breastfeeding or nursing?

[tinyshoes]

What do you think?

When it comes to things like birth, I am very aware of my language, and shudder when people use the term "deliver", etc. But when it comes to nursing...breastfeeding...which is the 'better' term? Which word better empowers women? Babies?

I hesitate to always use the word 'breastfeeding,' because it's more than feeding. I hesistate to use the word 'nursing,' because that term reminds me of the vagueness of the term 'relations' (in the sense of marital relations, y'know) yet I do like 'nursing' because it includes the concept of nurturing.

I don't want to turn people 'off' by saying 'breastfeeding breastfeeding breastfeeding' but I don't want to encourage the nurse-in-secret attitude that the term 'nursing' conjurs up in my mind.

At home, when I say to my ds, 'let's do chompies,' that's a perfect fit.

[Viola]

I used to always say breastfeeding. Then my daughter was a toddler and I realized it was more than feeding, and in fact, feeding might not even be a part of it. I'm so used to that term that I say it all the time with my second child.

[tuffykenwell]

I have always referred to it as nursing (and with DS I called it "nursies"). Somehow breastfeeding just seemed so limiting in that it implied that it was only a form of nourishment when it was so much more so I was most comfortable with the term nursing which I felt was a bit more encompassing of the various roles that nursing takes on.

Steph

[Baby Hopes]

I was once told, while sitting in the Ped's office for DD's 8 week appt, that the term 'breastfeeding' was crass and should not be used outside the home. I have since resolved to toss in the word 'breast' into my conversations every chance I get. Mwahahaha!

So yes, I use the term 'breastfeeding' more often.

I do see how "nursing" has a more nurturing conotation. It's just sad to me that the word "breastfeeding" doesn't conjure up the same emotions and feeling. After all MOST breastfeeding Mama's can relate that there is nothing simple or basic about a breastfeeding relationship.

[MommytoTwo]

I say nursing if someone calls and asks me what I am doing, or what the baby is doing.
I use breastfeeding if someone asks me how I feed her. It seems more technical to me. I have a friend who always said she was "breasting" the baby, which seemed wierd to me.

[shishkeberry]

nak
i say both with no rhyme or reason :LOL

[Kari_mom]

[QUOTE=MommytoTwo]I say nursing if someone calls and asks me what I am doing, or what the baby is doing.
I use breastfeeding if someone asks me how I feed her. It seems more technical to me.QUOTE]

This is me. I nurse my baby or he wants to nurse. I am a breastfeeding mama and he is a breastfed baby.

This thread made me think about bottlefeeding in comparison. I have not heard a bottle mom say that she needed to bottlefeed her baby now, or excuse me while I do some bottle propping. Most just say they need to feed the baby. I do like saying 'nurse' instead to differentiate. It seems like breastfeeding works welland is often used to describe the style of feeding an infant, and nursing to describe the act.

[bec]

I have kind of a unique perspective here. My 2nd baby is unable to feed at the breast. She was born with a cleft palate, and, while she had a good latch, she wasn't able to suck.

I am still breastfeeding her, though, because I am pumping my milk for her. I am not able to nurse her, though.

I think of breastfeeding as the food that she gets (as opposed to formula feeding), and nursing vs. bottle as the delivery system.


Bec

[velcromom]

I too think of "nursing" as the verb describing the act of putting a baby to the breast, and "breastfeeding" primarily as a description of where the baby gets his food.

"He is nursing right now." "He is a breastfed baby."

But I will use either depending on who I am talking to.

[kimmysue2]

Nur is what my son calls it. Both for food and comfort.
Nurse+Nutritious=NUR

[wasabi]

Originally Posted by MommytoTwo

I say nursing if someone calls and asks me what I am doing, or what the baby is doing.
I use breastfeeding if someone asks me how I feed her. It seems more technical to me.

This is usually how I use them as well. I will say that I almost want to only use "bfing" and not say nursing when I see things like bottle sets labeled nurser sets. :

[HelloKitty]

Hmmmm, I usually say "breastfeeding" - no particular reason, I just do.

But DS calls them "nursies" so when talking to him I say do you want "nursies".

Kitty

[LovemyBoo]

I, also, use both. Never gave it much thought. We call it "nursies" so I guess I'm partial to "nursing". But I have no qualms about the term "breastfeeding" either. I guess it depends on the context or what the other person in the conversation seems comfortable with? Good question! Sorry I don't have a better answer.

[callmemama]

I use them interchangeably, but my MIL uses the term "nursing" to mean cuddling the baby. I finally figured out she breastfed ds for 1 month and SIL not at all, but she "nursed" them both. Go figure!

[NatureMama3]

Originally Posted by shishkeberry

nak
i say both with no rhyme or reason :LOL

that. :LOL

Also use a mix of things like nahnahs or boobing around my immediate family.

[Milakais]

I prefer calling it "nursing" most of the time. I think it sounds nice, and it reflects how it's about more than just food. I'll use "nurse" or "feed" to talk about feeding the baby in general, but I'll call it "breastfeeding" when talking about it technically or when I want to blatantly emphasize the feeding method. But otherwise, "nursing" or just plain "feeding" usually feels more natural for me for everyday casual usage.

I would be much more likely to say "I have to feed the baby now" than "I have to breastfeed the baby now." The latter doesn't really feel like it's treating breastfeeding as the normal way to feed a baby, eh? It makes it seem more like the exception than the rule. To me, feeding the baby is breastfeeding by default, so that's what "feeding" means.

[Jordansmommy]

Originally Posted by shishkeberry

nak
i say both with no rhyme or reason :LOL

Hear hear. They're both good and descriptive

[idocrase]

I also use both. But now I work outside the home, and dh is home with Bonnie, so he gives her breastmilk in a bottle. But because our language for feeding her has always been "nursing" or "breastfeeding" he calls giving her the bottle "nursing" her. At first , this bugged me. Until I came home one day (unexpectedly) while he was feeding her. And he was cradling her with such love and attention and she was so obviously enjoying the close contact. I no longer mind his phraseology. Of course, he never calls what he does "breastfeeding"!

[FillingMyQuiver]

This thread reall ymade me think about how the words I use. I also tend to use "nursing" as the act and "breastfeeding" the style of feeding we use. But then I got to thinking about the pps that mention "nursing" as cuddling and I went to my Dr. Sears book. Did you know Dr. Sears mentions that "nursing" is more than just feeding and that Dads "nurse" too? It's the close, loving, soothing interaction between babe and caregiver.

[Sustainer]

Originally Posted by Baby Hopes

I have since resolved to toss in the word 'breast' into my conversations every chance I get. Mwahahaha!

I always say "breastfeeding." People need to get used to hearing the word "breast." Getting used to the word "breast" is a step toward getting used to breasts themselves.

Using the word "breastfeeding" is even better. It conditions people to associate the concept of "breasts" with the concept of "feeding."