“Lightning stripes”: Aussie model, Belle Lucia shares common pregnancy body change with fans

Pregnant with baby #2, fashion influencer and model, Belle Lucia has shared an image of her “super veiny” breasts with fans, assuring them that “It’s not dangerous”.

Belle Lucia is expecting her second child with English fiancé Alex King and once again, this pregnancy, the fashion influencer and model is experiencing a common pregnancy side effect: veiny boobs!

Taking to her Instagram stories, 28yo Belle shared the physical effect most noticeable, post shower. Alongside an image of bare chest she revealed her “super veiny” breasts, claiming that it happened for her in both her pregnancies so far.

Belle overlayed the Instagram story with: “Lighting stripes. I always get super veiny during pregnancy, so they’re blue after a shower”.

She continued, reassuring her followers that “It’s not dangerous. [It’s] just because your blood volume increases 50-60% in late pregnancy. I think they look pretty cool.”

And she’s right. Throughout pregnancy it is totally normal to experience changes to your breasts. Your breasts will already be growing in preparation for breastfeeding after the birth and may feel large, uncomfortable and tender. A network of veins will become more noticeable and the skin will look almost marble-like in appearance.

In addition, the areolas (the dark, bumpy area around your nipple) darken and may get bigger. And that’s a good thing! The darker your nipples are, the easier it is for your newborn baby to find them and latch on when feeding.

The stunning Aussie model, who is already a mum to a 2yo son whom she remains vigilantly private about, announced in February that she was expecting her second child, sharing a photo of her ultrasound with her followers.

“One more to adore, soon to be a family of four” she shared. “We are feeling incredibly grateful to be having a new little bundle!”

More common body changes you can expect in pregnancy

Pregnancy will change almost every part of your body, inside and out, top to toe. These are the most obvious physical transformations that you are likely to notice:

Breasts

Your weight and breast size will increase the most in the first trimester, which is the time to get fitted for a new bra. It’s important to be fitted professionally as your cup size can increase by up to two sizes in the first weeks. At least a month before the birth you’ll need to be fitted for a nursing bra that can support your breasts during lactation.

The reason your breasts grow during pregnancy is because the thousands of tiny milk glands inside them begin to enlarge and small ducts form a conduit to the nipple. 

As a result, it is not recommended that you wear feeding bras with underwire as they can cause discomfort and could potentially place pressure on your milk ducts, leading to blockages.

Nails

If you’ve always had strong, shiny nails you may be disappointed to find them becoming brittle and splitting easily now. There’s not much you can do about weakened nails except look after them and keep them short.

Skin

Your skin may be drier or more oily than usual. Many women suffer acne-like breakouts, particularly in the first trimester, that usually settle down. Your skin’s pigmentation may change, due to increased melanin. To prevent or reduce the chances of chloasma occurring at around 14 to 15 weeks, it’s important you keep out of the sun and always apply high-SPF sunscreen or wear protective clothing when exposed.

Around 50 percent of women will get stretch marks, usually on the belly. They may also appear on breasts, buttocks, hips and thighs. There’s no guaranteed way of getting rid of them (though creams containing vitamin E can help), but they will fade once your baby is born.

About a quarter of women experience itchy skin, which can be because it’s stretching. If your skin is unbearably itchy, see your GP – it might be the sign of a more serious condition called obstetric cholestasis.