Build a pumping schedule around your day. Choose exclusive pumping or pumping while away from your baby, enter your baby’s age and your wake-up time, and get pump times, the number of sessions and a realistic ounce target per session and per day.
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Pumping type
Leave blank for the recommended number.
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Pumping Schedule Generator
Choose exclusive or partial pumping.
Enter your baby’s age in weeks or months.
Set your wake-up time and bedtime (and the hours you are away for partial pumping).
Optionally set the number of sessions, or leave it on automatic.
Print or download the schedule and adjust it to your body and baby.
Pumping schedule by baby’s age
Baby’s age
Sessions / 24 h
Night sessions
Typical daily output
First week
8–12
2
Colostrum to about 10–20 oz by day 7
1–2 weeks
8–12
2
About 18–25 oz
2–6 weeks
8–10
1–2
About 24–32 oz
6 weeks–3 months
7–9
1
About 25–35 oz
3–6 months
5–7
0–1
About 25–35 oz
6–9 months
4–6
0
About 24–30 oz (solids starting)
9–12 months
3–5
0
About 18–25 oz
These are typical ranges used by lactation professionals, not targets you must hit. Some people make more or less and still feed their babies well, especially when combining pumping with nursing or formula.
How the schedule is built
Exclusive pumping: the daytime sessions are spaced evenly from your wake-up time to your bedtime, with the first pump on waking and the last before bed. Night sessions for younger babies are spread evenly through your sleep time. The per-session target is the middle of the daily range divided by the number of sessions.
Partial pumping: you nurse before leaving and after returning, and pump about once for each feed you miss (roughly every 3 hours for babies under 6 months and every 4 hours after), spaced evenly through your time away.
Tips for pumping more comfortably
Check flange size. A poor fit causes pain and lower output; your nipple should move freely in the tunnel.
Use massage and warmth before and during the session to help let-down.
Keep a routine but do not panic about a missed session; get back on track at the next one.
How often should I pump if I am exclusively pumping?
In the first weeks, about 8 to 12 times in 24 hours (every 2 to 3 hours, including at least one night session) to build supply. Once supply is established, usually around 12 weeks, many people drop to 6 to 8 sessions and then fewer as solids start.
How many ounces should I pump per session?
Once milk supply is established, a full supply is often about 25 to 35 oz a day, which works out to roughly 3 to 4 oz per session at 8 sessions. In the first days only small amounts of colostrum are expected. Individual output varies a lot.
How long should each pumping session be?
About 15 to 20 minutes with a double electric pump is typical, or 2 to 5 minutes after the last drops of milk. Longer sessions rarely add much; more frequent sessions do more to raise supply.
Can I skip pumping at night?
In the first 12 weeks, try to avoid gaps longer than about 4 to 5 hours, because prolactin levels are higher at night and long gaps can lower supply. After supply is established, many parents safely drop night sessions.
How often should I pump at work?
Pump about as often as your baby would feed, usually every 3 to 4 hours while you are apart. Nurse right before you leave and as soon as you return, and keep the pumped milk for the next day’s bottles.
How much breast milk does a baby need while I am away?
Between 1 and 6 months, exclusively breastfed babies take about 25 oz (750 ml) a day on average, so a common rule is about 1 to 1.5 oz per hour away. Bottles of 3 to 4 oz are typical.
What is power pumping?
Power pumping imitates cluster feeding to signal the body to make more milk: for example, pump 20 minutes, rest 10, pump 10, rest 10, pump 10, once a day for several days. Speak with a lactation consultant if you are worried about supply.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.