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

Healthcare providers, human resources departments, and organizations such as Postpartum Support International can offer guidance related to lactation, mental health, and workplace reintegration. —Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

These postnatal vitamins contain vitamins and herbs, such as fenugreek and brewer’s yeast, that help promote lactation. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 25 June 2025

Months after ads for lactation cookies by the pregnant cookbook author Molly Baz were pulled down from Times Square for being too racy, Bobbie put a postpartum Ms. Baz back up there with her newborn latched to one breast and a can of its formula in one hand. —Alisha Haridasani Gupta, New York Times, 31 May 2025

Cream has been struggling with lactation, but her pups have been receiving supplemental feedings and are growing into chunky little babies. —Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 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