How will my breasts change during pregnancy?
The first changes you may notice in your breasts is a feeling of fullness early on in your pregnancy and can occur as early as your first missed period.
One of the most noticeable early changes in your breasts during pregnancy is that the little bumps around your areole, the Montgomery’s tubercles, become more raised and pronounced. They are preparing for their job of lubricating and protecting your nipples during breastfeeding. You may also notice your nipples and areolae growing darker at the same time. You may also notice that your nipples become slightly larger and will then more easily lengthen when your child begins too nurse.
Throughout your pregnancy glandular milk producing tissue begins to replace the fatty tissue in your breasts. This makes your breasts larger and heavier when you are expecting a baby. On average you can expect your breasts to increase about 1.5 pounds each before your child is born.
About the 26th week of your pregnancy your breasts are able to produce milk and can sustain your child if it is born prematurely. You may find that your nipples occasionally leak small amounts of a yellowish liquid. This is colostrum, a nutrient rich early milk.
These are some of the changes that you can expect in your breasts as you go through pregnancy and prepare to breastfeed your child when they are born.
