The lactation period is the time when a mother is able to create human milk, which is secreted through the mammary glands within the breasts. Lactation is hormonally driven and occurs naturally in women who are pregnant. It can also be induced in individuals who are not pregnant, as lactation can continue as long as the milk is being removed from the breasts.   The lactation period starts when you are pregnant to create milk for the birth of your baby. It is possible to induce lactation in an individual without pregnancy being a factor, by using the same hormones that are found within the body during pregnancy. Lactation will end once the body stops producing milk.   If you are to feed your baby directly from your breasts, this is known as breastfeeding or nursing. Mothers are able to feed the baby milk that they have expressed themselves either through pumping with a machine or their hand from the breast and it can be saved in a bottle or milk bag that can be frozen for later use.