Sore Breasts In Pregnancy
Contents:
- Why do Breasts Sore During Pregnancy?
- Why do Breasts Sore While Feeding?
- Reasons for Breast Soreness In Nursing Moms
Sore Breasts During Pregnancy
Breast tenderness is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. It is a sign of normal progression of pregnancy, lack of this phenomenon or decreased sensitivity of breasts can be seen as pathology. It may be caused by the threat of a miscarriage.
Why do Breasts Sore During Pregnancy?
The woman’s body and her breasts as well undergo different changes during pregnancy. Hormones trigger the growth of the glandular breast tissue, and the breasts may significantly increase in size, stretching the breast capsules. For this reason, the breasts start to hurt and pregnant women note growing sensitivity, itching of the skin, increased density of the breast tissue. There is a risk of the stretch marks’ appearance.
The nipples also undergo changes. Due to the rapid growth of the breast skin, the areolas are stretching and becoming more sensitive. Increase in nipples’ size and growth of lactiferous ducts cause pain in breasts, which is completely normal during pregnancy. It should be noted, that not all pregnant women feel breast pain and not necessarily in the first trimester. It is all very individual – you may feel breast pain either at the very beginning of the pregnancy or right before the birth. Pain sensations enable women purchase special maternity underwear.
If for some reasons, the pregnancy is interrupted, breast soreness persists for some time. The woman's body needs time to stabilize the hormonal balance, and therefore breast pain and other "pregnant" signs may persist several days after an abortion.
Why do Breasts Sore While Feeding?
The birth of a baby stimulates lactation in woman, it is accompanied by the increase of breast size (sometimes a few cup sizes at once), and milk production. It is all very individual, but there are exceptions – some women cannot breastfeed, but in the first days after the birth, they still experience breast soreness. The breast pain passes when the feeding regimen is set and the schedule of milk production fits the baby’s needs.
Reasons for Breast Soreness in Nursing Moms
- Excessive stretching of the breasts as a result of lactostasis or increased milk production. It is accompanied by a dull pain, concentrated mostly on the sides of the breasts, which are insufficiently emptied while feeding. Milk expression and emptying of the breasts can provide relief, but soreness may persist even in the empty breasts as a result of their injury due to excessive stretching. Lactostasis is characterized by the breast soreness during and after the feeding.
- Mastitis, a dangerous inflammation of breasts tissue. It is characterized by pain and redness of the breasts that persists after the feeding. High body temperature indicates a serious complication, which requires a surgery, if no proper measures have been taken in time.
How I Deal With Breast Pain!