From the early stages of pregnancy, hormonal shifts cause your breasts to grow and become more tender. This is your body’s way of preparing for milk production. As you approach delivery, your breasts will undergo further changes to ready themselves for breastfeeding, including the development of colostrum, the nutrient-rich first milk.

Once your baby arrives, breastfeeding initiates another set of changes. Your breasts may become fuller and sometimes sore as they produce and regulate milk supply. It’s essential to understand these changes to provide the best care for your breasts and ensure a comfortable breastfeeding experience for both you and your baby.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding make us more aware of our boobs than ever before. Below are some interesting facts about your mammaries that you probably never knew, and that also demonstrate why your breasts are a good example of brilliant design.

Nipple facts

1. Not only do nipples come in different colours and sizes but there are up to eight different kinds of nipples – including inverted, flat, puffy and protruding – all of which are normal. Some women even have a combination of types.
2. On average, a lactating woman has about four nipple openings to ensure that the milk spreads and mixes with saliva in the baby’s mouth aiding digestion.
3. It is estimated that 1 in every 18 people have more the two nipples. One man actually had seven nipples, while a woman had a nipple on her foot and another had one on her thigh.
4. Nipple stimulation increases milk production. Breastfeeding works on a supply-and-demand principle. If you are breastfeeding and your milk supply is low, feed more often to increase your milk production.
5. Some women can orgasm from nipple stimulation alone.
6. Sage Werbock, also known as “The Great Nippulini,” holds the world record for being able to lift up to 31.75kg of weights on each nipple.
7. While it is possible to breastfeed while you are pregnant, you should not do so if you are at risk for preterm labour. The reason for this is because nipple stimulation releases oxytocin into the body, which can trigger contractions.
8. Nipple development occurs before sexual differentiation takes place in the embryo. That is why both men and women have nipples.
9. Pregnancy hormones can change the shape and colour of your nipples and areola. In fact, the length of your nipples can grow too.
10. In non-pregnant women, changes in nipples can be warning signs for breast cancer.
11. It is possible to breastfeed with nipple piercings provided you remove the jewellery before feeding, as it poses a choking risk for the baby.

VISIT: Breastfeeding: what to eat & what to avoid

Breast facts

1. The first breast implant surgery was done way back in 1895 in Germany, but it wasn’t for cosmetic purposes. Fat was taken from the woman’s hip and inserted into her breasts, which needed reconstruction after removal of a tumour. Over the years, many different materials have been used as breast implants including paraffin and goats’ milk. Silicone implants were used for the first time in 1962.
2. While breastfeeding will increase the size of your breasts temporarily, it could leave you with deflated, sagging breasts and stretch marks when you stop. This is caused by stretching of the tissue and skin as breasts increase in size with milk production.
3. Quit smoking if you don’t want to end up with saggy boobs. Smoking destroys a protein called elastin, which gives your boobs its elasticity.
4. It is possible to breastfeed with implants depending on the type of implants, the placement and the way surgery was done.
5. Angelina Jolie removed both breasts because she carries the BRCA gene, which means she is more likely to suffer from breast or ovarian cancer. It is not uncommon for women who are at risk of developing breast cancer to choose to have their breasts removed.
6. Your breasts are capable of producing milk for more than one child. Hence it is possible to breastfeed twins and triplets or even tandem feed babies of different ages.ALSO SEE: How much weight should you gain in pregnancy?
7. A 2005 study found that in 62% of women the left breast is slightly larger than the right.
8. Your breast size is determined by your genes. Your breast size is also not indicative of how much milk you may produce.
9. You can get a bachelors degree in Bra Studies from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
10. Breast milk can be used as a medicinal aid to treat common ailments such as ear infections, pink-eye and cuts.