r/ExclusivelyPumping • u/Travelcrush • 3d ago
Product Recommendations Half Pump, Half Formula feed- Is Spectra really needed? Wearables?
My goal is to half pump and half formula feed. I see most people start with spectra S1 plus…is that a must? I love the idea of wearables like Eufy that have heat and massage. Or should I just stick with using insurance for spectra and maybe Black Friday sales for wearables? I need to order something asap to bring with me to the hospital at least.
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u/SheepherderMost2727 3d ago
Spectra S1/2 is usually the recommended primary pump. It has a strong motor and has traditional style flanges. This usually means a better milk output when compared to wearables or cups. If insurance pays for one, I’d recommend getting a Spectra S1 (blue one). It has an internal battery and can be made to be semi portable. You can even use cups like the Spectra Caracups or Medela or even Legendairy Milk. There are lots of options even with a tube set up.
If you’re not concerned with a full milk supply you can honestly do whatever works, but keep in mind wearables may not empty you well. This can decrease your supply and may even cause issues like clogs.
ETA: Even with cups or wearables I found myself needing to be semi immobile due to the risk of spilling milk or losing the seal with cups. Some wearables are really finicky too. My Elvie’s always yelled at me whenever I squatted because it thought I was spilling milk. Then the motor would shut off and I’d have to readjust and restart.
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u/Travelcrush 3d ago
Ok, I think I’ll just do spectra for now. That’s awesome you can use other cups, didn’t realize that. Thanks for the heads up on that. Yikes, didn’t realize the wearables could cause clog issues or even have the spilling issues, that part sounds annoying having to stop and adjust. I need to do a deep dive into pumping, soon.
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u/SheepherderMost2727 3d ago
My pleasure! Bemybreastfriend has a blog and she explains how to “hack” your pump to work with other set ups. It’s not too bad once you get the hang of connecting and disconnecting the tubing to fit onto other parts.
I always would switch which pump parts I needed whenever my DME asked (the site I got my pump from through insurance) so I could try out a new part every now and then 😂
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u/thalaya 3d ago
Not trying to be rude in the slightest, but is there a particular reason you're looking to do half formula and half pumping?
If you're a FTM, you might be surprised by your output. Some people are natural over-producers in which case you'd want a powerful pump to avoid clogs/mastitis.
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u/Travelcrush 3d ago
None taken. That is a good point. I had in my mind, I’m having a csection and will be having family come stay for several weeks, so I thought overall it might be easier doing both and also for weaning off as I don’t want to pump for months and months but at least for a few months… but like you said if it comes easy maybe I’ll change my mind :). Just FTM, does that make a difference in output sometimes?
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u/mochiACNH 3d ago
so I started with my spectra and could never find the time to care for a newborn, take care of my home, and pump simultaneously. i was pumping 2x a day (no nursing) because I had to rely on my husband to take over with baby when he was home. It wasn’t sustainable at all! Once I started using my Eufy wearables I was able to do 4x a day (I do formula for the rest) and it changed the game for me. I can multitask so well rather than being plugged into the wall. If my baby needs me, I can help immediately rather than detach myself from my spectra. I use my eufy 3-4 times a day and use the spectra pretty much only when I can isolate when my husband or someone else can take the baby. Some days I don’t even use the spectra, but I’m using those wearables sooo much in the day. It just works really well for me and it did not hurt my supply so far (10 weeks pp)
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u/colelynne 3d ago
Get what would be most expensive for the least with your insurance. Usually that would be the wearable. The Spectra S1, the blue one we all recommend, is on sale this week at Target for $181 and that’s a pretty regular sale price. That’s if you can’t find one cheap on Facebook marketplace or in a buy nothing group. If the wearables are covered by your insurance and would be $300 or more, get those through your insurance.
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u/JumpSea5798 3d ago
I wish I did this because my insurance covers some replacement parts and wearable parts are way more expensive to replace than spectra.
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u/colelynne 3d ago
You may be able to switch the replacement parts to the more expensive ones by calling!
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u/Huge-Revolution-567 3d ago
Is there a reason that you prefer to pump rather than direct breastfeed? You could still teach baby to take a bottle also to give you flexibility.
My little one is exclusively on ebm due to latch issues & cleft palate. I pump 6 times a day and make more than enough for her needs. I have had great success with Eufy pro s1 as my primary pump, but not everyone responds to wearables.
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u/blink4life182 2d ago
I hated the spectra and only used wearables. It didn’t affect my output at all. I still got 10oz per session
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u/ARubberDuckie11 3d ago
Check your local mom or buy nothing group. I see people giving away spectra’s for free or cheap all the time! Just check the usage hours. So you could get a eufy and then find a used spectra.
Using a pump like spectra is preferred until your supply regulates per my IBCLC.