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.[1]
Similar to those rapid-fire feeds, power pumping involves expressing breast milk in several short, almost back-to-back sessions.
Many moms rely on power pumping to bump up their milk-making capacity.
"Milk production is all about supply and demand,” says Lauren Crosby, M.D., a pediatrician at La Peer Pediatrics in Beverly Hills, California, a spokeswoman for the AAP, and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board. “When you pump or nurse more often, that gives your body the signal to start making more milk."
Get more breastfeeding tips from helpful articles and tools, as well as other parents, on the What to Expect app.
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.
"It took about two to three days for the increase to be noticeable to me, about 100 milliliters more per day," shares What to Expect Community mom lizsosi.
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:
Read This Next
- Your milk supply is slow to come in at first
- You’re trying to maintain your supply during a period where you aren’t nursing as much as usual, like when your baby is sick or 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 follows a specific schedule to simulate cluster feeding. Instead of pumping every three hours or so, you’ll pump for several short spurts over the course of an hour. (If you're short on time, you can also try two 30-minute sessions spread out over the course of the day, like once in the morning and once at night.)
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
Total duration: About one hour.
Frequency: Once daily, for three to seven consecutive days.
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," Dr. Crosby says. Many lactation experts suggest mornings because prolactin levels are naturally higher then. However, evenings may be more practical for some moms.
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
If mornings are too hectic for you, consider trying after your baby goes to bed, when things may be a little quieter.
"The best advice I saw from someone about power pumping was to do it during an hour-long show on TV — so not Netflix,” says What to Expect Community mom red84corvette. “Pump during the commercials only."
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:[2]
- 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.
- Create a calm space. Dim lights, play relaxing music, or use white noise.
- 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 great? 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.
When you need to give your supply a boost, power pumping is a good option to try. It can take some extra dedication, but it's not a long-term commitment. Within a few days, you should notice your efforts paying off.
Power pumping mimics cluster feeding. The short, frequent spurts signal your body to make more milk.
It can help you increase your milk supply. Power pumping can be a good strategy for times when you notice your supply is dipping.
Find the time to power pump that works best for you. Many moms find that their supply is highest in the morning, but evenings might win for convenience.
Yes 
No 
Trending On What to Expect
