Power Pumping

If you want to boost milk production, you need to increase removal of milk from the breast. The frequent demand stimulates higher production. One technique which can be used to rapidly increase demand is known as “power pumping”.

A mistaken belief about milk supply is that delaying removal of milk from the breast (by direct feeding or expressing) increases supply. However this actually leads to reduced production. The glands which produce breastmilk rely on feedback from the volume of milk held in the breast, “too full” is the signal to slow down, while “too empty” is an alert to step up production.

Power pumping aims to keep the volume of stored milk low over a period of time by frequently removing small amounts.

How does power pumping work?

At a convenient time, you express milk from both breasts as you would usually but, rather than packing everything up at the end of your session, you take a short break. The actual intervals don't really matter but ten minutes or so is an example. After the break, you pick up the pump and express again on both breasts. After a short period, you take another break. Continue this pattern of pumping and resting as long as you are able to for perhaps an hour in total.

Try not to get hung up on counting the minutes or the volume of milk you collect. This is a process of stimulating production and you will see the results over the following days.

You can do this once or twice a day for a few days. The best time is when you are rested and your baby is sleeping or cared for by someone else so you can relax and focus.

Some people worry they are taking milk the baby might need if they wake unexpectedly during or soon after power pumping. It is true the volume of milk available to the baby at that time might be lower but the fat content will be much higher - more filling and higher calorie than milk stored in the breast for several hours. Of course, if your baby seems unsatisfied by that milk, you can offer some of the milk you have just expressed.

While you are power pumping, you can include other techniques which maximise milk removal, including double pumping and breast compression.