What Are My Breasts Leaking During Pregnancy?

Mood swings, peculiar cravings, and leaky breasts — it's all just part of pregnancy. No, you don't need to read that again — I said "leaky breasts." You may not be prepared when this happens, so before you call your doctor in an panic and yell, "what are my breasts leaking during pregnancy?" rest assured that it is totally normal. If there's one thing you can count on your body to do when pregnant, it's grow and prepare for your new bundle, which sometimes that means a few surprises But even though you may experience symptoms of pregnancy you've never heard of, chances are you're not the first person it has happened to.

Throughout your pregnancy, and well after your baby is born, your boobs are working on all cylinders and those changes your chest is undergoing can lead to some annoying side effects. As the American Pregnancy Association pointed out, it's common for many women experience breast changes during all trimesters of pregnancy, including leakage. So if you noticed some wet spots on your shirt, you should take it as a sign that your body is totally prepared to feed your baby once she arrives.

So what exactly is that liquid coming from your boobs? It's called colostrum, and it is what your baby will eat the first few days since it takes awhile for your full milk supply to come in, according to What To Expect's website. Also referred to as "pre-milk," colostrum is described by Healthline as "a sweet, watery fluid that is very easy for your newborn to digest." Aside from being easy on the belly, colostrum is a powerhouse of nutrients for you little one. As La Leche League International reported on their website, colostrum is packed with antibodies that help protect your baby from harmful germs and illness. In fact, the pre-milk goodness, which is also known as "liquid gold," is so powerful that if it could be reproduced in a lab, you'd pay around $80 an ounce, according to Baby Center.

Contrary to popular belief, leaking colostrum isn't exclusive to the third trimester. Some women have reported signs of colostrum coming from their breasts as early as 15 weeks, according to Fit Pregnancy. Additionally, once the leaking starts, lots of stimuli can bring it on. As the website for Pregnancy Corner pointed out, pregnant women tend to leak colostrum when their breast are massaged, they are sexually turned on, or they hear a baby cry. It's all just part of the process. But if this becomes a problem that you are dealing with on a regular basis, you may want to buy yourself a pack of nursing pads to keep your clothes dry and avoid embarrassing leakage situations.

Pregnancy and motherhood bring on some pretty interesting conditions, but when you take a minute to step back and consider how your body has the power to create and feed another human, it's some pretty amazing stuff. Putting up with leaking breasts may not be the most fun part of pregnancy, but in the end, tolerating this temporary annoyances is a small price to pay for a beautiful mini-me.