BREASTMILK COLLECTION
Power Pumping
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Summary
Power pumping is a technique to increase milk production for families that are predominantly or exclusively pumping. Power pumping mimics the frequent feeding of a baby experiencing a growth spurt, or cluster feeding. During these times a baby’s more vigorous, more frequent, and longer suckling triggers an increase in the hormones that tell the body to make more milk. This in turn increases overall milk production.
Power pumping is not a replacement for regular breast pumping to increase supply. Instead, power pumping is intended to boost progress by replacing one regular pumping session with a strategically designed alternative. It works by repeatedly emptying the breast, signaling the body to make more milk, more quickly.
Equipment Needed:
• Electric breast pump
Steps:
To power pump, pick one hour each day or night (e.g., 7 a.m. every day) and use the following pumping pattern:
- Pump for 20 minutes; rest 10 minutes.
- Pump another 10 minutes; rest for 10 minutes.
- Pump again for 10 minutes; finish.
This provides 40 minutes of pumping in a 60-minute period. At other times during the day, follow your normal pumping plan. Some people find implementing power pumping on three consecutive days or nights is sufficient, while others may power pump for up to seven consecutive days to get results.
Follow Up:
When working on ways to increase your milk production it is important to be coordinating your care with a qualified lactation professional.
Research & Resources:
Pump Early, Pump Often: A Continuous Quality Improvement Project
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4720864/
Methods of milk expression for lactating women.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25722103
This and other how-to guides are available as free downloads
