How to Go on a Long Outdoor Adventure and Manage Pumping When You’re Breastfeeding

If you’re a new mom and an outdoor lover - good news ! Adventure days don’t have to stop just because you’re breastfeeding. But let’s be real — figuring out how to pump while hiking, climbing, camping, or road-tripping if baby isn’t with you can feel overwhelming and intimidating with all of the extra planning and gear involved. 

Last week I went on a 12 hour hike/scramble that began with a 3 AM pump session at home before meeting friends to carpool to our trailhead. This was followed by pumping every 3 hours including while hiking and during a 15 minute summit break. I chose to save the milk and pack it along with me because I would rather carry extra weight than deal with the emotional weight of dumping milk on the trail. Packing it is doable, but it takes strategy. Here’s how to make it work without sacrificing your milk supply or your sanity. 

 

1. Choose the Right Pump for the Backcountry

Skip the bulky hospital pumps. You want something:

• Portable & rechargeable → Brands like Willow Go, Elvie, or Momcozy are the originals, but there are now tons of options that are less costly on Amazon. I have liked this one better than the Elvies personally.
• Hands-free → Wearable pumps let you hike while you pump. Yes, it’s possible (I recommend this only if the terrain is pretty flat, and you have a good compressive sports bra to keep them in place)
• Battery life matters → Always fully charge before you leave, and bring a portable power bank (I like mine from the brand Anker that is the size of a wallet).
  
• Pro tip: If you’re backpacking, pre-freeze milk bags in a cooler at the trailhead and plan to transfer pumped milk back there later.

2. Timing Is Everything

Whether you’re nursing at home or pumping on a 12-mile hike, consistency is key to protecting supply.

• Aim to pump every 3–4 hours to mimic baby’s feeding schedule.
  
• Use phone alarms to keep track of your schedule.
  
• For climbing or skiing days, plan your routes around rest spots where you can take out your gear, get set up, and pump comfortably (ideally a wind protected area if it’s a cold day!).
  
  

3. Keep Milk Safe on the Go

Hot days + breast milk = recipe for spoilage if you’re not careful.

• Insulated cooler bags + ice packs are your best friend. I used a cheap $20 lunch box style relatively light weight cooler bag off Amazon. This is where I store my pumps too to keep them cold so that I can reuse them multiple times without washing in between.
  Use pre-sterilized storage bags or reusable silicone bags to keep things lightweight. I always bring at least 1 extra. I prefer the silicone bags  for this purpose because they seal more easily and the  plastic versions are hard to hold steady/keep open to transfer milk, especially when there’s wind and no flat surfaces to work from.
• Bring hand sanitizer to use before each pumping session 
  
• If temps are in the 90s, you’ve got about 4 hours before freshly pumped milk goes bad without cooling — less if you’re in direct sun.
  

4. Wear a great pumping friendly sports bra and a stretchy UPF sun shirt

• My favorite sports bra for this is the Maternity Medium Support Nursing Sports Bra from Old Navy because it has a lot more compression than a lot of other bras I’ve tried, which is great for hiking and also for keeping your pumps in the correct position if you are walking while using them. 
• For a UPF sun shirt, I like having a quarter zip to more easily be able to put pumps in and reposition them if needed. I use my Black Diamond Alpenglow Pro Hoody for this purpose, although you can really make any shirt work. 

5. Pack Your “Pump Kit” 

Here’s my go-to setup for day-long adventures:

1. Wearable pump + extra batteries or battery pack to recharge
2. Storage bags
3. Ice pack + insulated bag
4. Nursing sports bra and sun hoody
5. Hand sanitizer
6. Optional: Backup manual pump (lightweight, lifesaver if your battery dies, but in a pinch you can also hand express)

6. Budget extra time on your adventure - depending on the fit of your pumps and how they feel, you may or may not be able to continue walking or hiking while wearing them. So plan on an extra 20-30 minutes every 3 hours or so when determining the timeline for your adventure. 

7. Give Yourself Grace

This isn’t going to look perfect every time. You’ll:

• Pump in weird places (car trunks, summit ledges, parking lots).
• Spill milk at least once.
• Forget your pump parts and improvise.
• But here’s the thing: you’re outside, you’re adventuring, and you’re doing it with a baby in the mix. That’s the real win.

Final Thoughts

Getting outdoors as a breastfeeding or pumping mom takes extra planning, but it’s absolutely possible. With the right gear, smart timing, and a little flexibility, you can keep your baby fed, your supply steady, and your sanity intact — all while soaking up those alpine views.

And if you’re heading out on long days in the sun, make sure both you and your baby are protected. Our Alpenshade UPF 50+ baby sunsuits are designed by a dermatologist (hi 👋🏼) who’s been exactly where you are — hiking, pumping, and trying to balance it all.

P.S. None of the products mentioned here are sponsored, and I have no affiliate links - these are just things I’ve used and personally liked!

Photo credit: first and third images by Sarah Fountain