In a world where it feels like there’s always some new parenting label or trend to keep track of, it’s easy to feel like you never quite know all the terminology. Speaking of, can someone please explain this one: What is chestfeeding? Now that our culture is more aware than ever about how trans and nonbinary folks can use language to affirm their identities — like using preferred pronouns, for example — chestfeeding has also entered the lexicon for those who decide to become parents.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the U.S. authority on all things pregnancy and postpartum, “some people use the terms ‘chestfeeding’ or ‘bodyfeeding’ when talking about feeding a child milk from their chest.”
“These terms are most often used by transgender and nonbinary people,” their website states. “Some people have had breast removal surgery and are still able to produce milk. Others may not have had surgery, but still prefer the terms chestfeeding or bodyfeeding.” Essentially, chestfeeding is just breastfeeding, in terms of using one’s body to feed their baby.
Similarly, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, a worldwide organization of doctors who research and educate about all things lactation, defines chestfeeding this way: “A term used by many masculine-identified trans people to describe the act of feeding their baby from their chest, regardless of whether they have had chest/top surgery (to alter or remove mammary tissue).”
It makes sense that trans people can feed their babies with their bodies but may not want to use the term “breasts” when they describe it. Yes, technically men also have breasts, but let’s be real — when we talk about them, it’s women’s breasts we think of first. As Golisano Children’s Hospital’s Lactation Medicine department explains, much of breastfeeding education and lactation support is heteronormative (it assumes the parents are straight and cisgendered), and when you describe a person as breastfeeding, you likely assume that person is a woman. Swapping in the term chestfeeding can subtly alert the listener that’s not the case, and feel truer to the person’s experience. (In that vein, if you’re interested in reading more about a real trans man’s experience with pregnancy and postpartum, author Trevor MacDonald’s book Where’s The Mother? explores it beautifully.)
Basically, chestfeeding is just a term some parents will use to describe how they feed their baby. For some people, making this verbiage change isn’t important at all, and they’ll just call it breastfeeding. For others, calling it chestfeeding helps them feel affirmed in their gender identity. It’s the kind of verbiage swap that doesn’t hurt anyone to use, but can feel like a warm hug to the person who prefers it. So, take it or leave it for yourself, but respect the wishes of those who just want to call this age-old act something a little different.
