Buy This, Not That: Breast Pumps

Good:  Medela Pump In Style Advanced

After C was born in 2014, I got a trusty Medela Pump in Style Advanced breast pump (thanks, Obama!), which I used religiously 3-4 times a day at work for a year.  At the time, I had no complaints...but I also had nothing to compare it to.

Better: Spectra S2

This year, when I was pregnant with M, I had to decide which breast pump I wanted to order this time around.  (Although I still have my old Medela PISA, the motor can wear out, and since a new one was fully covered by my insurance, I knew I wanted to get a new one - even if it was another PISA).  I read a ton of online reviews, and the consensus seemed to be that the Medela PISA and the Spectra S1 or S2 pumps were the current favorites. Medela is still the better-known brand (as it is what most of the hospitals use, and has been around in the US longer than Spectra); however, every single review I read that compared the two preferred the Spectra.  

I decided to take a chance (knowing I had my old PISA if I absolutely hated the Spectra), and I am sooooo glad I did!  I ordered the Spectra S2, as the cost was completely covered by my insurance; the S1 had an upgrade charge since it has a built-in rechargeable battery (while the S1 has to be plugged into an electrical outlet).   

In comparison to the Medela pump, my Spectra pump is much quieter, gentler, and more efficient.  The difference in noise is the most remarkable -- the Medela pump was loud, and the Spectra is whisper quiet.  We can easily watch TV while I pump, and although my work has a dedicated pumping room, I think I could easily be on a phone call while the pump was running (NOT TRUE for the Medela!)  

I also think the suction on the Spectra is gentler -- probably because it is more customizable than the Medela.  While the Medela has one dial that can adjust the suction strength, the Spectra can adjust both the frequency and the suction strength.  The Spectra pump has a digital display and remembers your settings so that you don't have to reset them every time you use the pump; you can set frequency and suction strength for both the "let down" mode and the "expression" mode.  I also like that the Spectra pump has a built-in timer so that you can easily keep track of how long each pumping session lasts; I've noticed that the Spectra pump seems to be more efficient than my Medela was.  With my Medela, I frequently pumped for 20-25 minutes; with the Spectra, it usually only takes 10-12 minutes to fully empty my milk.

I also like that the Spectra pump is a fully closed system, meaning that it can be safely shared among users or passed down to friends/family without risk of contamination.  The Medela pump is not a closed system and, while plenty of people share or pass down their pumps, technically you're not supposed to.  

There are 3 downsides of the Spectra pump: (1) the lack of local availability of compatible parts; my local baby store and Target stock standard Medela pump supplies but not Spectra supplies, so if you forget to bring parts while traveling or something breaks, you're up a creek.  (2) The Spectra pump parts also are not compatible with standard-sized bottles, and (3) the flanges do not come in as many different sizes as the Medela flanges do.  

However, there is a cheap and easy fix for all of these issues -- I use my old Medela parts with the Spectra pump.  Since I use a larger flange size than the standard-issue flange, I use my larger Medela flanges instead of the smaller ones that came with the Spectra pump.  Doing this not only solve my size issue but also ensures that I should be able to acquire Medela parts locally if they break or I forget them (as long as I remember the Spectra pump, tubing, and backflow protector, I'm good!)  Since the Medela pump parts are compatible with standard-sized bottles, this also allows me to use my existing bottles without having to buy new wide-mouth bottles or adapter rings to use the Spectra.  Read my post here for how to use Medela parts with a Spectra pump.