Looking for the right breast pump among so many options can be so difficult, especially if you’ve never had to deal with one before. The only breast pump I had any experience with was the Medela Symphony and that’s because it was what we lent out to new moms in the hospital. I thought that I wanted a Medela pump, but after reading so many mom reviews, I decided on the Spectra S1.
There are so many great things about this pump. Some of the features that are included in this pump are:
Quiet hospital grade suction with different cycle settings
Differentiate from expression and letdown (massage) mode
Closed double pumping system
Rechargeable battery
Night light - super useful at night so you aren’t fiddling with your cellphone!
Lightweight approx. 3 lbs
Price: $200 (Can be covered by insurance!)
Why the cycles of letdown and expression are so great
I really like that this pump has both of these functions, my travel pump does not have this option. The different cycles are supposed to resemble how baby would be on your breast. The letdown cycle, controlled by the top middle button with 3 wavy lines, is locked in at 70 CPM, with 5 different suction levels. This is supposed to mimic the first time baby latches when they’re sucking fast to get the milk to release from the ducts. This normally takes about 2 minutes on average to happen, and you can help it along by massaging your breast in the beginning. The only thing that you have to keep in mind is that the pump does not automatically start on letdown, you have you press it once you turn it on.
The expression cycle is when the milk is steadily flowing and this is when baby will have a suck, pause, swallow motion. There are 5 speeds of 38, 42, 46, 50, and 54. It has 12 different suction levels as well. I would recommend starting at a slower cycle and lower suction speed when starting. Having a strong and fast suction does not always yield more milk, in fact, if you’re uncomfortable it may actually hinder your milk production. Another tip to make this easier on your nipples is to lube them up with nipple balm so they slide comfortably in the flanges.
A pump that suckles, not sucks
A small thing that I noticed was the vibration of the flanges when pumping. It’s actually kind of soothing to have a different sensation so it’s not just a straight suck from the pump. Spectra prides itself on it’s natural nursing technology which mimics a more natural feeding session that other standard pumps may not offer.
Closed Pumping system feature
The closed pumping system just means that as you’re pumping, the milk will never come into contact with the pumping motor. The Spectra has a good back flow system set up as well so the milk you’re pumping is going directly into the bottle or bag that you’re pumping to. Pretty much, the milk isn’t going to be exposed to unnecessary bacteria.
Spectra S1 with night light on
Stay at home pump or travel pump?
I definitely do not see myself traveling with this pump to work or anywhere else. The odd shape of the pump makes it a very awkward thing to pack in a tote bag. I did originally choose this pump so I could bring it to work without the worry of having the find an outlet in a private space just so I could use it. I do like that I can carry it anywhere in the house though.
If you had to only have one pump though, at least you know traveling with this pump, you’ll always get a good milk turnout. Plus it’s very easy to clean if you did have to travel with it!
What’s all included in the box?
1 Spectra S1 breast pump
4 Breast flanges (2 x 24 mm, 2 x 28 mm)
2 Tubes
2 Duckbill valves
2 Back-flow protectors
2 Spectra wide neck storage bottles
1 12-volt AC adapter