The Spectra S1 Plus is a hospital-grade double electric breast pump with a built-in rechargeable battery. The motor runs at 45 decibels, quiet enough that you can pump beside a sleeping baby without disturbing them. A built-in nightlight makes those early morning or late-night sessions a little easier on the eyes.

The massage mode simulates the natural suckling of a baby, with 5 cycle settings and 12 suction levels reaching up to 320 mmHg, so you can find what feels right for you. The closed system with backflow protector keeps your breastmilk safely separated from the pump mechanism. An auto-timer display keeps track of each session, and the pump switches off automatically after 30 minutes as a safety feature.

The S1 Plus works as a single or double pump.

Choosing the right size breast shield/flange

Using the wrong sized flange results in a painful and uncomfortable pumping experience and can make your very expensive pump produce as much milk as if you were using an $80 no-brand pump.

Breast shield sizing is more of an art than a science and depends on the diameter of your nipples (both before and after pumping) and the elasticity of your areola. The easiest and most effective way to get the right size flange is to have a Lactation Consultant watch while you pump, trying various sizes (I love Alona and she does home visits!).

The first step is to measure the diameter of your nipples when they're relaxed (not when they're contracted and hard), then buy N+2-to-3mm and N+4-to-5mm shields. Typically, your nipples won't both be the same size.

For example, if your left nipple measures 20mm in diameter, try the 22mm or 23mm shield and the 24mm or 25mm shield (for each pump brand, not all sizes will be available - eg. we don't have 25mm shields for Medela, but we do have 25mm shields for Spectra). If your right nipple measures 23mm in diameter, try a 25/26mm shield and a 27/28mm shield. If there's overlap in the shields you need to try for each breast, such as in this example, that's great. The mother in this example would only need to buy three shields: 22mm (to try for left breast), 25mm (to try for both breasts), 28mm (to try for right breast).

Once you've worked out which size fits your breast best, you can buy extras as needed. If this does your head in, contact us, tell us your nipple diameters and pump brand and we'll help you cart the correct shields.