Breastfeed: meaning, definitions and examples

This term is commonly used when discussing the act of a mother feeding her baby with milk directly from her breasts. It is often used in medical and everyday contexts.

• She decided to breastfeed her newborn baby.
• Breastfeeding has numerous health benefits for both mother and child.

This term can refer to the act of breastfeeding but is also used in a broader sense. It can include bottle-feeding and is additionally used in professions related to health care.

• She decided to nurse her baby rather than use formula.
• The nurse helped the new mother learn how to nurse her infant.

This term is less commonly used in everyday language and often appears in historical or literary contexts. It describes the baby actively feeding from the mother's breast. Sometimes, it can have a more primitive or animalistic connotation.

• The young lambs began to suckle from their mother.
• He watched the small kittens suckle peacefully.

Lactate is more technical and is usually used in a medical or scientific context, to describe the physiological process of producing milk in the mammary glands.

• Many mammals lactate to feed their young.
• The hormone prolactin stimulates milk production, or lactation, in women.

Used to describe the act of feeding a baby directly from the mother's breast. It is commonly used in both medical and informal contexts.

• She decided to breastfeed her baby to give him the best nutrition.
• Breastfeeding can help strengthen the bond between mother and child.

Used to describe the action of feeding a baby from the breast. 'Nursing' can also refer to the profession of healthcare workers who take care of patients.

• She spent a lot of time nursing her newborn.
• Nursing requires patience and practice for both mother and baby.

Refers to the biological process of producing milk in the mammary glands. Often used in medical or scientific contexts.

• Lactation usually begins shortly after childbirth.
• The lactation consultant provided valuable advice to new mothers.

Refers specifically to the act of a baby or young animal drinking milk from its mother. This term is more often used in relation to animals rather than humans.

• The kitten was found suckling on its mother.
• Suckling is a natural behavior seen in many mammals.