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Getting Started with your Spectra 9 Breast Pump

Spectra 9 Breast Pump
10
Jan

If you’ve purchased the Spectra 9 plus breast pump, you’re probably aware that it’s one of the most lightweight, quiet and portable pumps on the market. Here’s everything you need to know to get started with your Spectra S9 breast pump.

Sterilising your Spectra breast pump parts

Before you begin pumping it’s important that you sterilise your Spectra breast pump parts. Sterilise all parts that come in contact with breastmilk. Do not sterlise the tubing. There are a few different sterilisation methods you can choose from, but one of the most popular methods is the boiling water method: You’ll need to fill a large stock pot with enough water to completely cover your pump parts. Make sure all parts are completely disassembled prior to sterilising. Bring the water to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Then, remove from heat and using a pair of tongs, remove pump parts and set on a clean paper towel to air dry. Allow time to completely air dry prior to re-assembling parts.

Washing Spectra breast pump parts

After you use your Spectra breast pump, you’ll need to wash your breast pump parts. Wash all parts that have come in contact with breast milk (you don’t have to wash the backflow protectors unless they have milk or moisture in them). Do not wash the tubing. There are a few different methods for washing your Spectra breast pump parts. You can hand wash them in a basin of hot soapy water, and rinse them off in cool, clean water. Set to air dry on a clean paper towel, and allow time to completely air dry prior to assembling them.

Charging your Spectra 9 breast pump

When you charge your Spectra S9 breast pump the screen will illuminate and the battery icon will appear. It will take approximately 2.5 hours to fully charge, and you’ll get about 2.5 hours of battery life out of it – depending on how you use it (if you pump at a higher setting, you might experience a decrease in battery life). You can use your Spectra 9 breast pump as normal while it’s charging, too.

Charging your Spectra 9 breast pump

Your power adaptor will arrive shipped as two separate components. See this blog post for help assembling your power adaptor.

Assembling your shield kit

To begin pumping, assemble your shield kits and attach them to the tubing. Attach the tubing to the pump – if you’re single-pumping, using only one tubing, make sure the unused air port is completely covered by the cap. Place the breastshield over your breast so that the nipple is centred within the flange. Make sure there are no air gaps between the breast and the breastshield – you may need to adjust your breast to ensure a good seal.

 

It’s important that you’re using the correct sized breastshield. Read this article for help with breastshield sizing.

Getting started with your Spectra 9

Press the power button to turn on your Spectra 9 plus breast pump. The pump will start in Expression Mode. You will need to press the wavy lines button to enter Massage Mode. The screen will display “Massage Mode.” Massage mode is a fast cycle speed that mimics the fast, fluttering suckling that a baby does to stimulate milkflow. Start at a low vacuum setting and slowly increase by pressing the plus button. Make sure you never pump above your comfort level – doing so can cause injury to your nipples. If you feel a pulling or tugging sensation, turn the suction level down. Remain in massage mode until your milk starts flowing. Then, press the wavy lines button again to enter expression mode. The screen will display “Expression Mode.” Expression Mode mimics the slower, paced suck-and-swallow pattern that a baby does to draw milk from the breast once letdown has occurred. You will notice that as you turn the vacuum level of your Spectra 9 breast pump up, the cycle speeds will get longer.

Getting started with your Spectra 9 plus breast pump

It’s important to play around with the pump settings to find what works the best for you. You can try swapping into Massage Mode multiple times in a pumping session, or turning the vacuum level up and down periodically. It will take a few pumping sessions to get a handle on the settings that work best for you.

Replacement parts for the Spectra 9 breast pump

You’ll need to plan on replacing your Spectra breast pump parts periodically throughout your pumping journey. The most common cause of reduction in suction & pumping performance is using old, worn out breast pump parts. You’ll need to replace your silicone parts, such as valves and backflow protectors, most frequently because over time their elasticity wears down. Plan on replacing duck valves every 2 – 3 months, valve membranes (if you’re using them) every 1 – 2 months, and backflow protectors every 3 – 6 months.

8 thoughts on “Getting Started with your Spectra 9 Breast Pump”

  1. Gianna says:

    Does the pump always run off battery? I realize you can plug it in to charge the battery of course and that you can use the pump while it’s plugged in charging the battery. My question specifically is if, when the pump is plugged in does it run off the battery or of the AC power?

    Reply
  2. Cara says:

    Is there anyway to turn on the power and it goes immediately to massage instead of expression? Since that’s where I need to start with. I didn’t see anything about it. When I turn it on it’s always on expression. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Spectra Team says:

      Hi Cara, thanks for checking in on this. 😉

      The pump does start in expression mode, and you will need to switch it to massage mode.

      Unfortunately there is no way to change this. 🙁

      Please let us know if we can help with anything else. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Liz says:

    I’ve recently purchased an s9; I usually use an s1. Ive have had good output with the s9. What is the equivalent expression cycle settings for the s1 as used in the s9?

    Reply
    • Spectra Team says:

      Hi Liz, thanks for your message.

      It is really hard to compare the two pumps, as they are so different. The S9+ does not have the independent cycle speed from the suction strength as the S1 does, which can make it very hard to replicate the same results of the S1 for some people.

      The S9+ cycle speed slows down with the increase in suction strength. So if you prefer a faster cycle speed, you should reduce the suction strength of the S9+, and a slower cycle speed, you would need to increase the suction strength.

      The S1 should be more effective for you than your S9+, so it might be worth checking out that you are using the modes and settings as best you can.

      If you have any further questions, place send us a message to support@spectra-baby.com.au and we will do what we can to help. 🙂

      Reply
    • Spectra Team says:

      Hi Stella, thanks for asking.

      We do not sell batteries for our pumps I am afraid, but you can organise for a paid service which will replace any part needed to repair a pumpo – including the battery, and pay for postage and the technician’s work.

      This is $80 and if you require a loan pump while we repair your pump it would be $100

      Feel free to contact us further if we can help with anything else or you want to organise this. 🙂

      Reply

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