Pumping schedule: how often and how long to pump
Pump when your baby would eat. With a newborn that means about 8 to 12 sessions in 24 hours, nights included, and once you are back at work it usually means 2 to 3 sessions per 8-hour shift, each taking roughly 10 to 20 minutes.
The short version:
Exclusive pumping: pump as often as your baby drinks breast milk (CDC). Newborns feed about 8 to 12 times in 24 hours.
At work: every 2 to 3 hours, around 2 to 3 sessions per 8-hour shift, 3 to 4 on a 12-hour shift (Office on Women's Health).
One session: about 10 to 15 minutes once you are used to your pump, sometimes 15 to 20 (Office on Women's Health).
As your baby grows, you will probably not have to pump as often to keep up your supply (MedlinePlus).
Pumping schedule by situation
| Situation | How often | How long per session | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exclusive pumping, newborn weeks | As often as your baby would eat, about 8 to 12 times in 24 hours | About 10 to 15 minutes once you are used to your pump, sometimes longer | Night sessions are part of it: the AAP says a newborn should not go more than about 4 hours at night without a feed |
| Baby in the NICU or born very early | 5 to 6 times a day, every 3 to 4 hours, or more often once your breasts begin to fill | Ask your NICU team | Start within 6 to 8 hours after delivery and pump at least once in the middle of the night (AAP) |
| Back at work, 8-hour shift | Every 2 to 3 hours, around 2 to 3 times during the shift | 15 to 20 minutes, plus time to set up and clean the pump | On a 12-hour shift, plan 3 to 4 sessions |
| Building a stash while breastfeeding | An extra session, for example while your baby naps or is with someone else | At least 10 minutes when you are trying to make more milk, even if the flow stops sooner (AAP) | The CDC suggests starting a few weeks before you return to work or school |
Exclusive pumping with a newborn
If you are not feeding at the breast, the rule from the CDC and the Office on Women's Health is the same: pump during the times your baby would normally eat. That is what tells your body how much milk to keep making.
In the first weeks, the CDC says a baby will breastfeed about 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, and may want to eat as often as every 1 to 3 hours in the first days. The AAP adds that a newborn should not go longer than about 2 to 3 hours during the day or 4 hours at night without a feeding. If you pump in place of those feeds, that gives you a practical frame: a session roughly every 2 to 3 hours in the day, and no very long stretch at night.
Pumping for a baby in the NICU
For very premature or sick babies, the American Academy of Pediatrics gives a specific starting plan: pump within 6 to 8 hours after delivery, then 5 to 6 times a day (every 3 to 4 hours and at least once in the middle of the night), or even more often once your breasts begin to fill up with milk. The AAP notes that long stretches without pumping can shut down your milk supply. Your NICU nurses and lactation consultants will adjust the plan with you.
Pumping schedule at work
At work, you pump during the times you would feed your baby if you were at home. The Office on Women's Health says women typically pump every 2 to 3 hours, or around 2 to 3 times per 8-hour work period, and that women who work 12-hour shifts may need to pump 3 to 4 times to keep up their milk production. MedlinePlus gives the same range: 2 to 3 times a day at work.
Many parents use their regular breaks and lunch to pump. A day might look like this:
- Breastfeed before you leave in the morning.
- Pump mid-morning, at lunch and mid-afternoon.
- Breastfeed again as soon as you get home, and feed on demand in the evening and on weekends.
Some babies eat less during the day while you are apart and nurse more often at night. The Office on Women's Health calls this reverse cycling, and notes that you may then need to pump less milk for the daytime.
In the United States, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act requires most employers to give you a reasonable break time to express milk for one year after your child's birth, and a private space that is not a bathroom. The CDC suggests talking with your employer about times and space before you go back.
How much to leave with the caregiver: the Office on Women's Health cites research showing that breastfed babies between 1 and 6 months old take in an average of 2 to 3 ounces per feeding. Every baby is different, so watch your own baby's cues. Milk pumped at work can stay in an insulated cooler with frozen ice packs for up to 24 hours (CDC). For fridge and freezer times, see how long breast milk lasts.
Building a stash while you breastfeed
You do not need a separate routine, just extra sessions. The Office on Women's Health suggests pumping while your baby is napping or being looked after by someone else, and practicing with your pump several days or weeks before you go back to work. The CDC suggests starting a few weeks ahead, which also gives your baby time to get used to a bottle.
On bottles, the Office on Women's Health suggests waiting at least a month after birth before introducing one, and MedlinePlus suggests starting bottle feeding about 2 weeks before you go back to work.
If you are struggling to pump enough, the CDC suggests adding an extra pumping session. The AAP suggests pumping more often, for at least 10 minutes per session, even if your milk stops flowing before then.
How long should a pumping session be?
The Office on Women's Health says pumping can take about 10 to 15 minutes once you are used to your breast pump, and sometimes longer. In its guidance for workplaces, it gives 15 to 20 minutes depending on the parent and the age of the baby, not counting the time to get to the pumping space, set up and clean the pump parts. It also notes that a double electric, hospital grade pump is the quickest way to express milk, and that manual pumps can be slower.
How to space out sessions as your baby grows
The CDC explains that over the first weeks and months the time between feedings gets longer, and on average most exclusively breastfed babies feed every 2 to 4 hours. Your pumping schedule can follow the same path: MedlinePlus notes that as your baby gets older, you probably will not have to pump as often to keep up your milk supply.
None of the official sources give a week by week plan for dropping sessions. The AAP does warn that for working parents, a lower milk supply is most often the result of skipped pumping sessions or not pumping long enough. If your output dips after you drop a session, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) or your pediatrician can help you adjust.
Common questions
How many times a day should I pump?
As often as your baby would eat. For a newborn that is about 8 to 12 times in 24 hours (CDC). At work, about 2 to 3 times per 8-hour shift (Office on Women's Health).
How long should I pump each session?
About 10 to 15 minutes once you are used to your pump, sometimes 15 to 20 minutes (Office on Women's Health). To increase your supply, the AAP suggests at least 10 minutes per session, even if the flow stops sooner.
Do I need to pump at night?
With a newborn, yes: babies eat around the clock, and the AAP says a newborn should not go more than about 4 hours at night without a feed. For a baby in the NICU, the AAP asks for at least one session in the middle of the night. Later on, ask your lactation consultant before dropping night sessions.
What is power pumping?
It is a name used among parents for a routine to boost supply with many short sessions in a row. We could not find a power pumping schedule in the official US guidance we checked, so we do not give one here. The CDC's advice for low output is to add an extra pumping session, and an IBCLC can help you build a plan.
Sources
- CDC, Pumping Breast Milk: cdc.gov
- CDC, How Much and How Often to Breastfeed: cdc.gov
- CDC, Breastfeeding and Returning to Your Workplace: cdc.gov
- Office on Women's Health, Pumping and storing breastmilk: womenshealth.gov
- Office on Women's Health, Breastfeeding and going back to work: womenshealth.gov
- Office on Women's Health, Time for breaks: womenshealth.gov
- American Academy of Pediatrics, How Often To Breastfeed: healthychildren.org
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Expressing Breast Milk at Work: healthychildren.org
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Mother's Own Milk for Very Premature and Very Low Birth Weight Babies: healthychildren.org
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine), Breast milk, pumping and storing: medlineplus.gov
Written by the FeedEase team. Every number on this page is checked against the sources above. This is general information, not medical advice: every parent and baby is different, so if you have doubts about your supply, talk with a lactation consultant (IBCLC) or your pediatrician.
