Breast Changes During Pregnancy
Breast Changes in Pregnancy
Your baby isn’t the only one growing and changing during your pregnancy. Your own body is also undergoing changes. One of the earliest and most significant changes in your body, happens to your breasts. For many women the first pregnancy symptom they experience is changes in their breast tissue. Your breasts will respond to you being pregnant by changing in preparation for breastfeeding.
Once fertilisation occurs the pregnancy hormones increase in a pregnant woman’s body. Increase in these pregnancy hormones – hCG, progesterone and estrogen are responsible for all the changes that are brought about to your breasts. The adjustments that your body is making aren’t always the most pleasant and comfortable for you.
Here are some of the common changes in your breasts during pregnancy:
• Breast tenderness
• Soreness of breasts
• Changes in nipple
• Swelling of breasts
• Montgomery’s Tubercules
• Enlargement of breasts
• Leaking of breasts
Tender, sore breasts
Often the first symptom of pregnancy is tender breasts. Your breasts may feel very tender very early in pregnancy. Early in the first trimester you may notice that your breasts are sore or tender to touch and ache as they begin growing. This is caused from the hormonal changes.
Increasing levels of estrogen and progesterone cause immediate changes in your breasts. These hormones begin to prepare your breasts for breastfeeding.
You may have a slight tenderness when you touch your breasts or in early pregnancy your breasts may feel sore which can be really painful. Or you may have severe pain whenever you wear a bra. All these variants are normal and are usually most intense in the first trimester. You may just want to avoid touching or having anyone to touch your nipples.
Ways to Deal with Sore Breasts in Pregnancy
Here are some tips for dealing with sore breasts in pregnancy:
• Wear a sports bra.
Movement may make you feel the pain, a sports bra helps minimize movement of your breasts.
• Sleep in a bra.
Restricting movement can help reduce pain due to sore breasts. Sleeping in a bra will help minimize movement and help with tenderness.
• Wear breast pads.
If there is a seam that runs through the inside of the cup of your bra it can be hurt and be painful. Look for seamless bras or wear breast pads. Breast pads can help shield your nipple from the lining of your bra.
• Avoid contact.
If touch aches then communicate this to your partner too in a loving way, rather than snapping and hurting their feelings.
• Shower Spray
A warm shower can comfort some as the warm stream of water hits your breasts. Some mothers find it comforting, while others find it painful. If it’s painful, avoid it.
Heavy breasts: swelling of breasts
Once fertilisation occurs the increase in pregnancy hormones – hCG, progesterone and estrogen within a pregnant woman’s body, incre ases blood volume in breasts which makes breast swell and heavy.
Changes in nipple: Darkening of areolea, Montgomery’s Tubercules
Darkening of areolea
The nipples and areolea that is the circular areas around the nipples grow bigger and darken as your pregnancy progresses.
Montgomery’s Tubercules
You may notice small, goose bump or pimple like white raised areas on the areola of your breast. They are called Montgomery’s tubercules. These are normal. They usually begin within first six weeks after conception and goes away during the second trimester.
Larger Breasts
Your breasts grow large early in pregnancy. This is in preparation for breastfeeding. The pregnancy hormones cause the glands inside your breasts to grow and branch out, in preparation for milk production and breastfeeding after the baby is born.
Even during the first month of pregnancy, most women notice that their breasts grow considerably larger. For some women breasts begin to grow towards the end of the first trimester or the beginning of the second trimester.
Blood supply to the breasts also increases markedly. You may notice large, bluish blood vessels coursing along your breasts.
Pregnancy weight gain around your breasts
Gain in weight is a normal and healthy part of pregnancy. The extra weight you gain during pregnancy provides nourishment to your developing baby and is also stored for breastfeeding your baby after delivery. There is 2-3 pounds increase in weight of your breast tissue. Fat stores for delivery and breastfeeding comes to 5-9 pounds. This makes your breasts large and heavy.
Towards the end of pregnancy you will feel the need for nursing bra to help support the larger breasts. As your breats grow large through your pregnancy wear appropriate size bra. You’ll have to grow through several bra sizes throughout pregnancy. Good support helps reduce stretching and sagging of breasts later on.
Some women like the way they look with larger breasts, others feel more self-conscious. Don’t feel embarrassed about it as other pregnant women feel the same way too.
Leaking of breasts: Leaking Colostrum
Leaking of breasts is a sign of pregnancy. It is your breasts preparing to breastfeed. The substance leaking from your breasts is colostrum. Colostrum is the first milk your body makes. It will provide your baby with everything he or she needs to start life, including a dose of immunities and protection from jaundice.
Your breast may give out colostrum even before you may know you are pregnant, it can start at around any time during pregnancy for some it starts around 3rd week and for some during second or third trimester. You may notice one breast leaks or both breasts leak. Towards the end of pregnancy some women may find that their breasts leak a golden color fluid. Or you may notice that your nipples have a film or caked substance, this is all colostrum. Some women experience a lot of discharge while other barely notice anything. The amount has nothing to do with your ability to breastfeed. You can use a breast pad if it becomes noticeable or if it makes you feel more comfortable.
No Breast Changes
You may be one of the women who have only slight symptoms or no symptoms of breast changes in pregnancy. Don’t panic. It has nothing to do with your ability to have a successful pregnancy or breastfeed.