CDC offers guidance on transgender individuals breastfeeding babies.

The CDC Supports Trans-Identifying Individuals in “Chestfeeding” Their Babies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes and provides guidance for trans-identifying individuals who choose to “chestfeed” their babies. This term is used by both women and men who identify as the opposite sex or nonbinary.

In the CDC’s official website, under the “Health Equity Considerations” section of the “Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies” toolkit, their guidance for these individuals can be found. According to the CDC, transgender and nonbinary-gendered individuals can give birth and breastfeed or feed at the chest (chestfeed).

The CDC emphasizes that an individual does not need to have given birth to breastfeed or chestfeed. They acknowledge that some families may have their own preferred terminology for how they feed their babies, such as nursing, chestfeeding, or bodyfeeding.

Under the section “Breastfeeding And Special Circumstances” on the CDC website, they state that trans-identifying biological women who have had top surgery can breastfeed. The CDC answers the question, “Can transgender parents who have had breast surgery breastfeed or chestfeed their infants?” with a resounding “Yes.” They acknowledge that some transgender parents who have had breast/top surgery may wish to breastfeed or chestfeed their infants.

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The CDC emphasizes that healthcare providers working with these families should be knowledgeable about the medical, emotional, and social aspects of gender transitions. This will enable them to provide optimal family-centered care and meet the nutritional needs of the infant.

The CDC also highlights that trans-identifying parents may require assistance with maximizing milk production, supplementing with donor milk or formula, medication to induce lactation, suppressing lactation for those who do not wish to chestfeed, and finding appropriate lactation and emotional support.

It is worth noting that biological women who identify as male sometimes use the term “chestfeeding” to refer to breastfeeding their infants after top surgery. On the other hand, biological men who identify as women may also chestfeed their infants through pharmaceutical-induced lactation. Some non-binary individuals prefer the term “chestfeed” because it feels more gender-neutral.

While some men who identify as women claim to have lactated and fed their babies with do-it-yourself pharmaceutical drug cocktails, the CDC’s guidance has faced criticism from several doctors who consider it potentially risky. They argue that the long-term effects on the child are unknown when breastfeeding trans women use off-label hormones.

Despite the controversy, the CDC continues to advocate for inclusivity and equity. In their emergency child feeding toolkit, they provide tips for using inclusive language, such as saying “pregnant person,” “breastfeeding parent,” and “lactating person” instead of gender-specific terms. They also encourage individuals to ask for preferred pronouns and to announce their own pronouns to create a more inclusive environment.

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