Power Pumping and Cluster Pumping

Breast pumps are tools we use to support breastmilk production when nursing directly is not an option for any reason. Sometimes, we even go as far as to use that tool to mimic some of the behaviors we see babies utilize at the breast to increase milk production! Two of my favorite tricks for increasing milk supply with a pump include power pumping and cluster pumping. I’m going to break down these two methods of pumping so that you can better understand what we are trying to accomplish with each one and choose the option that works best to meet your goals.

Power Pumping:

Power pumping is a scheduled pumping routine where for a period of (typically) about an hour, you alternate pumping for a period of time, then resting, then resuming pumping.

Pump. Rest. Pump. Rest. Pump. Rest.

You get the the idea!

So why does power pumping work?

When your breasts are stimulated with a breast pump, prolactin levels elevate in the first several minutes of stimulation then start to fall again. Prolactin is a major hormone responsible for driving milk production and elevating your prolactin level and will result in increased output over time. You won’t see immediate results with power pumping, but over the course of a few days, most parents find an overall output increase.

Oftentimes, power pumping is explained as cluster feeding with a pump, but the way power pumping is typically used really doesn’t fit with cluster feeding, which is normally something babies do sporadically over the course of several hours versus an isolated event like power pumping. Power pumping is really more of a way to use our understanding of the prolactin cycles with nipple stimulation to increase output and support pumping goals.

Power pumping is often used in the place of a regular pump session. Say a parent pumps 6 times a day at 1 am, 6 am, 11 am, 3 pm, 6 pm and 10 pm. If a parent wants to use power pumping, they would pick a particular session to replace with a power pumping session - for example their 6 pm pump. Normally, they would pump from 6 pm to 6:30 pm, but if they want to power pump, they will be alternating pumping and planned rest intervals from 6:00pm to 7:00 pm. This can be a particularly effective solution to increase supply at a particular time of the day, as over time the body will learn that the 6:00 pm pump session requires higher milk production.

Cluster Pumping:

Cluster pumping takes the idea typically associated with power pumping and kicks it up a notch. When babies cluster feed, they tend to nurse sporadically and often for several hours, typically in the evenings. Parents who have dealt with cluster feeding can tell you the sessions are typically much shorter than an average nursing session, and there is no pattern to the feeding other than eating a lot over the course of several hours. This serves to drive up prolactin levels, but it also increases the time frame in which the breasts are emptied frequently and milk is not allowed to build up.

Cluster pumping mimics this behavior by using short and frequent pump sessions with no truly set times to keep prolactin elevated and breasts empty. The same parent above on the same pumping schedule would use cluster pumping in between two pump sessions without skipping those sessions and adding frequent short pumps in between.

So say you wanted to cluster pump between the 6 pm and 10 pm pumps. You would pump at 6:00 pm for 20 minutes, 6:35 for 6 minutes, 7:15 for 9 minutes, 7:42 for 7 minutes, 8:20 for 10 minutes, 8:55 for 6 minutes, 9:22 for 5 minutes, 9:47 for 5 minutes and 10:00 pm for 20 minutes.

So two pump sessions turn into 8 times the breasts are emptied and prolactin is elevated. But cluster pumping is intense, so it’s easy to see why power pumping might be more realistic for most parents!

So which one is more likely to be effective in increasing milk supply?

Cluster pumping is going to be more effective, but power pumping may be more than enough to reach the desired output and is less stressful.

So how are you supposed to make power pumping or cluster pumping work for you?

Power pumping can be confined to a planned time, so the most common way to facilitate this is to have another caregiver handle the children. Power pumping can be done with a hands free bra and milk can be emptied from bottles during the rest periods to keep things more manageable. Alternatively, handsfree collection cups can be used to facilitate power pumping while allowing you more freedom to go about your business during the session - especially when paired with a portable pump. Realistically, power pumping will likely need to be done at a time when baby is sleeping and other children are occupied. The evening pump when the kids are sleeping is an ideal time for this!

Cluster pumping is a little more complicated to manage, as it requires access to pumping many times in just a few hours. I recommend treating the first and last sessions like routine pump sessions and sticking to keeping them at your normal scheduled times. Then, leave your pump set up and accessible and work on grabbing a few minutes to pump just real quick! When I used this technique, I left the pump ready to go on the counter with Freemie cups attached, slipped them in my bra for a few minutes, then stopped, popped them out and walked away again. Some days, cluster pumping was much more effective than others, but even a tough day where only 2-3 quick extra sessions could be thrown in yielded great results. Empty breasts are signaling the body to make more milk and cluster pumping keeps the breasts much more empty for longer than power pumping.

When should you consider power pumping or cluster pumping?

You can try power pumping or cluster pumping whenever you feel you would like to see a boost in your milk supply. Power pumping and cluster pumping are strategies that can help bump up a supply issue quickly, and as long as you are using properly sized flanges and pumping isn’t causing pain or damage, it comes with little risk.

If you are struggling with milk supply and want help deciding how to best improve your situation reach out for a consultation today!

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