Final answer:
Lactogenic is the term that describes something that stimulates milk production. It involves hormones like prolactin and oxytocin, contributing to a positive feedback loop activated by infant suckling.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that best means something that stimulates the production of milk is lactogenic. During lactation, milk is synthesized and secreted from the mammary glands after childbirth, in response to an infant suckling at the nipple. This process not only provides nutrition and passive immunity to the infant but also benefits the mother through uterine contractions and increased metabolism. The hormone prolactin, produced by the anterior pituitary, plays a key role by stimulating the mammary glands to produce milk. Another hormone, oxytocin, also released during suckling, promotes the release of milk from alveoli.
The process is part of a positive feedback loop. As the baby suckles, nerve impulses signal the hypothalamus to release more prolactin, thereby increasing milk production. This regulation ensures that the more the infant suckles, the more milk is produced to meet the infant's nutritional needs.