Glossary

Breastfeeding
The practice of feeding an infant or young child breast milk directly from the breast. Also see “Chestfeeding, nursing.”

Breast milk / Human milk
Milk produced by the human mammary glands to feed infants and young children. Breast milk and human milk can be used interchangeably

Chestfeeding
A term used by many masculine-identified trans people to describe the act of feeding their baby from their chest, regardless of whether they have had chest/top surgery (to alter or remove mammary tissue).

Complementary foods
Foods or drinks other than breast milk and infant formula that are introduced to infants around 6 months of age (e.g., infant cereals, fruits, vegetables). These are foods that are “complementing,” or adding to, the breast milk or infant formula that children are fed. Complementary foods can also be called solid foods.

Donor human milk
Pasteurized donor human milk is breast milk which has been donated to a milk bank.

Emergency
Can include recent infectious outbreaks, natural disasters and severe weather, radiation emergencies, bioterrorism, chemical emergencies or pandemics.

Exclusive breastfeeding
Feeding a baby only breast milk, not any other foods or liquids (including infant formula or water), except for medications or vitamin and mineral supplements.

Expressing milk
The process of removing milk from the breast, usually done with a manual or electric breast pump, or by hand.

Hand expression
A technique used to release breast milk from the breast without using a breast pump.

Infant feeding supplies
Infant feeding items include bottles and the nipples, rings, and caps that go with them.  Certain bottles also may include valves or membranes. Some infants may be fed with a syringe, medicine cup, spoon, or supplemental nursing system.

IYCF-E
Infant and young child feeding in emergencies (IYCF-E) is the promotion and prioritization of safe and appropriate feeding for infants and young children (0-2 years of age) during a natural disaster or other emergency.

Lactation support providers
Someone who is trained in providing support to individuals who are lactating. Lactation support providers include Lactation Consultants, Breastfeeding Counselors, Breastfeeding Peer Counselors and Lactation Educators.

Mixed feeding
Feeding an infant both breast milk and infant formula. Mixed feeding is also known as combination feeding.

Natural disaster
Includes different types of natural events such as a flood, hurricane, earthquake, or severe weather, that poses a threat to human health and safety, property, and critical infrastructure.

Nursing
A term used to describe the act of feeding an infant or young child breast milk.

People experiencing displacement
People who must leave their homes as a result of a disaster or crisis.

Postpartum
Related to the weeks following the birth of a child.

Powdered infant formula (PIF)
A breast milk substitute that requires safe water to be mixed in before feeding.

Ready-to-Feed (RTF) infant formula
A liquid breast milk substitute that does not require water to be mixed before feeding. RTF infant formula can also be called ready-to-use infant formula (RUIF).

Relactation
The process by which a parent reestablishes lactation after having stopped for some time (weeks or months).