Hi, my name is Georgie. You may recall from my blog post last week, that I am road-testing the full range of the Spectra pumps. If you missed it, or would like a little background on my pumping journey, you can find my post about the Spectra Dew 350 here.
This week I am road testing a popular personal pump, the Spectra 9 Plus.
As an exclusive expresser with an older baby, I was a little hesitant to try a personal pump, because I had tried personal pumps (in other brands) earlier in my exclusive-expressing days that simply didn’t cut the mustard. In fact, the only thing they did do for me was waste my precious time. I didn’t have a lot of confidence that this would be a pump that could work for me as a result of those previous experiences.
However, again I was pleasantly surprised.
My initial surprise was how strong the vacuum was. The 9 Plus actually has the same maximum suction strength as the S1 and S2 hospital grade breast pumps, and that power packed into a small little unit that literally fits in your handbag, is impressive.
Great LCD screen & super easy to use.
Using it was not quite as gentle as I am used to with my S1, but playing with the various settings helps to build up the power slowly, so it is a comfortable pumping session. It has ten vacuum levels to play with, and the cycle speed intelligently adjusts with your suction.
It also has a let down mode with five vacuum levels, where the cycle speed is faster which helps encourage your milk to flow.
The pump fits comfortably in your hand, with one hand being able to hold it and adjust controls. It is light too, weighing less than 300 grams!
I also loved that this pump was so quiet. If you used the 9 plus on a plane, or at work around people, most people would not even notice the sound. For such a powerful personal pump, that impressed me.
It has a lovely clear LCD screen, which lights up when in use, so it is a great pump to use in poor lighting. It is portable and rechargeable, and doesn’t take long to charge.
It’s also a double pump that adjusts very well power-wise, going from single to double pumping without losing any significant vacuum strength. It comes with everything you need to double pump in the box, so it is great value and very convenient.
I love this little wonder!
The Spectra 9 Plus is has a sleek design - white, clean and pleasant looking, which can be hard to find in a breast pump.
The Spectra S9+ is also a closed system pump, which means no moisture or milk is getting into that pump and causing mould or motor issues that you might discover when it is too late down the track. I don’t think there is another personal pump on the market outside of Spectra that can assure that, and that means a lot for peace of mind when it comes to feeding your baby. I have heard so many stories from mums who later learn that there was mould in their pump, and they fed their babies that milk. That is scary, and something I would do anything to avoid.
Comparatively to all other personal and portable pumps on the market, this one runs rings around them; whether it be the features, price, power, size, appearance, it’s a closed system, has a let down mode and is quiet in the process.
This pump is excellent for every breastfeeding mum. It’s a great back up pump to use when baby goes on that nursing strike and you want to maintain your supply, you want to build a stash for the freezer, or you want to pump a feed so someone else can feed your baby on the odd occasion to go out or have a break.
If you are an exclusive expresser, whilst this isn’t the pump you can rely on to take on the heavy duty pumping you need, this is an excellent backup pump to throw in your bag for when you are out and about and traipsing your hospital grade pump around seems all too hard. I wish I knew about this pump a long time ago for this reason! It’s also good to have as a backup if something goes awry with your hospital grade pump, and you need to pump in the interim till you get it worked out.
The Spectra 9 plus is versatile and evokes a feeling of freedom when using it, which is not something pumping mums feel too often! Every mum who breastfeeds should have this pump. It is on my list of great gifts for expectant mums.
