In order to properly clean the nipples during pregnancy, the mother needs to regularly bathe and clean the breasts, every day should use warm water, a soft towel to wash the nipples, remove the dry substances secreted and accumulated around the nipples.
To prevent sore nipples during your pregnancy, don't wash your breasts with a rough washcloth or pull on them. Rubbing the nipples too hard can make them sore even before you start breastfeeding.
Many doctors advise women to do some nipple massage a little after the second trimester.
That's colostrum, or the initial milk a pregnant person produces. This thick, concentrated fluid can also dry and crust on your nipples without much wetness.
If the nipples become sore or cracked as a result of any dryness you can always try a simple lanolin based nipple cream or vaseline. You may need to use a breast pad after applying either of these.
Montgomery glands can become filled with a waxy substance. The gland then resembles a pimple with a white or yellowish head. These spots are known as Montgomery tubercles. Women do not have to be pregnant or breast-feeding for this to occur.
Lactation begins as early as a few weeks into the second trimester of your pregnancy. As estrogen and progesterone levels rise, your body prepares for lactation by increasing the number of milk ducts in your breasts, and those milk ducts will transport milk from the alveoli to your nipples.
Milk production generally begins around the midpoint of pregnancy, somewhere between weeks 16 and 22. At this stage your body is producing what's known as colostrum—a yellowish milk that's rich in calories and disease-fighting antibodies—which will serve as baby's first food after birth.
About 10-15 days after birth, you start making mature milk. Like each phase of breast milk, it has all the nutrients your baby needs. The amount of fat in mature milk changes as you feed your baby. Let your baby empty your first breast before switching to the other breast during a feeding.
Another concern is that stimulating the nipple and the increased contractions could reduce blood flow to the womb. So, expressing while pregnant is not recommended when the foetus is not growing well, or has other medical conditions such as macrosomia (excessive weight), or there is too much fluid in the womb.
Only wash your breasts with water when you bath or shower. The little bumps (Montgomery glands) on your areolae produce an oil that moisturises and protects your nipples. Soaps and shower gels can strip this natural oil, causing dryness and irritation. Air-dry your nipples or dab them gently with a towel.
In short, nipple stimulation may or may not help, but it probably won't hurt in low-risk, full-term pregnancies. Before trying nipple stimulation—or any form of natural or at-home labor induction methods—consult with a healthcare professional.
It's safe for your partner to touch, play with, or caress your breasts during pregnancy, as long as it feels good to you. Your breasts change throughout pregnancy, and may feel tingly, tender, and unusually sensitive to touch, particularly in the first trimester.
Most obstetricians and lactation consultants say that there's nothing you need to do or know to prepare your nipples for breastfeeding. In fact, most of the care of your nipples will start once your baby has started feeding. You will need to keep your nipples clean and dry and wear a supportive bra.
The nipples and the area around the nipples (areola) become darker and larger. Small bumps may appear on the areola. These bumps will go away after you have your baby. You may notice a yellowish discharge, called colostrum, from your nipples as early as the 16th to 19th week.
If you have a normal, healthy pregnancy, then pumping before birth is often completely safe. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, it may be better to play it safe. As you begin to experience physical changes during your pregnancy, you may notice that your breasts leak small amounts of colostrum.
If you find your breasts leaking during pregnancy, it means your body is getting ready to feed your baby. That liquid is colostrum, the perfect first food for your newborn.
On the areola there are some little raised bumps. These are quite normal and are called Montgomery glands. They produce fluid to moisturise the nipple. Your breasts change constantly throughout your life from puberty, through adolescence, the childbearing years, and then the menopause (change of life).
Superfetation is a phenomenon that occurs when a pregnant woman releases an egg, usually a few weeks into her pregnancy, and it's fertilized and implants in the uterus. The result is two separate pregnancies happening at the same time.
Thick or sticky discharge that is green, greenish brown or reddish brown may be caused by a non-cancerous condition called mammary duct ectasia. Yellow and foul-smelling pus may be caused by a breast infection. Milky white discharge from both breasts may be caused by some medicines or endocrine gland problems.
Under no circumstances should you scrub your nipples in the hopes that this will toughen them up, says Kossl. On the contrary, scrubbing or exfoliating your nipples in any way could create micro abrasions that can lead to infection.