Montgomery glands are the main white spots that become more visible due to pregnancy and hormone changes. Montgomery glands are present on both the nipple and the surrounding areola. They contain an oily substance that keeps the nipples soft and supple.
In pregnancy, the breasts may start to produce milk weeks or months before you are due to have your baby. If your nipples are leaking, the substance is usually colostrum, which is the first milk your breasts make in preparation for feeding your baby. Leaking is normal and nothing to worry about.
Fluid leaking from one or both nipples when you are not breastfeeding is called nipple discharge. Clear, cloudy, or white discharge that appears only when you press on your nipple is usually normal. The more the nipple is pressed or stimulated, the more fluid appears.
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.
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.
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.
What does colostrum look like? Colostrum looks like a clear, creamy white, yellow, or even orange liquid (orange is due to beta carotene content). It's often thick, though it can be thin, and it's sometimes a little sticky.
Galactorrhoea is milky nipple discharge not related to pregnancy or breast feeding. It is caused by the abnormal production of a hormone called prolactin. This can be caused by diseases of glands elsewhere in the body which control hormone secretion, such as the pituitary and thyroid glands.
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.
All you need to do is rub some moisturiser or massage oil on your fingertips, massage over your nipples in a circular motion and gently pull your nipples outward with your thumb and index finger. You can do this twice a day for five minutes each. This is all you need to do to take care of your nipples during pregnancy.
Yes, it's usually OK to squeeze out colostrum once you reach full-term pregnancy (37 weeks). Check with your healthcare provider if you wish to do this prior to your baby being born. If you want to hand express colostrum for your newborn, follow these steps: Cup your breasts with your hand in a "C" shape.
It may look orange, yellow, clear, or white in color. Typically, it is yellowish because it contains beta-carotene (the same thing that makes carrots yellow), but if your colostrum is thinner and more watery, don't worry — it's normal for it to be a little different for every mom.
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.
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.
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.
Hand expression is a technique where you use your hands to get the breast milk out of your breasts. When you try it in the final few weeks of pregnancy, the goal is to produce colostrum – the fluid that's made at the start of milk production. This technique may improve milk supply in some cases.
Breast milk has three different and distinct stages: colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk.
Before you start collecting your colostrum
Your midwife will discuss collecting your colostrum with you when you are 26 to 30 weeks pregnant. However, the benefits of collecting your colostrum may not become clear until much later in your pregnancy. It is never too late to start collecting your colostrum.
If you have a full-term, healthy, breastfeeding baby, you can wait a few weeks to start pumping and storing breast milk. If your baby is preterm or ill and cannot breastfeed yet, or if you have chosen to exclusively pump, pump as soon as you can after birth, preferably within one to six hours of delivery.
bigger during pregnancy. These glands decrease bacteria and they naturally moisturize and protect the areola and the nipple. While you are pregnant, don't wash with soaps or put oil or lotion on the nipples. You don't want to work against your body's natural way of getting ready to breastfeed.
During pregnancy, it is quite common to have sour nipples, and that is why you can relieve the pain with the help of massage, a vital part of breast care during pregnancy. You can massage your nipples with the help of moving your fingertips in a circulation motion at the level of your areola.