A woman will undergo many changes during pregnancy, such as swollen and tender breasts. You experience breast tenderness due to changes in breast tissue and increased blood flow, so when will this uncomfortable feeling go away?
Actually, it depends. Generally speaking, most women suffer from breast tenderness in the breasts during the first and last trimesters, which is perfectly normal considering the hormonal changes taking place during these periods. For some women, they never feel this problem. For others, breast tenderness will remain an issue for the entire duration of their pregnancy.
"I am currently in the sixth week of my pregnancy and notice a slight decrease in the amount of breast tenderness. The initial few weeks were really bad and I talked to my doctor about it. She assured me that it was just a normal part of pregnancy. Apparently, I got the breast tenderness slightly earlier than other women but that can happen."
"I think it was around the 7th to 10th week that I started to get over the breast tenderness I was feeling. My morning sickness also started to decrease around this time, and to be honest, it kind of freaked me out. I thought there may be something wrong with my baby, but the doctor said everything was fine. I never had this tenderness again for the entire duration of the pregnancy."
"When does breast tenderness go away in pregnancy? I think this was the most common question that I pestered my doctors with! I had a tough time with this symptom for the first few months during my both pregnancies. I did not get much relief for the entire term of my first one, but I did not suffer much after the first trimester of my second pregnancy."
Measure your breasts from under the breasts. This will help you choose a bra that fits your breasts best. You will also probably need to buy some extra bras since your breasts will continue to grow during the pregnancy.
When does breast tenderness go away in pregnancy? You now know that this can vary in different women. So what can you do to deal with this condition?
Make sure you do not keep touching your breasts. Explain how avoiding touching sore breasts helps you cope with the tenderness to your partner as well. If the breasts must be touched, such as during sexual foreplay, then ensure that your partner is very gentle and does not hurt you in the process.
The skin on your breasts will be stretched and start to crack. Use creams, lotions, moisturizers, etc. regularly to reduce any dryness, irritation or cracking that may occur. Women can also use natural products like shea butter, cocoa butter or mango butter to apply on their breasts. Apply the cream or lotion gently, preferably right after you take a shower.
Your sore breasts may start to feel really hot and this is when you should use a cold compress to cool them down. This will help reduce the soreness and tenderness as well. Use an ice pack, a cold cloth or cabbage leaves to place on your breasts. Cold cabbage leaves can be inserted inside the bra for added comfort.
When does breast tenderness go away in pregnancy? It has been found that pregnant women suffering from water retention are more likely to suffer from breast tenderness.
One way to fight breast tenderness is to take a large amount of water daily. This helps drain away the excess fluids stored in the body and relieves the breast tenderness at the same time.
Make sure that any medication being used during pregnancy is approved by your doctor and you follow instructions carefully. If your breast tenderness continues for a prolonged time and other methods do not seem to help, then your doctor may prescribe you certain medications to help deal with it.