One concern many new mothers have is, ‘Is breastmilk enough for my baby? Am I giving him the adequate amount?’
We don’t know how much milk the baby is taking in. There’s no way to measure how many ounces of breastmilk a baby feeds. But you can tell if your baby is getting enough milk if they are producing enough wet diapers and also when their growth chart is on track.
If your child is not peeing enough or his weight is below the average weight, there are ways you want to improve your milk supply. One of them is power pumping.
What is power pumping?
Power Pumping is a technique to improve breast milk supply by mimicking cluster feeding to stimulate your body to produce more milk.
How to Power Pump?
There are a few ways to power pump. The main concept is to get your body to pump frequently so that it gets used to produce more milk. One technique you can follow is to power pump for 20 minutes. Take a rest for 10 minutes and then continue pumping for 10 more minutes. This is followed by another rest session of 10 minutes and a pumping session of 10 minutes.
Repeat this schedule once or twice daily.
What do I need to power pump?
We recommend using a double electronic breast pump. With this kind of pump, you can express milk from both breasts at the same time. Research suggests that double pumping increases prolactin levels in the mother’s body. These then signal the body to produce more milk.
Some Tips for Power Pumping
If you’re expressing milk for the first time, here are some tips to help you ease into the process:
Find a quiet place. You need 30 minutes of uninterrupted time for power pumping. Choose a place with minimal distractions.
Relax. Breast milk supply is best when the mother is relaxed. Listen to calming music. Some mothers also suggest looking at pictures of their babies when expressing since it makes the process easier.
Stay hydrated. Drink lots of fluids. Other than that, some foods might also improve your milk supply such as oatmeal, fennel seeds, garlic, and poultry.
Other Ways to improve breast milk supply
Other than power-pumping, mothers can also improve milk supply by:
Relaxing. Breastfeeding is a natural phenomenon. Don’t stress. Avoid distraction and find a comfortable space.
Massage. Massaging your breasts helps unclog milk ducts, thus improving milk supply.
Switch Breasts. To keep your milk supply steady, we recommend switching breasts after each feed.
While a drop in milk supply can be frustrating, often the situation is temporary. The simple tips recommended above can significantly help new mothers. If breastfeeding continues to be a challenge, we recommend getting in touch with a lactation consultant.