Lactating Breast Anatomy

During pregnancy your body is changing to give birth to your baby. In addition, during this time your breasts are changing, getting ready to feed your baby after it is born. Knowing the anatomy of your breast while you are lactating will help you understand how milk moves through the breast to feed your baby.

Fat Cells

The female breast is partially made of fat tissue. The fat cells can increase in size as you gain weight during your pregnancy.

Ligaments

As your breasts get heavier during pregnancy and lactation, the Cooper's ligaments attach the breast to the chest wall.

Mammary Glands

Milk Ducts

The milk travels from the mammary gland through a web of milk ducts to the nipple. There can be as many as 29 milk ducts in each breast. All of the ducts narrow down and join into one main milk duct above the nipple, according to Springerlink.com.

Sinus Area

Just underneath the nipple is a sinus area where the milk is collected before leaving through the holes in the nipple. Women have varying amounts of small holes on their nipple where the milk is dispersed as the baby sucks.

References

• Medela Breast Anatomy
• Public Med Central Lactating Breast Anatomy
• Breast Anatomy

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