Final answer:
Lactation is the process of milk synthesis and secretion in response to an infant sucking at the nipple. It involves the production and release of milk from the mammary glands.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lactation is the process by which milk is synthesized and secreted from the mammary glands of the postpartum female breast in response to an infant sucking at the nipple. Breast milk provides ideal nutrition and passive immunity for the infant, encourages mild uterine contractions to return the uterus to its pre-pregnancy size (i.e., involution), and induces a substantial metabolic increase in the postpartum person, consuming the fat reserves stored during pregnancy.
The term that refers to both milk synthesis and milk ejection is 'lactation'. It is a complex physiological process that involves the production and release of milk from the mammary glands. The milk synthesis and ejection are triggered by an infant sucking at the nipple, which stimulates the release of hormones like prolactin and oxytocin.