If you’re looking to increase your milk supply, power pumping might be just the solution for you! It’s a favorite tool among breastfeeding parents and lactation consultants alike, both for its simplicity and effectiveness.
What is power pumping and how to do it? Exact numbers for power pumping will vary per person, but pumping for a short period of time, followed by rest, repeated a few times is the basic framework for power pumping. A sample schedule might look something like this:
Pump 20 minutes
Rest 10 minutes
Pump 10 minutes
Rest 10 minutes
Pump 10 minutes
Be sure to pick a time in the day when you’re relaxed and can dedicate about an hour.
Why might you power pump? Increasing supply is the main reason most women power pump. Pumping for a few minutes followed by a short rest and then pumping again mimics baby cluster feeding. It follows the lactation principle that if your breasts are stimulated more often, your body will signal to your brain to make more milk. Supply can drop with illness, stress, or other life events, so power pumping is a simple way to bring it back up!
How to? Pumping following a schedule like the one above is a good place to start. For most women, this is only recommended once a day to reduce burnout and avoid oversupply, in addition to a routine pumping or feeding schedule. Using a double electric pump with effective, and comfortable suction will make this most efficient (pumping one breast at a time means this could take double the time!) Be sure that your flanges are fit properly!
When is it not recommended to power pump? If you already have a healthy full supply, power pumping could lead to oversupply.
When will I see results? If you find yourself power pumping, know it’s not forever! Most women see improvement in milk supply in under a week, 3-7 days on average.
Need more help with a pumping plan to increase your milk supply? Book a visit with Wisco Lactation on our website. We offer home & office visit in SE Wisconsin and NE Illinois. We also offer virtual visits worldwide.