lactation

noun

lac·​ta·​tion lak-ˈtā-shən 

plural lactations

1

: the production and secretion of milk by the mammary glands

… there may be overproduction of prolactin, the breast milk hormone. A sign of that might be abnormal lactation.

—Paul G. Donohue

When a doe kids and begins lactation, she must draw on the calcium stored in her bones to furnish enough blood calcium for milk production.

—David B. Weems

… lactation rooms where mothers can express milk for baby.

—Shawn Tully

… the infants of mothers given the names of lactation support groups or individuals instead are more likely to be fully breast-feeding at four months.

—Barbara Quick

2

: one complete period of lactation extending from about the time of birthing to weaning

… cows fed 1.1 percent bicarb in the total ration produced an average 17,587 lbs. of milk per lactation …

—Eastern Milk Producer

lactational

lak-ˈtā-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

lactational mastitis

Examples of lactation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Employers may also use lactation support vendors, including the healthcare startup MilkMate, which offers turnkey lactation support solutions for a wide range of employers. —Michelle Travis, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025

Peluso encourages patients and providers to band together and lobby for insurance coverage for lactation support. —Melissa Willets, Parents, 5 Mar. 2025

In addition to the financial assistance, Philadelphia Joy will offer voluntary assistance, including financial counselling, home visits, doula help and lactation support. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

Holy Name also offers lactation specialists and discharge nurses, who provide specialized education to new moms, and in recent years, has rolled out a doula policy to bring those professionals into the fold. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lactation

• ablation
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation
• collation

Medical Definition

lactation

noun

lac·​ta·​tion lak-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the secretion and yielding of milk by the mammary gland

2

: one complete period of lactation extending from about the time of parturition to weaning

lactational

-shən-ᵊl 

adjective

lactationally

-ē 

adverb