Ever heard of power-pumping, mommies? Some mothers really do swear by it! Power pumping (aka cluster pumping) is an act of pumping in a series over the course of an hour, one session each day. The idea behind power pumping is to trick your body into producing more milk by quickly emptying the breasts. It replicates what babies do when they are cluster feeding, which is when babies are on and off the breast frequently signalling the body to increase supply.
Not to be confused with your normal pumping routine, power pumping is usually used when mothers need an extra push to increase the milk supply within an established pumping routine.
To start a power pump, it is best to find an hour in a day that you can pump without an interruption, preferably in the mornings – that’s when many women’s milk supplies are at their highest! Within that hour, use this pumping pattern:
- Pump for 20 minutes, rest for 10 minutes
- Pump for 10 minutes, rest for 10 minutes
- Pump for 10 minutes.
For the rest of the day, you can stick to your normal pumping/nursing routine. While some women do power pumping twice a day, one session a day may be sufficient for many women too. Like I would normally say, do what’s best for you and your mental health because long power pumping sessions may drain you mentally and physically.
Also, do note that every women’s body is built differently. Some will respond quicker to power-pumping, while some may take a little more time up to a week to see an increase in supply. So, be patient and don’t give up! But once you see your desired result, you can stop the power pumping sessions until you feel the need for another kickstart!
To improve your power pumping experience, do try the following out!
- Continue through the entire hour
- Drink water aplenty
- Eat extra snacks to fuel your milk production
- If you are with your baby, you can nurse your baby on one side, while pumping on the other
- Be relaxed and calmed as much as possible as lower stress levels encourage a letdown!
Other ways to help increase your milk supply include:
- Eat food that contains galactagogues such as lactation cookies
- Add an extra pumping session or two to your usual routine
- Eat food rich in proteins and drink enough fluids
- Try breast massage or breast compression
- Ensure to pump long enough by continuing for at least two to five minutes after you see drops of milk
