If You've Every Been Pregnant Or If You Are Pregnantnow, You've Probably Noticed A Metamorphisis In Yourbra Cups. The Physical Changes (tender, Swollen Breasts) May Be One Of The Earliest Clues That Youhave Conceived. Many Experts Believe That The Colorchange In The Areola May Also Be Helpful When Itcomes To Breast Feeding.What's Going OnPerhaps What's Even More Remarkable Than Visiblechanges Is The Extensive Changes That Are Taking Place Inside Of Your Breasts. The Developing Placenta Stimulates The Release Of Estrogen And Progesterone, Which Will In Turn Stimulate The Complex Biological System That Helps To Make Lactationpossible.Before You Get Pregnant, A Combination Of Supportivetissue, Milk Glands, And Fat Make Up The Largerportions Of Your Breats. The Fact Is, Your Newlyswollen Breasts Have Been Preparing For Your Pregnancy Since You Were In Your Mother's Womb!When You Were Born, Your Main Milk Ducts Had Alreadyformed. Your Mammary Glands Stayed Quiet Untilyou Reached Puberty, When A Flood Of The Femalehormone Estrogen Caused Them To Grow And Also Toswell. During Pregnancy, Those Glands Will Kickinto High Gear.Before Your Baby Arrives, Glandular Tissue Has Replaced A Majority Of The Fat Cells And Accountsfor Your Bigger Than Before Breasts. Each Breastmay Actually Get As Much As 1 12 Pounds Heavierthan Before!Nestled Among The Fatty Cells And Glandular Tissueis An Intricate Network Of Channels Or Canals Knownas The Milk Ducts. The Pregnancy Hormones Will Cause These Ducts To Increase In Both Number Andsize, With The Ducts Branching Off Into Smallercanals Near The Chest Wall Known As Ductules.At The End Of Each Duct Is A Cluster Of Smallersacs Known As Alveoli. The Cluster Of Alveoli Isknown As A Lobule, While A Cluster Of Lobule Isknown As A Lobe. Each Breast Will Contain Around15 - 20 Lobes, With One Milk Duct For Every Lobe.The Milk Is Produced Inside Of The Alveoli, Whichis Surrounded By Tiny Muscles That Squeeze Theglands And Help To Push The Milk Out Into Theductules. Those Ductules Will Lead To A Biggerduct That Widens Into A Milk Pool Directly Belowthe Areola.The Milk Pools Will Act As Resevoirs That Hold Themilk Until Your Baby Sucks It Through The Tiny Openings In Your Nipples. Mother Nature Is So Smart That Your Milk Ductsystem Will Become Fully Developed Around The Timeof Your Second Trimester, So You Can Properly Breast Feed Your Baby Even If He Or She Arrivesearlier Than You Are Anticipating.(word Count 436)PPPPP
