When you’re pregnant, getting the right breast pump before your baby’s birth might not be on top of your to-do list. Buying baby accessories and equipment takes time, energy, and money, and you’re exhausted. That’s why we’re bringing you a real battle to make the breast pump choice easier. Elvie vs. Spectra, which one will win?
Now, how do you select the right breast pump? What do you need to search for? What characteristics should you look out for?
Moms and babies have different needs, which means what works for your BFF, coworker, or cousin with too many comments about how you should or shouldn’t pump, might not work for you.
Breast pumps might sound overwhelming, but there are three things to keep an eye on when choosing the right one for you and your baby.
Number one, decide between manual and electric. Manual pumps are cheaper and quieter than electric ones, but they’re not as convenient considering you’re the one that does the pumping.
Secondly, decide on a single or double breast pump. Single pumps are great for moms who don’t need to express milk every single day considering they’re able to draw milk from one breast at a time.
Double pumps are more convenient for moms planning on pumping on a regular because they’re able to draw milk from both breasts at the same time.
Thirdly, figure out how much money you’re able to spend on a breast pump. Moms who are planning on breast pumping every single day might need to spend a little more to ensure they’re getting exactly what they need. Moms who aren’t planning on pumping that often, though, might opt for renting or buying a cheaper product.
In light of these criteria, what’s there to know about Elvie and Spectra, then?
About Elvie breast pumps
Elvie claims they’re “taking women’s tech out of the dark ages,” and we couldn’t agree more.
Elvie was founded sometime around 2013 by a woman named Tania Boler. Tania’s no ordinary woman, though, considering she’s an internationally acknowledged women’s health expert. She founded Elvie to battle the absence of technologically advanced products that make women’s intimate struggle easier.
Elvie offers a myriad of breast pumps, but we’re going to focus on the electric ones considering they’re the most prominent and popular among women across the world.
Elvie electric pumps are smaller, quieter, and smarter than other breast pumps on the market, and they’re different because they’re small enough to tuck into your bra.
They’re super simple to use because they’re 100% wire-free and hands-free, except when they’re charging. They’re controlled with an app and equipped with a new pumping technology, SmartRhythm, which offers you four pumping rhythm options.
Elvie seems to understand what breastfeeding women need, but are we able we argue the same thing about Spectra? What does Spectra offer that’s enough to win the Elvie vs. Spectra battle?
About Spectra breast pumps
Now, Spectra claims to produce breast pumps that “suckle” rather than “suck,” implying that they’re mimicking the sensation of a nursing baby. Not only that, but Spectra created unique Natural Nursing Technology to promote a more comfortable nursing experience.
Spectra, or Spectra Baby USA, was founded by Heidi Humphries sometime around 2011. Heidi started her nursing career at Broward General Medical Center, but she became obsessed with the possibility of creating a breast pump that would make breastfeeding easier for new moms.
Heidi experimented with a myriad of breast pumps for years and years, and around 2011, she settled on a breast pump she knew would become a game changer.
Nowadays, Spectra focuses on producing one-of-a-kind double electric breast pumps and offering new moms customer care that’s guaranteed to keep them on track when pumping.
Spectra S1 and Spectra S2 are the brand’s most popular breast pumps at the moment, but we’re going to focus on Spectra S1, considering that’s the newest one.
Without further ado, here’s a rundown on the advantages and drawbacks of both Elvie and Spectra breast pumps to make sure you get the deets you need before you make the ultimate decision.
What are the advantages of each breast pump?
1. Elvie
Right away, one of the biggest characteristics every woman raves about regarding Elvie breast pumps is that you can pump anywhere at any time. Elvie breast pumps are completely wire-free and hands-free, and they’re small enough to wear under your tee without anyone noticing a thing.
And you don’t need a specialized, specific bra to wear your Elvie pumps because they’re attached to your breasts rather than your bra. Because of that, you don’t have to worry about flashing everyone while pumping or bringing along a nursing blanket everywhere you do.
And, to make matters even better, Elvie breast pumps allow you to pump, feed, and build a milk stash at the same time. Sure, there’s a chance you might need some time to get the hang of things. But, that’s much more than other brands can offer, right?
Elvie is comfortable, easy to clean, simple to use, safe, and hygienic – not to mention rechargeable. And at the end of the day, Elvie offers excellent after-sales customer care for anything you might need once purchasing an Elvie breast pump.
We’re rooting for Elvie right now, but we’re happy to offer Spectra a chance, too.
2. Spectra
Off the bat, Spectra breast pumps are affordable, attractive, and beaming with characteristics that promise to make your breast pumping experience much more comfortable.
For one, Spectra’s equipped with a closed system rather than an open one. Open systems don’t feature a barricade between the mechanism and the part that collects the milk, which seems to be quite problematic.
Closed systems, such as the one featured in Spectra breast pumps, make sure that you end up with bacteria-free milk and that you don’t need to spend too much time cleaning different pump parts.
What a way to save some time and hassle, right?
Moreover, Spectra pumps offer a bunch of settings that make the pumping experience much more comfortable and customizable to your needs and the needs of your baby. You can set the pumping program to the speed and rhythm that works for you, as well as change the suction as you go.
And, we can’t forget about the fact that Spectra breast pumps are cheaper than Elvie and are usually covered by insurance.
What are the drawbacks of each breast pump?
1. Elvie
Elvie breast pumps don’t come without drawbacks, contrary to what you might think.
So, even though Elvie seems to have figured out how to make breastfeeding and breast-pumping moms happier, we have to underline that they’re extremely expensive compared to some of the other brands.
Since Elvie pumps aren’t covered by insurance, you might need to break the bank to get your hands on one of them.
Other than that, we can’t forget that Elvie pumps don’t pump as fast as non-wearable pumps. Of course, you might agree that the benefits of multitasking while pumping outweigh the efficiency of the pump, but that’s something to keep an eye on.
And, Elvie pumps take quite some time to charge, too. In fact, you can’t even charge both of them at the same time (granted that you haven’t bitten the bullet and bought two chargers for that purpose specifically).
Not to mention that you need to clean the pumps after each use, which suggests that Elvie pumps might be more time-consuming than you’d expect.
2. Spectra
Spectra pumps are great, but there’s always a but when we’re talking about breast pumps. First off, Spectra does offer rechargeable batteries, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t end up feeling like you’re lugging the giant Spectra device everywhere you go.
Furthermore, you have around three hours of pumping before you need to charge the pumps. But, that might not be enough when you forget to bring the device with you or when you don’t have the chance to recharge them when necessary.
Another downside is you can’t use the Spectra pump without a specific bra. Sure, that might not be a problem for women who aren’t breast pumping on a regular, but for someone who needs to pump 6-8 times a day, getting a handful of high-quality, comfortable nursing bras might be a tough task.
Of course, we can’t brush over the fact that you can’t do anything while you’re breast pumping with a Spectra pump. Spectra pumps don’t offer you the same freedom that Elvie pumps do, and that’s something to consider before deciding on one of them.
Elvie vs. Spectra: How do the two breast pumps compare?
With that, we come to the end of the Elvie vs. Spectra showdown. When we go back to everything we mentioned throughout the article, we’re aware that Elvie and Spectra have many differences and similarities that make the decision between the two that much harder.
If the above info hasn’t helped you decide, we suggest renting a breast pump, figuring out what works for you and your baby, and making a purchase based on that. Whichever one you go for, good luck!
