Common Breastfeeding Acronyms and Definitions

Updated: March 20, 2025
Please note I am not a medical professional and that this blog is meant to be helpful from personal experience. Nothing in this blog is meant to be medical advice. If you feel you need medical assistance, contact a medical professional.

Antepartum Depression – When a mother experiences depression during their pregnancy. Approximately 1 in 5 women experience this type of depression.

Attachment Parenting – A style of parenting that promotes the connection of parent and child through continuous closeness which can include skin to skin.

Baby Led Weaning – allowing the baby to eat foods directly from the table as they are ready instead of (or in conjunction with) feeding of purees. Of course, the food should be cut up to a smaller size.

Babywear – When the adult uses a wrap or carrier of some kind to “wear” the baby. This is often used with attachment parenting and can help parents feel more productive as they can still have their baby close while attempting to get things done.

Braxton Hicks – These are contractions that can feel very minor or still be quite painful but are not the contractions that signal labor. These contractions are the body getting ready for actual labor. Some women never experience them while other experience them for months.

Breast crawl – Usually right after birth, a baby is placed on a mothers chest, and then allowed in their own time to “crawl” to the breast to try to nurse.

Bleb – This can also be called a milk blister on a breastfeeding nipple. This is most often caused by milk not be able to pass. These can also be very painful. It is usually recommended to latch baby as much as possible or massage the breast in the shower.

Clogged Duct – When milk is unable to flow through a certain part of the breast it can create a lump. This can be very painful and lead to more severe problems. It is usually recommended to try to fully express as much milk as you can from the breast to help release the clog. Massaging the area as you express can be helpful.

Cluster feeding – When an infant is going through some major changes either mentally or physically, they will want to nurse more often. It may seem like they are not getting enough milk, but that is not usually the case. This time is generally very difficult mentally and physically for the breastfeeding mother as it seems like the baby is always on them. Know this is a short period, usually lasting between 1-2 weeks.

Colostrum – The super liquid that comes before the milk comes in. This liquid is packed with as many vitamins and antibodies as well as fat as it possibly can to nourish the baby when their stomach is the size of a pea.

Cry it Out – Letting the baby cry until they decide they don’t want to cry anymore, usually ending in them falling asleep. Most professionals do not recommend this anymore.

Doula – A trained professional caregiver that has been trained to help mothers through labor and childbirth. Doulas often assist before, during and after the baby is born. Many doulas will help with the preparation of childbirth as well as many things after such as breastfeeding support. It is also important to note that there are different kinds of doulas as well specifically for postpartum care and bereavement to name a couple.

Exclusively Pump – A term used when the mother does not put the baby directly to the breast, but instead pumps throughout the day and bottle feeds the baby the expressed milk.

Engorged – Occurs more in the early months of breastfeeding or during weaning, but can happen at any time. This is where the breast is super full of milk and the breast becomes hard. It is usually very uncomfortable and often painful.

Extended Breastfeeding – When the infant is breastfed past the first year. Even though the WHO (World Health Organization) recommends breastfeeding for 2+ years.

Feeding on Demand – Nursing when the baby shows signs of being hungry instead of feeding on a schedule.

Flange – The part of the pump that touches the breast. It is specifically talking about the size of the hole that your nipple goes into. It is important to get this size correct as the wrong size can cause very painful pumping and/or milk to not be expressed correctly.

Fore-milk – This milk is more watery looking milk that a baby typically gets at the beginning of the nursing session and has less calories and fat.

Hand Expressing – Using your hand to massage milk out of the breast.

Hind-milk – This milk is thicker and looks creamier than fore-milk. Baby usually gets this the longer they nurse. It is filled with more fat and calories. The goal is to have the baby get a good mix of both fore-milk and hind-milk.

Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant – These professionals start out as Lactation Consultants. After taking all the necessary courses, including some nursing training, they also have gone through 1000 hours of working with other IBCLCs and breastfeeding mothers. This certification also requires a test and oftentimes, ongoing education.

Inverted Nipple – When the nipple appears to go inward instead of protruding out. This can make it more difficult to breastfeed but it is NOT impossible. Working with a trained professional for tips is usually the best.

Lactation Consultant – A trained person in the art of breastfeeding. This certification is easier and faster to obtain than the IBCLC status.

Latch – When the baby actually suctions to the breast. A proper latch will be deep with both upper and lower lip filleted outward and the tongue between their lower gun and the nipple. Shallow latches are not as efficient at getting the milk out and can cause a lot of pain for the mother.

Let-Down – The let-down reflex is when the brain tells the body to release all of the milk from the breast. Usually this happens after the baby has been sucking on the breast. Let-down’s can also happen quite a bit in the early months while the mothers supply is being established. Some women can feel when they have a let-down while others do not.

Lip Tie – Where the thin flap of skin that connects the upper jaw to the upper lip is too short.

Mastitis – This is a painful infection that many women get typically from having a clogged duct. Women often experience pain, red spots and heat coming from the infected area. Breastfeeding typically helps this infection but many women also need antibiotics for it to clear. It is important to seek medical attention if you think you have an infection.

Midwife – A professional who is trained in assisting women with childbirth.

Nipple Shield – Made of a thin, soft silicone, the nipple shield is often used when baby has a hard time latching or when the mother has inverted nipples. It creates the help many babies need in order to get their latch down well. Weaning off the nipple shield can be difficult.

Overactive letdown – Sometimes, the amount of milk that comes out of the breast is too much for the baby, and can cause choking, shallow latch, among other things. Sometimes you can express some milk before nursing the baby which will help the overactive letdown. You can also use different positions to nurse that can also assist in this. Working with an IBCLC can be beneficial to problem solve.

Pace Feeding – A technique used mostly by breastfeeding families. It is when you hold the baby more upright and use a slightly more difficult nipple (one size down than the one recommended for their age). This allows for the baby to work for the milk in a similar way they would have to work for a let-down from the breast. This allows the baby to eat more at their own pace and not get overfed.

Postpartum – The time after a mother has given birth.

Postpartum Depression – When a mother experiences depression after the birth of their child.

Prodromal Labor – Often painful contractions that can feel like labor. Contractions are usually not consistent, and non-productive during this time.

Skin to Skin – When an adult holds a naked (usually with a diaper) to their chest without wearing a shirt. This can play a vital role in regulating temperature and nurturing connection with a parent and a new baby. Skin to skin is also recommended for breastfeeding mothers.

Tandem feeding – Nursing more than one baby at a time. They can be twins (or other multiples) or more often referred to as a different aged sibling set (such as a toddler and a newborn).

Three P’s of Breastfeeding – Practice, Patience and Persistence.

Thrush – An infection where there is a build up of yeast, typically in the babies mouth or on/in the mothers breast. An antibiotic is usually recommended to treat this.

Tongue Tie – Where the thin skin under the tongue is too short for baby to stick their tongue out far enough to properly latch. There are actually different places a tongue tie can present itself. A pediatric dentist is usually recommended for intervention.

Transitional Milk – This is the milk that comes in after colostrum.

Triple Feeding – Feed on the breast, feed from a bottle, then pump (usually every 2 hours from the start of a feed). This is tremendously tiring on the mother.

Wean/weaning – The process of taking something away from the infant, usually spoken about as stopping to nurse, taking a pacifier or bottle away.

Wonder Weeks – A theory of Frans Plooij and Hetty van de Rijt, stating that all babies go through the same periods of high growth according to their due date. During these weeks, you can assume baby will be more cranky, more hungry, and possibly more sleepy. Then after, you can expect to see specific difference in their mental or physical growth.

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