breastfeed
verb
breast·feed
ˈbrest-ˌfēd 
variants
or breast-feed
breastfed or breast-fed; breastfeeding or breast-feeding; breastfeeds or breast-feeds
: to feed (a baby) from a mother's breast
1
: to breastfeed a baby
… more women are breastfeeding than ever before …—
Lauren Sandler
Lauren Sandler2
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
Examples of breastfeed in a Sentence
believes that all women should breast-feed their babies
Recent Examples on the Web
Pregnant or breastfeeding people should use caution with concentrated extracts, since safety at high doses isn’t well studied.
—Brandi Jones, Verywell Health, 30 Dec. 2025
Xofluza is not recommended during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for outpatients with complicated or progressive illness, severely immunosuppressed people or hospitalized patients, because of the lack of information on its use for these groups.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
Mamava Lactation Pods are designed to make breastfeeding and pumping easier in public spaces.
—Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
Likewise, the skin around the nipples may become dry or irritated from frequent washing or friction when breastfeeding.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 22 Dec. 2025
The home remedy is believed to help dry the milk supply when a woman is breastfeeding.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
Zinc is likely safe for pregnant people, those who are breastfeeding, and children.
—Cynthia Sass, Health, 11 Dec. 2025
This is the caution of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, who conducted a randomized clinical trial on 24 breastfeeding local families, in which participants followed a prescribed diet for 25 days.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
The child, who was breastfeeding, had started choking and then stopped breathing, the report said.
—CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025
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Brandi Jones, Verywell Health, 30 Dec. 2025
Xofluza is not recommended during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for outpatients with complicated or progressive illness, severely immunosuppressed people or hospitalized patients, because of the lack of information on its use for these groups.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
Mamava Lactation Pods are designed to make breastfeeding and pumping easier in public spaces.
—Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
Likewise, the skin around the nipples may become dry or irritated from frequent washing or friction when breastfeeding.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 22 Dec. 2025
The home remedy is believed to help dry the milk supply when a woman is breastfeeding.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
Zinc is likely safe for pregnant people, those who are breastfeeding, and children.
—Cynthia Sass, Health, 11 Dec. 2025
This is the caution of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, who conducted a randomized clinical trial on 24 breastfeeding local families, in which participants followed a prescribed diet for 25 days.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
The child, who was breastfeeding, had started choking and then stopped breathing, the report said.
—CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breastfeed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breastfeed. Accessed 3 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
breastfeed
verb
breast·feed
variants
or breast-feed
ˈbrest-ˌfēd
breastfed or breast-fed; breastfeeding or breast-feeding; breastfeeds or breast-feeds
: to feed (a baby) from a mother's breast
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
The Reno (Nevada) Gazette-Journal
On average, infants who were exclusive breast-feeders continued to drink more as they got older …
—The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
breastfeeding
noun
or breast-feeding
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