Pregnancy is not just about giving birth to a child but it is a transformation of a simple woman to a mother. As the baby grows inside your body, your body also undergoes many changes. Increasing size of the uterus, weight gain and breast changes during pregnancy are some of the prominent changes to be observed. These all changes are signs of being pregnant, and a preparation of your body to take care of the baby in a better way. Where increasing size of the uterus makes space for the baby to grow, breast change prepares the body for breastfeeding the baby after the delivery. Increased levels of hormones such as progesterone and estrogen are responsible for these changes. Let's find out various changes observed in the breast during pregnancy and how one can handle the changes. Breast Changes in Pregnancy Breast changes are more prominent if it's your first pregnancy. Changes can be observed for the entire nine months. In every trimester you may observe a different advancement in the breast. Changes in breast can be observed even before you miss your first period and hence they are also considered as some of the early signs of pregnancy. Following are some of the common breast changes observed during pregnancy. Tender Breast You may notice sore and tender breasts during pregnancy. As this may also be observed at the time of ovulation, this change is usually goes unnoticed. But in the first trimester the tenderness increases, and you may experience pain even while wearing your bra. Due to the hormonal changes there is an increased blood flow to your breast which may result in tender breast. Change in Nipples Your nipple may become hard, larger and darker in color. They will stand out more than before. Areola which is the skin around the nipples will grow bigger and will be seen more pigmented or darker in color. You may observe small bumps on the areola and even on the nipples. There will be secretion of oil from the nipple which will save your nipples form cracking and drying. Increasing Size The body starts preparing for the breast for feeding the baby which can be seen through increasing size of the breast. Fat starts depositing in the breast and the milk glands start increasing in size. Till you reach the sixth month, your cup size will increase and the breast will keep growing in weight as well as in size. Colostrum The first milk made by your body is known as colostrum. It is rich in nutrition, protein, immunities and even protective elements which saves the baby's body from jaundice. It is golden in color and can be observed either at the end of the pregnancy or after delivering the baby. If it comes before delivering the baby then you can use breast pads to ease the discomfort. Other changes There are many other changes too which can be observed in the breast during pregnancy. As the breast increases in size you may observe stretch marks. Increased blood flow can make the veins visible from under the skin. Tingling, itching, and breast pain during pregnancy are some of the commonly observed changes. How to Handle the Changes All these changes are not avoidable as they will take place in order to support your baby's growth. But you need not worry as you can take some simple steps to relieve the pain and support your breast at this moment. Following are some of them.

• Get a good supportive cotton bra which can fit your larger breasts without hurting your nipples.
• You can use a pregnancy sleeping bar which will support your breast the entire night and will give some relief from pain.
• If you are facing problems due to the leakage of colostrum then get a breast pad.
• Do not use soap on your nipples and areolas, as it will make them dry and may result in cracked nipple with pain.
• Take shower with warm water or soak in warm water for sometime to ease the pain.

So, these are some of the breast changes which can be observed during pregnancy. If you are not observing any of the changes or the changes are very few, then don't worry as there are some women who observe very few or no breast changes during pregnancy. Just consult a doctor for guidance and follow his advice.