The Ultimate Power Pumping Schedule: How to Maximise Your Sessions

This is for the mums who tirelessly pump and feel deflated after their efforts. If you catch yourself saying “I’ve only pumped 2 ounces” or hear yourself thinking “Is pumping even worth it for this tiny amount of breast milk?” then just know that you are not alone in this, and you’ve landed in the right place to find a solution. A power pumping schedule is proven to be an effective method to increase a mother’s breast milk supply, especially for mums who are worried about low milk supply.

We’ve constructed some power pumping schedules for different lifestyle types to give you a starting point to create your own power pumping schedule. Power pumping is effective when it is consistently applied over a short period of time.

Why Power Pumping Works

Breast milk production uses simple math to deliver the breast milk your baby needs.

Your baby’s milk requirement (quantity) + frequency of feeding/pumping (demand) = enough breast milk to satisfy your baby’s health and development needs (healthy breast milk supply).

Sometimes, there are external factors that can decrease your breast milk supply, such as poor latch, diet, and pregnancy. However, power pumping is proven to be an effective way to increase a mother’s breast milk supply as it mimics cluster-feeding and signals to your body to produce more milk.

It can take 3-7 days of consistently following a power pumping schedule to start seeing noticeable results. Do not feel defeated if it takes longer than this to produce what your baby needs. Every mother’s body responds differently to breastfeeding and pumping, and it takes patience and consistency to achieve an increased breast milk supply.

Classic Power Pumping Schedule (The Gold Standard)

👉 Double Pump (both breasts at once):

This power pumping schedule takes up to an hour to complete and is best done using a hospital-grade breast pump due to the length of time spent pumping. Remember to utilise the different expression modes on your electric breast pump to mimic your baby’s feeding rhythm.

1. Pump for 20 minutes
2. Rest for 10 minutes
3. Pump for 10 minutes
4. Rest for 10 minutes
5. Pump for 10 minutes

👉 Single Pump (one breast at a time):

With this power pumping schedule, you can breastfeed on one breast and pump on the other. Then switch sides so you effectively empty each breast. A single electric breast pump, like Lola&Lykke’s model or a wearable breast pump (Bloome Wearable), would work best in this setup.

You can also use this power pumping schedule without nursing your baby alongside, as each breast will take a natural rest while the other is pumping. This power pumping schedule can last up to 90 minutes; however, even shorter, consistent sessions still help signal to your body to make more milk.

1. Pump right 20 min → Switch to left 20 min
2. Rest 10 min (both breasts)
3. Pump right 10 min → Switch to left 10 min
4. Rest 10 min (both breasts)
5. Pump right 10 min → Switch to left 10 min

Power Pumping Schedules for Different Lifestyles

We appreciate that not every pumping mum lives their day-to-day the same as each other, and sometimes we can feel worlds apart. It’s not necessarily easier or harder to breastfeed or power pump in certain situations because you can adapt it to work for you.

For example, a stay-at-home mum may not need to commute to the office every day, but she may have errands, appointments, school pickups, and baby groups to squeeze around her power-pumping schedule! To make this manageable and realistic, we’ve given you a starting point that you can switch up to suit your routine best.

For Stay-at-Home Mums

Start power pumping using a hospital-grade electric breast pump in the morning when your supply is at its peak. Try 1-2 power pumping sessions after or in between nursing sessions, e.g. after the first feed or during their nap time. Daily consistency is key, so find a time where you are less likely to be interrupted or busy with older siblings or needing to leave the house.

1. Wake up and give baby their first feed of the day
2. Use a single electric breast pump on one breast and nurse on the other
3. When your baby is ready to swap sides, repeat the step above for the other breast

OR

1. Finish nursing your baby and pump 10 minutes after they have stopped nursing
2. Pump for up to 10 minutes on one breast, and then swap sides
3. Repeat the step above for the other breast, allowing the other breast to rest in between pumping
4. Store and label expressed breast milk after power pumping

For Working Mums

The best time for working mums to squeeze in a power pumping schedule is early morning, before going to work or in the evenings after your baby is in bed. You can use a wearable breast pump so you can get yourself and your baby ready whilst you power pump. If possible, you can also add power pumping sessions for when you’re at work.

