What Kind of Breast Pain Indicates Pregnancy?

During pregnancy, your body can experience many changes. Amongst the changes, one of the first changes you may notice is your breasts. And they will continue to change through the duration of your pregnancy. Each woman is different so what you’re about to read might not ring true to your individual experience, but many women seem to experience similar pain types in similar areas during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. 

What Changes May I Notice In My Breasts?

First Trimester:

Your breasts can change a lot during the first trimester, this might even be the first tell-tale symptom of your pregnancy. Although your bump is not yet protruding, your breasts may be. 

You may begin to experience a dull ache in your breast that can vary from being in one breast, both breasts or can sometimes spread across your chest. You may feel like your breasts are heavier than usual and may appear swollen. 

You will notice a significant increase in the size of your breasts and this can be a HUGE sign of pregnancy (pardon the pun). You may notice your breasts will grow up to 1-2 sizes bigger throughout the duration of your pregnancy. 

Depending on the rate your breasts grow, you may find by the time you're reaching the end of your first trimester, you will have to hit the shops and find the perfect maternity bra. Don't be alarmed, there are now some maternity bras that don't follow the three qualities we all wish to avoid:

• Nude material, 
• Lace covering every inch, 
• Thick straps, made visible to everyone. 

Who knows, you may even be able to find a somewhat stylish maternity bra online.  

Second Trimester:

Around the 22 weeks mark, your milk production will begin but don't be alarmed, this won't be leaking all over the place just yet. Majority of the milk produced will be reabsorbed by your body and will not yet need to be released. 

You will notice your areola will begin changing colour and becoming darker as your pregnancy goes on. You may notice an increase in size also during this trimester and this is normal. 

Around the nipple, everyone will usually have little lumps and the surface area is very rarely flat. During pregnancy, these lumps and bumps will become more prominent and you may feel a little more sensitive. 

Your little lumps and bumps around the nipple, otherwise known as Montgomery's Tubercles, will being produce an oil. This oil plays the role of protecting your nipple against irritation and soreness when you begin to breast feed your baby. This oil has been known to have a similar scent to amniotic fluid and can be useful to help guide your baby to your nipple after birth. 

You can use some stretch mark oils/creams on your breasts to avoid stretch marks. Just make sure when bathing, you don't strip your nipples of the natural oils by scrubbing with soaps or rubbing with a towel when drying yourself. 

Third Trimester:

The fullness, sensitivity and those dull aches you once felt in your first trimester will return, in full force. You may have to result to stuffing frozen ice packs in your bra, just to feel somewhat human whilst out in public. 

Durning pregnancy you are most likely not going to feel like engaging any sort of sexual activity. Along with the added downfall of having breasts that feel like sandbags and nipples that feel like they're going to fall off is a definite no go. So it's best to warn your partner that you, or just those specific body parts, are 100% off limits for the foreseeable future. 

You may never have had the love for an object before but once you hit your third trimester, your love for breast pads really does sink in. You will being to leak colostrum, otherwise known as beginners milk. Now unless you're going to embrace the wet look, I suggest you invest in some comfortable breast pads. 

So Can Breast Pain Indicate Pregnancy?

Although it can be known for breast pain/tenderness to be a key indicator of pregnancy, we like to also explain that this is not definitive. Always take a pregnancy test if you are thinking that breast pain is pregnancy-related. You're only human and your brain can do crazy things, make you think crazy things. But the only way to know and be 100% sure, is to take a test. 

If you do continue to have any abnormalities or the breast pain continues, do seek medical advice from your GP. This could be something or nothing but always live by the saying "better safe than sorry".