For any number of reasons, you may have found yourself needing to pump breast milk for some or all of your baby?s feedings. And, if you?re like most parents, you were probably unaware that there?s a whole world of techniques, equipment, and routines for partial or exclusive pumping?right up until the moment that you found yourself in desperate need of them.
That was certainly the case for me. My son was born with a severe tongue tie, and the days right after his birth were a blur of appointments and failed attempts to feed at the breast. On day 5, I clearly remember the horrified expression of the Lactation Consultant who looked at my chest and sent me home with strict orders to start pumping, now. This was the first time, but definitely not the last time, that I tried power pumping. What is power pumping"
Power pumping is the act of pumping breast milk for an extended period, usually an hour, with timed breaks. Since breastmilk works on the supply and demand principle, the more a baby asks to feed and drains the breast, the more milk is produced?which is what is happening when an infant cluster feeds, for example. Power pumping is the simulated equivalent of cluster feeding. By power pumping, you tell your body to create more milk. Though results vary for each person, as does the amount of time needed to achieve them, power pumping is almost certain to increase your breast milk supply by some degree.
Why would I power pump"
If you are exclusively pumping, as I e...