Janice Reynolds asks about the writing of breastfeeding as one word. When
this came up several years ago we threw around some ideas and below is what
I came up with.  It is similar to what "Theresa Chmiel writer in a previous
life..." wrote--though wordier than her concise reply.

I can't believe that I once had time to be so verbose.

Patricia Gima
__________________________

To me the difference is subtle, but with important implications.  With
breast feeding, there is the implication that "breast" is one way of
feeding, and being an adjective it is of lesser importance than the noun,
"feeding."  There can be breast feeding, bottle feeding, formula feeding,
breastmilk feeding, spoon feeding, self feeding, etc.

By spacing the breast from the feeding there is a separateness
implied.  Whereas with breastfeeding there is an implied integration of the
breast and the feeding. And the experience of breastfeeding a baby is far
beyond feeding a baby with a breast. Breastfeeding carries this broader
connotation.

It's like homemaker.  If it were home maker, there would be an entirely
different idea implied. The latter would be a person who makes a home.  The
former carries a myriad of responsibilities and understood relationships.

Many times in the English language (perhaps in others too)we will have two
words for a while, then, when certain intrinsic values are understood, the
words become one. The subject/object nature of English causes speakers of
the language to see distance between separate words.

For example, long ago there were holes in the walls of a house for the wind
to blow through. They were called wind holes.  Later, even though they were
covered, they became windholes, then windows. Window conveys its own
essence without thinking about holes or wind.

Another more current example is fast food.  First we had fast food
restaurants where food was served fast. Now that the concept is solidified
to mean a given experience it is becoming fastfood restaurant, with the
implied meaning of "wonderful, quick, always tasting the same, kids will
eat it... don't think about it"  kind of place to assuage one's hunger
temporarily.

Some people have posted on Lactnet that at one time in human history,
breastfeeding was referred to as "feeding the baby." But some unfortunate
trends were begun, and now we must be more specific for a few generations.
Meanwhile, breastfeeding is closer to the experience than breast feeding.
We have talked about "nursing" but that has its problems too.  So we are
calling it breastfeeding in hopes that it will come into common usage (and
common experience) and will again carry the concept of nurturing the child.

This is how I see it.

Patricia Gima, Lactationconsultant (?)
Milwaukee




















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