What It Means
Power pumping is a way of pumping breast milk in short bursts with rests between them, all inside about an hour, to help a milk supplyMilk supplyHow much breast milk a parent's body makes. It's driven by supply and demand: the more often milk is removed, the more the body makes. See more that's running low. The pattern Nationwide Children's Hospital gives is pump 1010,000 stepsA popular daily step goal that began as the name of a 1960s Japanese pedometer; later studies find health benefits begin well below it. See more minutes, rest 10, pump 10, rest 10, then pump a final 10. It's done once a day for a few days in a row, on top of regular pumping or nursingBreastfeedingFeeding a baby milk directly from the breast. The AAP recommends breast milk alone for about the first 6 months, then alongside solid foods. See more.
Try It: Run a Power Pumping Hour
The five parts of one power pumping hour, as Nationwide Children's lays it out. Press start and follow the prompt.
That's the hour: three pumping parts and two rests.
Pump, rest, pump, rest, pump. Ten minutes each.
How Parents Say It
- "I'm doing a power pump before work this week."
- "Give me an hour, I'm power pumping."
- "The lactation consultant said to try it for a few days."
The Breakdown
The hour, step by step (Nationwide Children's)
| Minutes | Do this |
|---|---|
| 0 to 10 | Pump |
| 10 to 20 | Rest |
| 20 to 30 | Pump |
| 30 to 40 | Rest |
| 40 to 50 | Pump |
When in the day and for how long. Nationwide Children's says it helps most first thing in the morning, when lactation hormones are highest, and suggests it once a day for a few days in a row, or as a lactation professional advises.
Around it. The same article puts regular pumping sessions at 15 to 20 minutes and recommends a double electric pump at least a few times a day while you're working on supply.
When to talk to someone. Low supply has many causes. If your supply stays low, if the baby isn't gaining as the doctor expects, or if pumping hurts, see the baby's doctor and a certified lactation consultant, who can build a plan around you and your baby.
Good to Know
Power pumping adds to your usual feeds and pumping sessions; it doesn't replace them. WIC Breastfeeding Support explains that each feed or pumping session signals the body to make milk, which is why extra milk removal is used for a low supply (see Buhata's milk supply page). The pattern here comes from one hospital lactation article from 2017, so follow your own lactation consultant if they give you a different plan.
FAQ
How long is a power pumping session?
About an hour: three 10-minute pumping parts with 10-minute rests between them, per Nationwide Children's Hospital.
How often should I power pump?
Nationwide Children's suggests once a day for a few days in a row, or as your lactation professional advises, ideally first thing in the morning.
Does power pumping replace my regular pumping?
No. It's added to your usual feeds or pumping sessions, which Nationwide Children's puts at 15 to 20 minutes each when pumping.
Do It in Buhata
Focus and Reminders
Set Focus to intervals of 600 work seconds and 600 rest seconds for 3 rounds, and add a morning Reminder for the days you plan to power pump.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Milk supply
How much breast milk a parent's body makes. It's driven by supply and demand: the more often milk is removed, the more the body makes.
- Pumping schedule
A plan for when and how often to express breast milk with a pump, usually matched to how often the baby would otherwise feed.
- Breastfeeding
Feeding a baby milk directly from the breast. The AAP recommends breast milk alone for about the first 6 months, then alongside solid foods.
- Cluster feeding
When a baby wants several feeds close together over a few hours, often in the evening, instead of feeding at spaced-out times.
- Freezer stash
A supply of expressed breast milk frozen ahead of time, often built before a parent goes back to work or has to be away from the baby.
Sources
Nationwide Children's Hospital, "Underproduction of Human Milk: How to Increase Your Supply" (700 Children's, 2017)
Last updated .