breastfeed
Verb: 1. To feed (a baby or young child) with milk from the breast: The act of a mother or nursing person giving milk directly from her breast to an infant.
The verb "breastfeed" is used to describe the specific action of a mother/nursing parent feeding an infant from the breast. It is often used in medical, parenting, and general contexts. - It is typically used with a direct object (the baby). - It can be used in active voice (The mother breastfeeds) or passive voice (The baby is breastfed).
- Active Voice:
- She chose to breastfeed her newborn.
- Many mothers breastfeed their babies for the first six months.
- Passive Voice:
- The infant was breastfed on demand.
- Intransitive/General Use:
- It is recommended to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months.
- "to breastfeed a baby": The standard construction.
- She breastfeeds her baby every three hours.
- The term is often used in discussions about public health, infant nutrition, and parental rights.
- Breastfeeding (n/gerund): The practice or process of feeding a baby with breast milk.
- Breastfeeding has many health benefits.
- Nurse (v): A synonym often used interchangeably with "breastfeed" in many contexts.
- She nurses the baby at night.
- Suckle (v): To feed from the breast; can be used for both the action of the mother and the infant.
- The baby suckled contentedly.
- Nurse: To feed a baby from the breast.
- Suckle: To give suck to; to feed from the breast.
- Give suck to: (Formal/archaic) To breastfeed.
- Bottle-feed: To feed (a baby) with a bottle.
- Formula-feed: To feed (a baby) with infant formula.
Note: There are no common idioms using the specific verb "breastfeed." The related concept is typically expressed through the noun "breastfeeding." - "To be breastfeeding": Describes the ongoing state of a mother/nursing parent. - She is still breastfeeding her one-year-old.
- give suck to
- The wetnurse suckled the infant
- You cannot nurse your baby in public in some places