Power Pumping - Is it worth it?
Feeding your baby, in any way, is a beautiful thing.
You are doing an incredible and meaningful thing by providing your baby with whatever amount of breast milk you can offer. Every drop contributes to their health and well-being.
What is Power Pumping?
Power pumping is a breastfeeding technique that stimulates the body to produce more milk by mimicking a baby's cluster feeding pattern. It typically involves a cycle of pumping for 20 minutes, resting for 10 minutes, pumping for another 10 minutes, resting again for 10 minutes, and finishing with a final 10 minutes of pumping. This method boosts prolactin levels, the hormone responsible for milk production, helping increase supply over time when practiced consistently. Many nursing mothers use power pumping to overcome temporary drops in milk or to build a surplus for times when they will be away from their baby.
Does it actually work?
Consistency is absolutely key here. I've noticed that if I don’t maintain the routine at least a few times a week, my supply gradually decreases and settles back to what it naturally tends to be. In short, if you keep it up and ensure you are hydrated, well-rested, and well-fed, it can help. I don’t think it’s a long-term solution. For me, the extra time this requires is not sustainable in the long term.
Try to keep a regular schedule as best you can.
Tips:
I don’t always have to do a full 20 - 10 -10 routine. Just adding an extra 10 minutes after a normal session can be enough to empty me fully. Which is generally what I need in a given session. I notice a drop when I have had one to many days in a row with mutliple short pumping sessions.
Guard your pumping sessions as best you can. If you want to do this long term, you have to continue to tell your body it needs to make milk. The only way to do that is to empty them at regular intervals. I saw an instagram post that mentioned not getting cocky with your ‘over supply’. It’s kind of true. Anytime I get excited about being able to freeze a bag of milk baby will either go through a growth spurt and drink more, or my body down regulates and makes just what he needs. Try to keep a regular schedule as best you can.
In short, power pumping can help to increase supply over time. Consistently breastfeeding or pumping can help to increase milk supply over time by stimulating the breasts to produce more milk. Frequent and effective milk removal signals the body to produce additional milk, meeting the growing demands of the baby. It’s worth noting that everyone has different thresholds for how much their bodies can create. As much as I have struggled and worried over my own supply, what I’m about to say is not lost on me. Do not feel bad about your milk supply. You are doing an incredible thing, feeding your baby. Whatever you can offer is perfect. Do not feel bad if you supplement with formula or donor milk. Your baby loves you, and you are truly a GREAT mom!
If you continue to have supply concerns, it never hurts to consult with a lactation specialist; most insurance providers cover this service.
