What is breast tenderness during pregnancy?
When you get pregnant, you may notice that your breasts are feeling a little tender to touch. It might hurt you when you walk up the stairs, jump around in your gym or even sleep on your stomach. While this breast tenderness can be annoying, and sometimes even quite painful, you should know that it is a normal part of pregnancy.
During pregnancy breast tenderness is a very natural and a very common thing. Actually, it is usually one of the very first signs indicating your pregnancy. Breast tenderness refers to the swelling, soreness, as well as the sensitivity that you feel in your breasts while you are pregnant. Characteristically, this tenderness begins between the 4th and 6th week of pregnancy, and continues along the first trimester. Most women find that their breast tenderness tends to disappear in the second and third trimesters. However, you may notice that your breasts continue feeling sore from time to time all through your pregnancy.
What are the Causes of Breast Tenderness during Pregnancy?
During pregnancy, your body goes through a number of changes and these changes result in breast tenderness and sensitivity during pregnancy. Your breasts need to prepare for feeding your baby, and thus they need to grow and develop. This often causes swelling and soreness. Particularly, breast tenderness is caused due to the increase in hormone levels that occurs during pregnancy. To prepare for your baby, your body increases the levels of estrogen and progesterone. This increase in hormones causes the blood to rush to your breasts, making them sensitive to touch.
Changes also start occurring in your breast tissue. Milk ducts as well as milk-producing cells start to form, causing your breasts to grow as well as change in their shape. More layers of fat beneath will begin to build up under your breasts that will most likely cause your breasts to increase in size. All of these factors add to the tenderness, soreness, as well as swelling that you experience when you are pregnant.
Symptoms of Breast Tenderness during Pregnancy
The symptoms for breast tenderness tend to differ in intensity and severity depending upon your age as well as on how many children you have already given birth to. Younger mothers and first-time mothers are likely to experience more breast discomfort.
Following are some symptoms that you are likely to experience:
- increase in breast size by up to 2 cup sizes
- noticeable veins crisscrossing your breasts
- highly sensitive nipples
- burning or throbbing pain in your breasts
- heaviness in the breasts
- tingly or itchy breasts and the nipples
- throbbing or may be tingling breasts during intercourse
How to Take Care of Your Tender Breasts
Breast tenderness can really bog you down sometimes, so following are some tips on keeping your breasts nice and comfortable while you are pregnant -
- Wear bras that fit you properly. Go to a professional at your department or maternity store for the correct measurements.
- Try and buy cotton bras that allow your breasts to breathe more easily.
- Avoid underwire bras - as they can cut into the breasts and restrict blood flow to that area.
- When you exercise, buy a bra that is designed specifically for exercising or working out in.
- If your breasts tend to get sore at night, try wearing a cotton sleep bra while sleeping.
- Consider buying a bra which is a couple of sizes larger than you actually need at the moment. This allows you to grow into it.
- Take a warm bath for relieving the swelling.
- If your breasts are throbbing or feeling hot, apply a cool facecloth on the area.
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