How to Handle Pregnancy Breast Changes

With hormones running rampant, pregnancy introduces the body to a host of changes. Those affecting the breasts are one of the first to be noticed; breast tenderness is one of the first signs of pregnancy early in the first trimester. Read on to prepare yourself and learn how to handle pregnancy breast changes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Experience sore breasts. Hormones and blood flow make your breasts swollen and sensitive to touch. They may also feel tingly and sore. It can feel like an extended version of what breasts can feel like before the menstrual cycle.
2. Be prepared for enlarged breasts starting around the 8-week mark. Breasts may feel itchy as the skin stretches. Stretch marks often appear during this time.
3. Expect veins to appear under the skin of your breasts as blood flow increases. Nipples often get bigger and darker. Further into the pregnancy, the areolas will also become bigger and darker.
4. Notice that the little bumps on your areolas may become much more pronounced. These oil-producing glands are called Montgomery's tubercles. These breast changes occur in order to nurse your baby.
5. Know that your breasts start producing colostrum around the third month of pregnancy. This is the milk your baby will get at the beginning of the nursing process. As your pregnancy nears its end, it's normal for a small amount of this substance to leak out. Some women leak earlier in the pregnancy and some never leak at all.
6. Invest in several good, quality bras to support your growing breasts and make sore, sensitive breasts more comfortable. As you grow, you may want to purchase a maternity bra.