What do nipples look during early pregnancy

You may have heard that one of the first pregnancy symptoms many women have is changes in their breast tissue. It is true that your breasts will respond to you being pregnant by changing in preparation for breastfeeding.

What do will your breasts feel like during pregnancy? Most pregnant people say that their breasts feel heavy and sensitive while they are pregnant, particularly early on (and it's not always a bad thing!).

Here are some other common breast changes that might happen during your pregnancy.

Here are some other common breast changes that might happen during your pregnancy.

Early in the first trimester, you might notice that your breasts are sore or tender. For some people, this is also a sign of an impending period—meaning it might go unnoticed.

How tender your breasts are can vary. You might experience slight tenderness when you touch your breasts or might have severe pain whenever you wear a bra. Both variants are normal and are usually most intense in the first trimester.

Tender breasts are one reason people sometimes prefer to avoid sex during their first trimester. While sex during pregnancy is safe, if you have discomfort you might want to avoid having your nipples touched.

Your nipples may get larger and darker as your pregnancy progresses. You might also notice small, goosebump or pimple-like white areas on your areola. These are called Montgomery's tubercles and they are completely normal.

Avoid popping these bumps—they provide a protective substance that helps keep your breasts healthy.

Toward the end of the first trimester and the beginning of the second trimester, you might notice your breasts begin to grow as the tissues prepare for nursing.

By the end of your pregnancy, make sure you have been fitted for a nursing bra that can accommodate larger breasts. This will ensure your comfort. You might want to look for a special sleep bra as well.

Colostrum is the first milk that your body makes and it provides your newborn with everything they need at the start of life. Colostrum can boost your baby's immune system and help prevent jaundice.

At the end of your pregnancy, you might find that your breasts are leaking a gold-colored fluid. Your nipples might also develop a film or caked substance. All of these fluids are colostrum (which is sometimes called "liquid gold" both because of its color and many benefits to babies).

If the leaking is noticeable or bothersome, a breast pad can help you feel more comfortable. If you use breast pads, make sure that they are breathable. You don't want to leave your nipples in a moist environment—a prime place for thrush or a yeast infection to develop.

Some people only have slight or no symptoms of breast changes when they are pregnant. If you are one of these people, don't panic. It has nothing to do with your ability to have a successful pregnancy.

In some cases, your doctor might want to find out if you have something called insufficient glandular tissue (IGT) or breast hypoplasia.

If you are worried about the changes that are occurring (or not) in your breasts, talk to your midwife or doctor about this and insist on a breast exam. This will help them identify any potential issues and treat them before your baby is born, if possible.

Changing breasts are a normal part of pregnancy, but each person's experience will be different. As your body prepares for your baby, the changes that take place in the tissues of your breast will ensure you are ready to provide your newborn with what they need to thrive in the first days of life should you choose to breastfeed.

Learning to cope with these changes—both those that are physical and those that are to do with your wardrobe— is part of having a positive pregnancy. If you have any concerns about your breasts at any time, whether you are pregnant or not, talk to your doctor.

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Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. American Pregnancy Association. Breast Changes During Pregnancy.

2. Bryant J, Thistle J. Anatomy, Colostrum. In: StatPearls.

3. Hanna L, Cruz SA. Candida mastitis: a case report. Perm J. 2011;15(1):62–64. doi:10.7812/tpp/10-088

4. Arbour MW, Kessler JL. Mammary hypoplasia: not every breast can produce sufficient milk. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2013;58(4):457-61. doi:10.1111/jmwh.12070

• Cassar-Uhl, D. Finding Sufficiency: Breastfeeding With Insufficient Glandular Tissue. Praclaerus Press.

• Galbarczyk A. Unexpected Changes in Maternal breast Size During Pregnancy in Relation to Infant Sex: An Evolutionary Interpretation. Am J Hum Biol. 2011 Jul-Aug;23(4):560-2. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.21177.

• Mohrbacher, N. Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple: A Guide for Helping Mothers. Hale Publishing.

Changes to the breast are common during pregnancy and such changes are often an early sign that a woman is pregnant. Examples include tenderness of the breast and nipple and an increase in breast size that makes the breasts feel heavy.

Breast tissue is also present in the armpit and some women find the tissue under their arms also increases in size. Tingling and soreness in the breasts is also common, especially in the nipples. This occurs as a result of an increased progesterone level and milk duct development.

Visual Changes in the Breasts

As a pregnancy progresses, the nipples and skin that surrounds them (areola) become darker in color as a result of hormones that affect skin pigmentation.

Veins in the breast may also become more prominent as the blood supply to the breast is increased. This is due to the fact that a woman’s overall blood volume is increased to aid the baby’s development.

Changes to the nipple and areola include the development of glands on the areola called Montgomery tubercles. These glands are sebaceous glands that become raised, bumpy and more obvious to the eye. Their function is lubricate during breastfeeding, thus protecting the nipples from irritation, and also to keep germs away from milk before being ingested by the baby.

In some cases, these glands can become infected. Medical attention should be sought if redness, swelling or pain is experienced around the nipple.

Stretch marks can also develop due to the increasing size of the breasts during pregnancy.

Due to the increase in estrogen production, the hormone prolactin is produced. This hormone encourages enlargement of the breasts and milk production. Milk-producing glands are grown with the help of progesterone, another hormone that is produced in greater amounts during pregnancy.

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From around the 16th week of pregnancy, the breasts start to produce milk and the nipples may start to leak small amounts of a fluid called colostrum, which is also referred to as the “first milk.” At first, this fluid is yellowish in color, but after birth, it becomes pale and virtually colorless. Overstimulating the nipple while during these period carries risks of premature labor.

This milk is rich in the nutrients and antibodies that the baby requires to protect it during the first few days after birth. Occasionally, blood may also leak from the nipple, which can happen as a result of blood vessels suddenly growing and increasing in number.

During the last weeks of pregnancy, the nipples continue to increase in size, as does the breast, while the cells that produce milk become larger.

Breast Lumps

Sometimes, lumps develop in the breast during pregnancy. Usually these are cysts that are either filled with fluid or milk. Fibroadeonomas, which form in the breast lobules (a gland that produces milk) are also common. These lumps are not cancerous, and almost all lumps that develop during pregnancy are benign.

Discomfort

An increase in breast size as they grow during pregnancy can cause discomfort and pain, which may be eased by wearing a well-fitting bra. It is possible to tell that a bra fits well if the following apply:

• The breast fills the cup without leaving any loose material and without the breasts bulging
• The bra is not too loose or too tight
• The straps do not dig into the flesh
• The underband at the front lies close to the flesh and is at the same level as the strap at the back
• Any underwire lies flat against the flesh and does not dig in or gape.

It has sometimes been suggested that women should not wear bras with an underwire during pregnancy because this can cause milk ducts to become blocked. However, there is no solid evidence to suggest this is the case and so long as the bra fits well and is not digging into the flesh, then wearing an underwire bra is not a problem. However, pregnant women may find a soft cup or maternity bra more comfortable to wear, particularly at night if extra support is needed while trying to sleep. Some bras are also designed not only to be more comfortable to sleep in, but to make nursing at night easier. Nursing bras can help to reduce discomfort and also allow breast pads to be used if women are experiencing leaks and are worried about liquid showing on their clothing.

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Last updated Jan 21, 2019