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 of breastfeed

• nurse
• suckle

Examples of breastfeed in a Sentence

believes that all women should breast-feed their babies

Recent Examples on the Web

Women with thyroid disorders or a history of disordered eating should consult a clinician first, as should pregnant or breastfeeding women, adolescent girls and those under high chronic stress. —Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026

Finasteride, which is commonly used for androgenetic alopecia; Spironolactone, which is used for female-pattern hair loss; and oral Minoxidil, a hair loss medication originally developed to treat high blood pressure, are not recommended, or should be used with caution, when breastfeeding. —Jillian Pretzel, Parents, 9 June 2026

The breastfeeding billing battle UnitedHealthcare is cutting back on paying for lactation counseling, and the clinicians who provide those services are up in arms, another example of the deepening rifts between providers and insurers. —Bob Herman, STAT, 8 June 2026

The Bachelor alums also spoke about their decision not to breastfeed their son. —Katie Mannion, PEOPLE, 31 May 2026

Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. —Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 27 May 2026

Rodríguez said most of those released are over 70 years old, teenagers, pregnant and breastfeeding women, or suffer from illnesses. —Gustavo Ocando Alex, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026

There is little evidence to support the safe use of garlic supplements during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 18 May 2026

There's little direct evidence about the safety of cranberry juice during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. —Cynthia Sass, Health, 27 Apr. 2026

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