January 31st,2022
When Will My Pregnancy Breasts Start Growing?
Written By:Elisa Agostinho
Every part of your physical being will morph during the months before baby, boobs included. Oh, the places your pregnancy body changes will go – is there a Dr. Seuss book for that? Well, no; no, there isn’t. So we’re mapping this one out for our mamahood community right here.
I’ve always been a big-boobed gal; being pregnant turned the volume up on my “girls” to 11. (Shoutout to any “This is Spinal Tap” fans out there – love that movie.) And breast size wasn’t the only pregnancy body change I went through. The way my breasts felt and what my nipples looked like were also … an experience.
How Soon Do You Notice Breast Changes In Pregnancy?
Your breasts start changing as early as conception (yep). A pregnant body immediately starts producing a plethora of hormones, resulting in a feeling of breast heaviness, tenderness, and soreness. In fact, sore breasts can be one of the first signs you get telling you that you’re preggo. (Though you may mistake what’s happening as a sign of an impending period.) The second, breast-wise, is size – about six or eight weeks in your pregnancy breasts start growing and you may see your cups start to runneth over.
How Big Do Your Breast Get During Pregnancy?
Well, that’s the big question, isn’t it? How many cup sizes you’ll go up during pregnancy can vary – it’s typically one or two – and your band width will likely get pumped up, too.
When Do Areolas Darken In Pregnancy?
That usually happens over your second and third trimesters. They’ll lighten up post-birth, but may remain darker than they were before baby. The tiny bumps on your areolas – they’re called Montgomery’s tubercles and they’ve been there all along – may increase in size, which is totally normal.
"Every Part Of Your Physical Being Will Morph Durning The Months Before Baby"
Good God, My Boobs are Itchy!
Rapid breast growth can lead to an itch you just gotta scratch. Instead, slather on moisturizer to help relieve itchy pregnancy breasts.
Good God, My Boobs Hurt! (Nipples Too.)
You can look to hormones as the reason why your breasts hurt during pregnancy – you’re positively awash in them during early pregnancy, and increases in estrogen and progesterone in particular contribute to breasts retaining more fluid – coupled with increased blood flow. The soreness usually segues to feelings of plain ol’ heaviness. If you’re curious as to how long your breasts stay sore in early pregnancy, the answer is a few weeks, usually, with breast soreness returning during the latter stages of gestation. Here’s a simple solution (and my go-to) to soothe and relieve sore breasts during pregnancy: apply icy-cold washcloths, after popping them in the freezer for a few minutes. Ahhh!
When Do Milk Ducts Form In Pregnancy?
Your breasts start producing milk ducts about four to six weeks into your pregnancy. That’s when those miraculous, marvelous, magical pregnancy hormones let loose the signal telling your body to start production on lactocytes, or milk-making cells.