The medical term for the breast is the mammary gland, which come from the Latin word Mamma, meaning “the breast.”  The mammary gland is the organ that is not fully developed at birth.  It undergoes four major phases of growth and development: in utero, during the first two years of life, at puberty and finally during pregnancy and lactation.  The breast provides both nutrition and nurturing.  The lactation consultant requires a basic understanding of the structures and functions of the breatst in order to provide proper breastfeeding manangement guidelines and to troubleshoot problems.  The first stage of breast development is what we will be talking about today.  Breast development begins at week 3-4 with a primitive milk streak running bilaterall from the axilla to the groin.   Week 4-5 a milk streak becomes mammary milk ridge, or milk line.  Paired breasts develop from this line of glandualar tissue.  Week 7-8 Thickening and inward growth into the chest will continue.  Week 12-16 specialized cells differentiate into smooth muscle of nipple and areola.  Week 15-25 Eithelial strips are formed which represent future secretory alveoli.  It is at this time that Lactiferous ducts and their branches form and open into shallow epithelial depression known as the mammary pit.  The mammary pit becomes elevated forming the nipple and areola.  An inverted nipple results when the pit fails to elevate.  After 32 weeks a lumen canal forms in each part of the branching system.  Near term is at 15-25 weeks.  Mammary ducts form at this point and form the fetal mammary gland.  Finally, it is the stage of Neonate.  Learn more about the stages of breast development in our next blog.

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