Have you been struggling with a low milk supply? You may be able to give your production factory a boost by power pumping. This short-term strategy can signal your body to make more breast milk, and it’s relatively simple to try.
Here’s how to power pump, plus some tips of the trade.
What is power pumping?
Power pumping is a method of pumping that mimics cluster feeding, when a baby nurses in shorter, more frequent spurts to tell her mother’s body to produce more milk.
Similar to those rapid-fire feeds, power pumping involves expressing breast milk in several short, almost back-to-back sessions.
Because milk production is all about supply and demand — the more you pump or nurse, the more milk your body produces — power pumping is a strategy many moms use to bump up their milk-making capacity.
Reasons why you might want to try power pumping
The cluster feeding-like strategy of power pumping sends your milk factory the message that more food is needed for your baby. If you’re trying to increase your supply or notice that your production is taking a dip, a few days of dedicated power pumping might help.
Power pumping’s supply boost can be helpful in almost any scenario where you sense your output is dropping or isn’t where it needs to be. That can include when:
- Your milk supply is slow to first come in
- You’re trying to maintain your supply during a period where you aren’t nursing as much as usual, such as if you or your baby are sick or your baby goes on a temporary nursing strike
- You’re taking a medicine that seems to decrease your supply
- You’re going back to work
- You’re looking to build up a freezer stash of pumped milk
- Your baby is starting solids and is nursing less often
- You’re trying to restart or ramp up nursing after feeding your baby formula
- You’re trying to induce lactation if you’re adopting or expecting a baby via surrogate
How to power pump
Power pumping is like regular pumping, just done on a different schedule. Instead of pumping every three hours or so, you’ll pump for several short spurts over the course of an hour.
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The idea of power pumping might seem a little intense or hard to manage. (How do you find the time when you’ve got a baby?) But it’s not a long-term commitment. Most women notice an uptick in their supply after doing a daily power pumping session for three to seven days. When that happens, you can ease up and get back to your regular schedule.
To start power pumping, try the following:
- Pump for 20 minutes
- Rest for 10 minutes
- Pump for 10 minutes
- Rest for 10 minutes
- Pump for 10 final minutes
For the rest of the day, pump or nurse like you normally would
The best tool for the job is a double-electric breast pump. Electric pumps in general are more powerful and easier to use compared to their manual counterparts, and being able to pump both breasts at the same time cuts down on your total pumping time while stimulating the production of the milk-making hormone prolactin.
Sample power pumping schedule
Ultimately, the best time to power pump is when you’re able to fit it into your schedule. But many women find the most success in the morning, when their supply tends to naturally be higher.
If you can, try to squeeze in a power pumping session an hour after your first nursing session of the day and at least an hour before your next nursing (or pumping) session.
Here’s what that might look like:
- 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.: Baby wakes up and nurses (or first pumping session of the day)
- 8:00 a.m. to 8:20 a.m.: Power pump
- 8:20 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.: Rest
- 8:30 a.m. to 8:40 a.m.: Power pump
- 8:40 a.m. to 8:50 a.m.: Rest
- 8:50 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.: Power pump
Tips for power pumping
Pumping — especially power pumping — can take a lot out of you. A little advance planning can help you feel your best, and ultimately, make your sessions as productive as possible. Try to:
- Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water before getting started and continue to sip throughout the day.
- Eat well. Nursing moms need plenty of nutrition, so keep wholesome snacks handy and don’t skip meals.
- Tap your support system. If you can manage to swing a power pumping session when your baby is taking a long nap, great! But if the nap scenario is unlikely to happen, plan for someone else to watch your bundle so you can pump uninterrupted. Even better: If you can, build in a little bit of time to rest before you start pumping, too.
- Encourage your let-down. Looking at pictures of your baby or even just thinking about snuggling her right before you pump can help get the milk flowing. So can applying a warm compress to your breasts for five to 10 minutes, taking a hot shower or massaging your breasts.
- Reward yourself. Watch a favorite TV show, read a book or do something else that’s fun and relaxing while you pump. You deserve it.
- Check your pump. Pumping shouldn’t be uncomfortable. If you’re feeling pain, your pump’s flange might be too small or too big, so consider swapping it out for another size. Still not feeling good? You might want to consult a lactation consultant to help you troubleshoot.
- Don’t push yourself too hard. If you just don’t have it in you to power pump one day or would rather use the time to relax, don’t force yourself. More breast milk is a wonderful thing for your baby, but getting enough rest and taking care of yourself is important, too.
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