Recovering from Mastitis

I also had mastitis when my son was about 2 months old (by baby is now five months old) I have one breast that produces way more and gets engorged quickly, so I worry about it constantly. I've found that so far just making sure to not skip feedings and pump every 3 hours like you're doing is fine. But sometimes I also have to pump at night, if it wakes me up because it's painful -- then I pump. My baby has been sleeping through the night pretty constantly and it seems like my body is adjusting now. So I would suggest just to listen to your body, if it hurts and wakes you up in the middle of the night, then yes pump. I think your body will adjust.

But don't just ignore engorgement because not only does it hurt, but yes, can cause back-ups and infection. so I would pump after your son eats in the mornings to make sure you're empty because your milk supply is so much higher in the mornings. I do this anyway just to bolster my freezer supply!

no fun, I feel your pain, good luck!

The way I dealt with mastisis (either getting over it or preventing it) is to take hot showers (at least once a day) and massage the breasts under the water and massage towards the nipple. Keep this up and I doubt it will reoccur.

If you pump, you can store it in the freezer (I put it in the little disposable baggies you use in the bottles) and use later when you start him on cereal or drinking from a cup. But if you don't pump, your body will adjust to the new demand schedule.

I went through mastitis with my two youngest children, I know how horrible it can be! It doesn't come just from being engorged, although that can make it a whole lot more uncomfortable. Usually there is a clog or something and bacteria gets in there and that is what causes the infection. If you make sure he drains one side each feeding (don't switch him until he's finished that side), and then the other on the next feeding, you'll probably be okay. (That strategy also helps prevent colic and gassiness!)

Just let it settle on their own. 8 hours is great! My twins started sleeping through the night that long by three months, so I would also wake up engorged. I pumped for one week at night to build up my milk stores in the freezer (I work full-time), but after that I just let my body adjust.

Don't pump feed him. That would be the simplest answer that I could give you. At this age he should not be sleeping 8hrs a night. They should be nursing a minimum of every 4hrs. Get them up, do a diaper change and then nurse him. He should be nursing at least 1-2 x's a night. Don't freak out if he isn't some like to sleep more than others but 8hrs for a newborn is too long IMO

I let my body work itself out, but if I ever felt too engorged then I would pump and freeze (I wish I would've done this more often because in the end of my nursing days I would've loved to have excess milk in the freezer for days when I was empty!)
BUT next time I could tell earlier when I was getting mastitis (soreness, tenderness, hot spots) I quickly would pump after every feeding, pump in between feedings if it was too long, to get the clog out and not getting mastitis. I saved myslef a few times, but did get it once more. AND hand pumps are way more effective at getting the milk out - electric pumps, IMO, do absolutely nothing for emptying out completely. I would use the hand pump until not even a drop would come out!