and demand." This means that the more often a baby breastfeeds, the more milk the breasts will produce to meet the demand. It is a continuous cycle where the baby's nursing stimulates the breasts to produce milk according to the baby's needs. This principle emphasizes the importance of frequent and effective breastfeeding to establish and maintain a healthy milk supply. Option A, hand express, is a method of expressing breast milk, not the fundamental principle behind its production. Option B, do not supplement, is a recommendation to avoid using supplements or formula unless medically necessary but does not explain the mechanism of milk production. Option D, formula feed, is not relevant to the biological process of breast milk production and is a completely different feeding method altogether.