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

believes that all women should breast-feed their babies

Recent Examples on the Web

Pregnant or breastfeeding: There is little evidence to support the safe use of garlic supplements during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 22 Feb. 2025

There is not much reliable information on the use of apple cider vinegar in people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. —Kirstyn Hill, Pharmd, Mph, Health, 18 Feb. 2025

Small amounts of caffeine can pass from the breastfeeding mother to infant, but less than 300 milligrams a day should be safe for breastfeeding women, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. —Katia Hetter, CNN, 13 Feb. 2025

Juli Duvall-Jones, who oversees an HIV clinic in eastern Ivory Coast, told me that the pregnant women her clinic serves are no longer receiving their daily treatment, meaning that some children will almost certainly contract HIV during birth or through breastfeeding. —Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2025

Its free mobile app helps breastfeeding parents identify, access and review more than 10,000 lactation spaces nationwide. —Dan D'ambrosio, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2025

People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take valerian.64 3. —Kirstyn Hill, Pharmd, Mph, Health, 3 Feb. 2025

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consult their healthcare provider before starting a magnesium supplement. —Amy Brownstein, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 13 Jan. 2025

The class covers what to expect when initiating breastfeeding, skin-to-skin holding, positioning, deep latch techniques, pumps and pumping, and basic troubleshooting. — A Ready for Baby newborn care class takes place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays. —Orlando Sentinel Staff, Orlando Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2025

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