Does your breasts feel engorged before birth?

This feels awfully weird. While pregnant with DD, I didn't have have any breast engorgement. No discomfort at all. And I even had colostrum when I was in my early trimester.

With this pregnancy, I just started having very minute colostrum. And that is if I squeeze (sorry for TMI) my nipples to see if there is any. I could only get 1 drop or 2. But today, my breasts started to feel engorged so while I was in for a shower, I tried expressing some out and it helped to relieve some engorgement. But even while I was expressing, I didn't get that many drops. I'm currently 39 weeks... should I be getting more colostrum than a few drops?

With my DD I had nothing while pregnant - no drops even if i squeezed!
After i had her the midwives were telling me that the babies only get about a teaspoon of colostrum with every feed (crazy i know!! thats sooo little i thought!)
After day three my milk came in fast and heavy, my boobs were crazy! hehe
My bubba was breastfed up until her first birthday!
So don't stress if you have nothing coming out now, i'm sure once bub is born you're body will make what is needed! :)

Nope. They were engorged when my milk came in on the 3rd night/4th day.
Last time my breasts were leaking by the stage I am at now, but this time I have only been able to squeeze a little out like you have described. I'm not worried though - our bodies will know what to do once baby is here :)

Do you think it's okay for me to keep squeezing them? I know I sound crazy, but I'm not so much worried about my milk not coming. In fact, I'm squeezing because I'm trying to speed up labor... will I be wasting away the colostrum before my bub gets it?

I have times when I feel incredibly full and sore, but there isn't much there. You can continue to squeeze as much as you want, and if you can collect what you get, save it. Colostum is very good for the first cold or sticky eyes. If you have some syringes freeze some in them.

How long can I keep the colostrum frozen for? Since I haven't deliver yet, would I still be getting producing more colostrum or once I have squeezed out all of it, it will turn into milk?

Carmen - Your body will produce enough colostrum for your baby so don't worry. I have heard of lady using an expressing machine to stimulate nipples to bring on labour.

I have a breast pump which I used for DD. Do you think it's okay to start using it now?

Do you also think that it's worthwhile saving the colostrum now or it's okay to discard whatever I have expressed if my body will keep producing for the baby?

i expessed before DD was born and got heaps of colustrum and then was worried that I wouldnt have enough for her but your body will produce more colustrum when your bubba is born. Your baby's stomach is the size of a pea when it is born so they dont need alot, it then grows to the size of a marble I think on day 2-3 and keeps getting bigger when the milk comes in.

You will be fine :hug:

ALso I never saved any of it but I wish I had just to have for the reasons that the other girls have said

Go for it Carmen it won't hurt but at the same time your bub will come when it is ready. Which is not long IMO

Thank you Alibaby and Bekz. I will go take my breast pump out today and start the expressing! Who knows... maybe by doing so I will get a reward in the end! Just can't wait to meet my DS/DD#2.

Does anyone have any idea if I should keep the colostrum in the fridge or in the freezer? Being 39 weeks but then again, I can't guarantee how much longer it will take my baby for it to decide to show. If I decide to freeze, is the storage time also same for breast milk? I can't recall the refrigerating/freezing time... any clue where I could get that info? Thanks

fridge maybe a couple of days but freezer i think a year

I would think it'd be the same as breastmilk. I thought 3 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer?
The ABA website would be able to help, I'd think.

Believe it or not, I actually spoke to the ABA today about something similar. I am on maxolon so its really pushing my supply to uncomfortable at times and I get 'let down' leaking.

They advised me today that I can start storing from 35 weeks so you are well positioned to express and store - and it wont upset establishing bfing when baby is born!

SO Yay! Chemist should be able to help with getting the right syringes.

I guess I should start storing whatever I expressed. At the moment, I have very few drops of colostrum so I don't know if it's worthwhile saving it. If I do end up saving, is it okay to add to the same syringe once I've filled up enough to freeze? For instance, I would store what is expressed in the fridge and add until the syringe is full then I will move it to the freezer. Is that okay?

As long as the oldest is not in the fridge for longer than 3 days that is fine. Shake it to mix it, but you may still get layers, which is not a problem. So fill one syringe as much as you can for 3 days then pop it in the freezer and move onto the next syringe.