State of the art double electric breast pumps can run $ 300 or more, but electric breast pumps can be purchased for under $ 100 and
manual pumping supplies for less.
Not exact matches
You may also need either a
manual or electric breast
pump and breastmilk storage bags if you happen to go back to work and you still want to have a
supply of breastmilk for your baby at home.
We recommend a
manual breast
pump if you have an established milk
supply and need to express milk occasionally and no more than a few times a week.
Just like a
manual pump these are designed for occasional use when you have a good milk
supply.
I did not own a
manual breast
pump at the time and was worried my
supply was going to plummet since I was going so long between nursing.
Maintaining milk
supply depends largely on frequency of milk removal through breastfeeding and through expressing milk (breast
pumping or
manual expression) when the woman and her infant are separated.
Personally, I simply don't respond well to an electric
pump so I used a
manual hand
pump to express for top up feeds and to help establish my
supply.
Mothers who feel they will only
pump occasionally would be fine with a
manual pump; those who are going back to work and need something more powerful would probably require a double electric; mothers who have premature or ill babies in the NICU, or an older baby that is hospitalized and not able to nurse, would need a hospital - grade
pump to simulate feeds the baby wasn't getting and to stimulate milk production and
supply.