By Abi Barham- International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Paediatric & Neonatal nurse.
Abi Barham is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with over 25 years’ experience as a paediatric and neonatal nurse, working in NICUs across London, Oxford and Sydney. A mum of two, she offers gentle, personalised breastfeeding support tailored to each family. Available for home consults in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and phone or video consultations Australia-wide.
Abi is the IBCLC that Alicia, Bubka’s co-founder, leant on for antenatal education and post-natal support during her breastfeeding journey. “Abi truly is a beautiful person inside and out, I rave about her to anyone that will listen. She is kind and supportive and someone you want in your corner as you navigate breastfeeding”.
If you’ve ever looked down at the pump and thought, “Is this enough?” You’re not alone.
Milk supply worries are one of the most common things mums reach out about. The good news? In many cases, your body just needs a clear signal to produce more milk and that’s where power pumping can help.
How milk supply works
Breastmilk production runs on a biofeedback loop: When the breasts are empty this signals your body to produce more milk. Your body will up-regulate if the demand is there.
Quite simply, remove milk → make more milk.
When the breasts are emptied, your body gets the message to produce more. If demand goes up, supply follows.
This is also why soft breasts don’t mean low supply. In the early weeks, fullness, leaking and engorgement often settle as your body figures out exactly how much milk your bub needs. That shift is normal - and expected.
The body is especially responsive in the first 6 weeks after having your baby, while you build towards a full milk supply at around that 6-8 week mark, so it is important to avoid over pumping in this phase to avoid problems with over supply.
Catching letdowns with Bubka milk catchers is always a great idea in this phase and pumping just if you need to boost supply, replace a breast feed with a full bottle feed or have been advised to do so.
What is power pumping?
Power pumping is a short-term technique that mimics the way babies feed during growth spurts - lots of frequent stimulation over a set period of time.
It won’t take milk away from your bub. Emptying the breast simply tells your body to make more for the next feed.
Power pumping can be helpful if:
- Your baby is going through a growth spurt
- Feeds suddenly feel more frequent
- Supply feels like it’s dipped, concerns over your baby’s weight gain.
- You want to build a bit of a buffer
How to power pump (without making it a chore)
The best time to power pump is when you have some time to relax. I know that can be easier said than done so if there’s a family member or paid support to assist you and help you with that time to relax with your feet up for a well-deserved break, watch some TV or catch up on replying to some text messages, that’s ideal.
Remember that pumped milk volumes soon after you have fed, might be anything from 20-60 mls. This is normal. A full pump in place of a breastfeed might look like 90-120 mls from when your baby is around 1 month of age.
A 30-40-minute break after a feed can be a good idea if you are trying to pump a bigger volume of milk, maybe a chance to shower and have something to eat before you try to pump. The process of power pumping mimics the frequent feeding a baby does during periods of rapid growth.
If you can, double pump (both breasts at once). Research shows this can help stimulate higher milk volumes.
A simple power pumping routine:
- Start with light and gentle hand massage or you can use your Bubka breast pump on Massage mode on a lower strength- just enough that you can feel stimulation.
- Pump both breasts for 5–10 minutes using Expression or lactation mode on your Bubka breast pump or Mixed Stimulation Mode on your Bubka Glow
- Rest for 5–10 minutes
- Repeat this cycle 2–3 times, or stop once you’ve expressed what you need
- Finish with a short hand express if it feels comfortable
Always stop if you feel pain or discomfort - pumping should never hurt.
Regular pumping tips (outside of power pumping)
If you’re doing a normal full pump, it’s okay to continue pumping for 2–5 minutes after milk stops flowing, as long as it feels comfortable. This helps stimulate prolactin - the hormone responsible for milk production.
Finishing with a couple of minutes of hand expressing can also help fully empty the breast.
Growth spurts: what’s normal
Babies commonly have growth spurts around 10 days, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and again around 6 and 9 months.
During these phases, it’s normal for bubs to:
- Feed more often
- Be harder to settle
- Seem constantly hungry
You may also notice more frequent feeds during big developmental moments - sitting, crawling and walking all take energy.
As the day goes on, feeds often cluster closer together. Prolactin levels naturally dip during the day and peak overnight (around 1–5am), which is why night and morning feeds are often bigger. While restorative sleep can be hard to come by in those early weeks as a mum to a newborn, resting and sleeping during the night does allow your body to restore so supply can build.
When to seek extra support
Power pumping can be really effective but it’s not a fix-all, and that’s okay.
It’s a good idea to reach out for support if:
- Pumping or feeding is painful
- You’re consistently seeing very low volumes
- Your bub isn’t gaining weight as expected
- You’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed or stuck in your feeding journey
- Supply concerns aren’t improving after a few days of increased stimulation
A qualified lactation consultant can look at the full picture - latch, fit, pump setup, feeding patterns and your individual circumstances.
Some mums also find extra support helpful alongside pumping, including breastfeeding teas, herbal tonics, acupuncture or reflexology.
The big picture
Your body is clever. It responds to demand, rest, nourishment and support.
Power pumping isn’t about pushing harder, it’s about working with your body, not against it. And if you need help along the way, an IBCLC can support you and your bub through your breastfeeding journey