Flashcards: Breastfeeding

Breast milk is the milk produced by the breasts (or mammary glands) of a human female for her baby.

Colostrum (known colloquially as beestings, bisnings or first milk) is a form of milk produced by the mammary glands of mammals (including humans) in late pregnancy.

Breastfeeding difficulties refers to problems that arise from breastfeeding, the feeding of an infant or young child with milk from a woman's breasts.

Lactation failure or deficiency, also known as agalactia or agalactorrhea, as well as hypogalactia or hypogalactorrhea, is a medical condition in which lactation is insufficient or fails completely due to an inadequacy of breast milk production and/or a failure of the milk let-down reflex in response to suckling following childbirth, resulting in an inability to properly breastfeed.

Prolactin (PRL), also known as luteotropic hormone or luteotropin, is a protein that in humans is best known for its role in enabling mammals, usually females, to produce milk.

Oxytocin (Oxt) is a hormone, neuropeptide, and medication.

Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young.

Breast engorgement occurs in the mammary glands due to expansion and pressure exerted by the synthesis and storage of breast milk.

Milk kinship, formed during nursing by a non-biological mother, was a form of fostering allegiance with fellow community members.

Breastfeeding is the act of feeding a child breast milk directly from breast to mouth.

Breastfeeding promotion refers to coordinated activities and policies to promote health among women, newborns and infants through breastfeeding.