🤱

Breast-feeding

brest-FEE-ding
People & Body Unicode 5.0 common

Meanings

1
Family · Parenting Common

Depicts a woman breastfeeding an infant, representing the act of nursing a baby with breast milk. Used to discuss breastfeeding, motherhood, infant care, and maternal bonding.

Often used in parenting discussions, to indicate breastfeeding-friendly spaces, or to normalize nursing in public conversations.

Finally got the hang of 🤱 after three weeks of trying! 📋 Parenting forum
This cafe has a comfortable 🤱 area for new moms. 📋 Review app
Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week with all the amazing 🤱 moms out there! 📋 Instagram

Part of increasing social media advocacy for breastfeeding normalization and destigmatization. Represents shifting attitudes toward public breastfeeding.

2
Advocacy · Support Common

Used as a symbol of breastfeeding advocacy, maternal rights, and normalization of nursing in public. Represents support for mothers and infant nutrition.

Appears in profiles, bios, and posts of breastfeeding advocates, lactation consultants, and parenting support communities.

Proud 🤱 advocate - normalize feeding babies however works for you! 📋 Twitter bio
Our hospital now offers free 🤱 support services for all new mothers. 📋 Healthcare announcement

Added to Unicode in 2017 after campaigns for more representative family emojis, particularly showing women's experiences.

Combos with 🤱

🤱❤️
Celebrating the love and bonding aspect of breastfeeding relationship.
Often used to express the emotional connection between mother and baby during nursing.
🤱👶
Specific reference to infant feeding and mother-baby relationship.
Used in parenting discussions and baby development contexts.
🤱💪
Empowerment through breastfeeding, celebrating maternal strength.
Often used in advocacy contexts about maternal rights and breastfeeding normalization.
🤱✨
Celebrating the special bond or magical moments of the breastfeeding relationship.
Used to highlight positive breastfeeding experiences or milestones.

Culture

Represents shifting attitudes toward breastfeeding visibility, with increased acceptance of public nursing and advocacy for maternal rights in workplaces and public spaces.

Added after campaigns for more representative family emojis, particularly showing women's experiences beyond stereotypical roles. Part of Unicode's diversity expansion.

Frequently used in online support communities and apps designed for new mothers, creating virtual spaces for breastfeeding support and advice sharing.

Usage patterns reflect different maternity leave policies and public health approaches to infant feeding across English-speaking countries.

Often accompanied by terms like 'nursing,' 'feeding journey,' and 'liquid gold' in English contexts, reflecting specialized vocabulary around breastfeeding.

Australia Used in breastfeeding advocacy with particular emphasis on rural and remote support services.
United Kingdom Commonly used in NHS (National Health Service) materials and breastfeeding support groups.
United States Commonly used in breastfeeding advocacy contexts and parenting discussions, with growing acceptance as part of normalizing public breastfeeding.
Gen_X: Used pragmatically in health discussions and family contexts, often with less political messaging than younger generations.
Gen_Z: Used matter-of-factly in body positivity contexts. Often appears in educational content normalizing breastfeeding on TikTok and Instagram.
Older: Less frequent usage, primarily in grandparent contexts or healthcare communications rather than personal expression.
Millennials: Commonly used by millennial parents in parenting forums, mom groups, and social media posts about breastfeeding journeys and advocacy.

History

2017

Added to Unicode 10.0 as part of effort to better represent women's experiences and family activities.

Advocacy campaigns for more representative family emojis.

2018

Usage increased significantly during World Breastfeeding Week campaigns, becoming symbol for normalization movement.

Global social media campaigns promoting breastfeeding awareness.

2020

Saw increased usage in pandemic discussions about maternal isolation and virtual breastfeeding support.

COVID-19 lockdowns affecting new mothers' access to in-person support.

2022

Became common in workplace advocacy discussions as return-to-office policies affected nursing mothers.

Post-pandemic workplace policy changes and maternal rights discussions.