Chestfeeding with Love & Care

Why language matters

Chestfeeding and bodyfeeding are inclusive terms that can help parents feel more seen, more valued, and more heard. The use of inclusive language signals to families that they can find the support and resources they need after their child is born.

The term chestfeeding is not exclusive to trans and non-binary parents. Chestfeeding is inclusive language for parents who have medical conditions or previous chest trauma.?

Definitions:

• Chestfeeding is feeding your baby milk from your chest.
• Chestfeeding can also refer to using a feeding tube attached to the nipple to feed their baby if lactation isn’t possible.

Did YOU Know?

Did you know that , many trans and queer parents feel excluded, judged, or unwelcome when it comes to navigating pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood by both society at large and the medical community? And the words we use, when they aren’t inclusive or sensitive to other people’s gender identity or anatomy, can contribute to this.

Healthcare is an industry where every individual has the right to respect and dignity. Culturally congruent care is one way to create more equitable healthcare experiences for our most marginalized populations. Using the term chestfeeding alongside breastfeeding is one step toward achieving this larger goal.

Resources

• Resources for Families and Providers
• Webinar: Chestfeeding 101: An Overview of Lactation Concerns for Transmasculine and Non-Binary People
• LGBTQ+ Human Milk Feeding Committee-Support & Resources
• Support for Transgender & Non-binary Parents
• What Is Chestfeeding?
• Chestfeeding: An Inclusive Approach to Infant Feeding
• It's time to add “chestfeeding” to your vocabulary
• Is chestfeeding the new breastfeeding?: Explaining gender-neutral medical terms.