I'm enjoying the discussion on breastfeeding terminology.  In Australia
(and I presume England) to nurse a baby means just that - cuddle the baby
in your arms - granddads, aunties, siblings, dads, anyone can nurse a baby.
To me when I hear someone say they are going to "feed the baby" I presume
(from my natural bias) that they are going to breastfeed.  :-)  So to me
'to feed a baby' and 'to breastfeed a baby' both sound very normal and
natural and are entirely interchangeable in my vocabulary.

Maybe we should be being more specific about noting the 'abnormality' ie.
"she's going to bottle feed" and every other reference to feeding is
presumed to mean the norm, at the breast.

When I was working in a postnatal unit we always referred to the act of
feeding formula as "artificial feeding".  ie.  Mrs XYZ in Bed 24 is
artificially feeding on abc formula".  I didn't think twice about this
until one of the midwives I work with mentioned that she felt it was
derogatory (yes, she had artificially fed her babies).  I must admit I did
give it some thought, actually agree with her, but then ... it's the truth!!

Denise

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Denise Fisher MMP, BN, IBCLC
BreastEd Online Lactation Studies
http://www.health-e-learning.com

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