breastfeed

verb

breast·​feed ˈbrest-ˌfēd 

variants or breast-feed

breastfed or breast-fed; breastfeeding or breast-feeding; breastfeeds or breast-feeds

transitive verb

: to feed (a baby) from a mother's breast

intransitive verb

1

: to breastfeed a baby

… more women are breastfeeding than ever before …

—Lauren Sandler

2

of a baby : to feed oneself by sucking milk from a mother's breast

breastfed adjective

or breast-fed

breastfed babies

breastfeeder noun

or breast-feeder

breastfeeding noun

or breast-feeding

Synonyms

• nurse
• suckle
• wet-nurse

Examples of breastfeed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What’s included in the packages is determined by the age of the child or the stage of pregnancy or breastfeeding that a person is in. —The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024

In March, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration issued an advisory about the safety of these treatments during pregnancy and breastfeeding. —Mira Cheng, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024

Health experts say aggressive formula marketing — such as steep discounts and free samples — can make misleading claims and prompt mothers to prematurely give up breastfeeding. —Heather Vogell, ProPublica, 10 Apr. 2024

Nursing bras are designed to provide access to the breast so a child can breastfeed without requiring the nursing parent to completely disrobe from the waist up. —Katrina Cossey, Parents, 10 Apr. 2024

One group that should probably steer clear of tretinoin: People who are pregnant or breastfeeding. —Krissy Brady, SELF, 2 Apr. 2024

Nipple discharge refers to fluid leaks coming from either or both breast nipples, which can happen during pregnancy and breastfeeding. —Ashley Abramson, Health, 24 Mar. 2024

But especially those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, over 65 or dealing with any thyroid conditions should avoid consuming any sea moss products, Galati says. —Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024

But a new study published on Friday in Cell Metabolism found that while pregnancy accelerates the body’s biological clock, much of that effect is reversed after delivery, especially in people who breastfeed. —Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 22 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

breast-feed

verb

ˈbrest-ˌfēd

breast-fed

-ˌfed

; breast-feeding

: to feed a baby from a mother's breast

Medical Definition

breastfeed

verb

breast·​feed

variants or breast-feed

ˈbrest-ˌfēd

breastfed or breast-fed; breastfeeding or breast-feeding; breastfeeds or breast-feeds

transitive verb

: to feed (a baby) from a mother's breast

intransitive verb

1

: to breastfeed a baby

2

of a baby : to feed oneself by sucking milk from a mother's breast

breastfed adjective

or breast-fed

breastfed babies

breastfeeder noun

or breast-feeder

This class for first-time breastfeeders will be from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

—The Reno (Nevada) Gazette-Journal

On average, infants who were exclusive breast-feeders continued to drink more as they got older …

—The Philadelphia Inquirer

breastfeeding noun

or breast-feeding