Electric pumps

During my last trip to the baby store, I had quite the sticker shock when I saw the prices for the breastmilk pumps. (Think everything is double the price here in Canada).

Do I need an electric pump or the manual pumps would work in most instances?

I will be on maternity leave for a year, but everything I've read so far seem to suggest expressing and storing milk is the only way to sustain breastfeeding.

Any suggestions from experienced moms?

Are you taking the entire year off? (p.s. just hearing this make me think Canada rocks!) If so and you plan on BF yourself the majority of the time, then a hand-pump or single-electic pump should do fine for the occasional bottle.

Breastmilk is supply and demand, but you don't have to constantly pump if you are also BF on-demand. It is not the "only way" to sustain BF. If I could have stayed home, I think we would have gone longer than we did! Your body will produce as much as is needed. And really BF is better to keep up your supply, but it the situations when you can't or will be away from the baby you will need to a) already have pumped BM on hand for the sitter/hubby to feed the baby and b) pump when you would normally feed the baby so your body doesn't get confused and stop producing as much.

maternity leave for a year? wow!! well i got a pump only because she WOULDNT breastfeed and i still wanted her to get some... which didnt last long, bc simply a pump wont keep you producing which i found out the hard way. but anywas, i got a manual pump bc it was cheaper, let me tell you, they make your hand hurt!!!! i had to take breaks lol.

Thanks ladies! Yes, we have a year long parental leave up here and you can share it with your spouse if you wish. But we're not planning to do that, so I'll take the whole year myself.

From everything I hear, it's best to shop for a pump after the baby arrives because you can't predict if you'll need one or not. I won't buy it or put it on my registry until the baby arrives.

you may not need it if you intend on only breastfeeding.