Ablactate (Verb)
Meaning
Gradually deprive (infants and young mammals) of mother's milk; "she weaned her baby when he was 3 months old and started him on powdered milk"; "The kitten was weaned and fed by its owner with a bottle".
Classification
Verbs of eating and drinking.
Examples
- The mother started to ablactate her infant as soon as it showed signs of being ready for solid foods.
- Many veterinarians advise owners to wait until their puppies are at least 8 weeks old before they start to ablactate.
- Young mammals must be gradually ablactated to prevent any adverse health effects from suddenly losing their mother's milk.
- The rabbit's owner began to ablactate the kits by introducing small amounts of baby rabbit food into their diet.
- Veterinarians often recommend allowing wildlife animals to ablactate naturally without interference from humans.