Are Sore Breasts an Early Pregnancy Symptom?

Around your period you may experience sore, heavy breasts. The hormonal changes that occur in the stage of your cycle around your monthly visitor can cause swollen breasts, achy, heavy breasts, and sore nipples. However, the same hormones that cause this monthly breast bloat can also be a very early symptom of pregnancy.

How do you know if sore breasts are an early pregnancy sign?

If you've missed your period and are experiencing sore or tingling breasts, there is a good chance you're pregnant. Typically premenstrual syndrome (PMS) includes sore breasts, but the symptoms usually subside just before the onset of your period or when your period arrives. If you have fairly regular cycles and have missed a period, heavy breasts may be a pregnancy symptom you can detect even before you will get a positive test result.

A trip to any trying to conceive forum (TTC) will yield many women talking about the state of their breasts. You're likely to see thread titles such as "Sore Boobs -- Could I Be Pregnant?" or, Heavy, aching breasts, am I pregnant?". Some women use the term "BBS" as an acronym for 'boobs'. So you may also see blog posts or forum threads with titles such as "sore bbs'. These aren't simply people with wishful thinking or who are imagining things. Sure, people who are very committed to trying to conceive a little bundle of joy are looking for what they call 'baby dust' anywhere they can find it. However, large breasts that hurt, feel heavy, tingle, or ache can be a very accurate symptom of a very early pregnancy.

Many women on these pregnancy and conception forums, websites, and blogs are acutely aware of how their bodies operate and can feel when something is 'off' or whether they are having a symptom of early pregnancy. Many women report little blue veins appearing on the surface of their breasts before finding out they are indeed pregnant. Others experience large areolas (the darker area around your nipples), while others claim of nipple sensitivity, dark nipples or darker than average areolas.

Breasts change a lot during pregnancy due to hormonal changes and in preparation for breastfeeding. The changes begin very early on. If you are experiencing soreness, aching, breasts that feel heavy, blue veiny breasts, sensitive nipples, or tingling and suspect you may be pregnant, it never hurts to take a pregnancy test. I recommend First Response Early Result (FRER) because it can give you a positive result up to 5-6 days before your expected period.

What Can I do about Aching Breasts?

Whether or not your sore breasts prove you're pregnant, they are still painful. What relieves the soreness a bit is to wear a comfortable but supportive bra so when you move about your breasts won't bounce and hurt. Some women like camis with shelf bras or sports bras. Cool compresses can also help relieve aching breasts.

In short, yes, sore breasts can be an early pregnancy sign, but common sense says you can't only trust suspected early pregnancy symptoms. Test to make sure, and if in doubt, a blood test at your health care provider's office can yield a 100% accurate pregnancy test result.