7 Ways Your Breasts Change During Pregnancy

Breast changes are one of the earliest pregnancy symptoms that many people notice. Within just a week or two after conception, the size, shape, and even the color of your breasts, areolae, and nipples may seem different, even dramatically so.

There's a reason pregnancy boobs take a life of their own. "From the very beginning of pregnancy, hormones start revving up [a person's] breasts to get them ready to breastfeed," says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Yale University School of Medicine and author of A Woman's Guide to Sexual Health.

Here is a closer look at a few ways your breasts and nipples may change during pregnancy.

How Do Breasts Change During Pregnancy?

Breast changes are an important, but often overlooked, part of pregnancy. You might experience just a few of these changes or all of them, but one thing is for sure: Your breasts will not be the same while your baby's on board.

Significant growth

Your belly isn't the only thing that will expand during pregnancy. Starting early in your first trimester, fatty tissue and blood flow to your breasts increase. This helps the milk ducts and mammary glands grow.

Research shows that breast volume increases by an average of 96 milliliters, or a little less than a cup size, during pregnancy. Just six weeks into pregnancy, many expectant parents find their breasts have grown a full cup size or more, says Dr. Minkin.

Heaviness

With that increased blood flow and expanded glandular tissue, your breasts may also feel heavier and more dense. Once again, pregnancy hormones are responsible.

"Your breasts and body begin to retain fluid, which is a side effect of increased progesterone and estrogen," says Dr. Minkin. By the ninth month of pregnancy, the average pregnant person has gained 2 to 3 pounds in their breasts alone.

Tenderness

One downside of your blossoming breasts: They may feel increasingly tender. All that blood, swollen tissue, fluid retention, and changing hormone levels can lead to heightened sensitivity. Sore breasts are one of the very first signs of pregnancy for many people, says Dr. Minkin.

How tender your pregnant boobs are will vary. You might experience slight tenderness when you touch your breasts or might feel uncomfortable pressure when you wear a supportive bra. Both experiences are normal and may wane as you enter your second trimester.

Prominent veins

You might notice a more prominent map of blue veins snaking their way across your breasts as your pregnancy progresses. This is perfectly normal. "Your veins are more noticeable underneath your skin because they are dilating to accommodate the increase in blood flow," says Dr. Minkin.

Your breasts aren't the only areas where you may notice more visible veins. You may also develop:

• Spider veins: Tiny red veins on the chest. neck, and arms
• Varicose veins: Large, blue veins on the vagina, vulva, rectum, and lower legs that result from the pressure of your growing uterus

Larger and darker nipples

During pregnancy, your nipples start to take center stage, growing and becoming more defined, often sticking out more than they did before pregnancy. In addition, the areola will get larger and darker as a result of high levels of progesterone, says Dr. Minkin.

Montgomery glands (those small, goosebump- or pimple-like bumps dotting the areola) begin to enlarge and produce an oily substance that protects your nipples and areolas from cracking.

Leakage

In the second or third trimester, you might notice some golden goo leaking from your nipples. That's colostrum, which is the first milk that your body makes for your baby. This thick, concentrated fluid can also dry and crust on your nipples without much wetness. Still, some may actually find that their breasts squirt or leak breast milk.

"Towards the end of pregnancy, your breasts are excessively producing colostrum and milk and, sometimes, it's bound to come out," says Dr. Minkin. Your nipples may leak on their own, or you may notice they leak more with stimulation, like in the shower or with sexual activity. The leaking is normal and not dangerous, but if it bothers you, you can wear breast pads to catch any leaking colostrum.

Stretch marks

Your belly isn't the only area where the skin is working hard to accommodate your growing baby. All that enlargement and swelling can lead to stretch marks on your breasts, too.

As the skin stretches, your breasts might also start to itch. Some ways to soothe the itch:

• Choose a thick, fragrance-free moisturizing stretch mark cream for sensitive skin.
• Apply the moisturizer after showering and at bedtime.
• Choose moisture-wicking, breathable bras and shirts that won't chafe tender skin.

Do Breast Changes Last Past Pregnancy?

If you breastfeed or chestfeed, your breasts may temporarily get even bigger immediately postpartum. It's common for breasts to feel very large and tender when they are full of milk just before feeding, and deflate a bit after being emptied by nursing or pumping.

After you wean from breastfeeding, your nipples will likely go back to their regular color, and your breasts will return to roughly their pre-pregnancy size. However, stretch marks may stick around, and the skin on your breasts may feel a little slacker than before.

What If Your Breasts Aren't Changing During Pregnancy?

Not everyone will experience drastic changes in their breasts during pregnancy. Some people experience no noticeable breast-related symptoms when they are pregnant.

If you are one of these people, don't panic. Every person's body has a different reaction to pregnancy. People have perfectly healthy pregnancies and positive breastfeeding experiences with large breasts, small breasts, and everything in between.