Refer to the power pumping schedules above for double and single breast pumps. You can halve the time in each step to do shorter pumping sessions. Remember, it’s the consistency and increased demand that increase your milk supply.

For Exclusive Pumpers

Exclusive pumping means that you only pump breast milk and feed with a baby bottle or breast milk storage bag. Mums who exclusively pump will already have a regular pumping schedule in place. You can swap out a regular pumping session for a power pumping one instead and ensure that you’re pumping every 2-3 hours to maintain your milk supply.

Exclusive pumpers may lean towards using a combination of a wearable breast pump (Bloome) and a single electric breast pump (Smart Electric by Lola&Lykke) for flexibility and consistency to follow a pumping schedule around their other commitments.

Tips to Make Power Pumping More Effective

Besides choosing a great breast pump that aligns with your lifestyle, these are some other tips you can factor into your power pumping schedule to make it even more effective and help you to produce more breast milk.

• Look out for breast pumps that feature “hospital-grade” suction strength. A stronger suction strength is more efficient and powerful to increase the demand for breast milk production.
• Regularly check your breast flange size. Your breasts can change over time, and using the wrong breast flange size can hinder your results or cause discomfort.
• Create a relaxing environment that soothes your soul. Think warmth, hydration, a baby blanket or family photos to trigger positive hormones that encourage milk production.
• Don’t stress about volume during sessions. It’s not about how much you have pumped; it’s about signalling to your body that the demand is bigger than what it’s putting out, not immediate output.

Which Pump Works Best for Power Pumping?

Choosing which breast pump to use, whether it’s a wearable breast pump or an electric breast pump, really boils down to your lifestyle and how you plan to use it. Lola&Lykke have two styles of breast pumps which can slot in seamlessly to your power pumping schedule.

Bloome Wearable Pump

Bloome is a great wearable breast pump for mums who want flexibility during long pumping sessions. Multi-task (or not!) whilst pumping with a truly hands-free breast pump that sits discreetly inside your bra. The switchable breast cup options (140ml or 180ml) mean you can plan your sessions in advance and not have to worry about milk overflow.

Smart Electric Breast Pump

A single electric breast pump is ideal for sit-down power pumping. The hospital-grade suction and pump-store-feed design makes sessions less of a hassle. This breast pump is compact to travel with and offers flexibility for mums who need an all-in-one solution without needing to factor in transferring milk from a storage bag to a baby bottle.

If you want 100% flexibility on how you pump, you can invest in both styles of breast pump and switch between the two. Some mums find this gives them more opportunities to pump, which in turn, helps their breast milk supply to increase because they can pump as often as they need to.

FAQs About Power Pumping Schedules

How many days should I follow a power pumping schedule?

It’s recommended to follow a power pumping schedule for a minimum of 3 days to start seeing an increase in your breast milk supply. However, it is best to continue following this schedule for 3-7 days to get an established increase in your breast milk supply.

Can I do power pumping twice a day?

The more often you pump or breastfeed, the higher the demand on your body to produce milk. This then leads to an increase in your breast milk supply. You could apply a power-pumping schedule twice, perhaps one during the day and another at night in between feeding sessions for your baby.

Tip: This can also be a great way to create a stash of breast milk for future use.

How soon will I see results?

When a power pumping schedule is followed consistently, most mums start to see results from the third day.

Can I power pump while breastfeeding?

Yes! You can combine a power pumping schedule with breastfeeding, combi-feeding, exclusively pumping, or any other form of feeding schedule that you use. Power pumping is a way of increasing a mother’s breast milk supply, using a breast pump, to help mothers produce enough breast milk for their baby.

Final Thoughts

Go with what works best because perfect isn’t always achievable. Try something new to see if it works, whether that be the time of day you’re power pumping, a different style of breast pump for flexibility, or using breastfeeding and pumping accessories for increased comfort. You’re showing up and giving it your best, and that’s all anyone (including yourself) can ever ask of you.

Explore Lola&Lykke’s Bloome and Smart Electric pumps to find the one that makes power pumping easier for you.