Spectra Cara Cups Review and Tips (2022)

Do you need more freedom when you pump breast milk? Collection cups that go in your bra can be a game-changer, because you don’t have pump parts and bottles hanging off of your chest. Here’s a Spectra Cara Cups review.

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What are Spectra Collection Cups?

Cara cups allow you to put all of the components of your breast pump parts – the breast shield, valve, and collection mechanism – in your bra.

This makes pumping not only hands-free, but allows you to move around more freely, with the pump parts contained in your clothing.

Collections cups versus wireless pumps

Wireless pumps – like the Elvie, Willow, or Momcozy – go in your nursing bra and are completely self-contained. The breast pump parts, pump faceplate, motor, everything – it all goes in your bra together.

On the other hand, collection cups use an external pump. The cups replace the breast pump parts and bottles, but the motor and tubing are separate from the cups.

Spectra Cara Cups Review

Below are some of the advantages and disadvantages of Spectra cups.

Pros of Cara Cups

Ability to be more mobile and pump in public more easily.
Easier to pump while taking care of baby (since it’s harder for baby to grab tubing).

Cons of Cara Cups

There are fewer breast shield options than other brands, and if you buy the wrong size, there’s no way to buy the other one on the website (also, some people prefer silicone breast shields to the plastic Cara Cups flanges).
Some people get less milk while using collection cups.

I asked people on Instagram what they thought of the Cara Cups, and here are some of their responses:

What pumps are compatible with these cups?

Obviously, Cara Cups work with Spectra breast pumps.

You can also use them with Motif breast pumps, the Baby Buddha, and others. (As long as you can get the Spectra tubing attached to your pump, these cups will work.)

What breast shield sizes work with Cara cups?

Spectra sells two breast shield sizes for Cara Cups – 24mm and 28mm. (More on breast shield sizing here.)

On the Spectra website, you select the size that you want when purchasing. If you’re buying from another source, like amazon, make sure you check which size is included in the box.

If you need a smaller size, you may be able to use inserts to get your breast shields to the size you need. For example, BeauGen makes cushions that reduce breast shield size by 2mm, so you could use those to make a 24mm breast shield a 22mm.

Unfortunately, while you can make the flange sizes smaller with inserts, you can’t make them larger, so you can only use Cara Cups if you’re a 28mm size or smaller.

How do you assemble Cara cups?

Spectra Cara Cups include six parts:

These include:

Breast shield – The breast shield goes on your breast, and comes in 24mm and 28mm sizes (based on the size of your nipple).
Collection Cup – Your milk is collected and stored here during your pumping session.
Duckbill – This valve stretches when your pump pulls, creating the suction necessary to remove milk.
Backflow protector diaphragm and cap – Prevents breast milk from flowing back into the tubing or pump.
Connector – Connects all the of pieces together – breast shield, duckbill, and backflow protector.

To put the pieces together, start by putting the duckbill on the connector, followed by the diaphragm.

Then attach the diaphragm cap, aligning the stem so that it points upward in the same direction as the duckbill. Attach the breast shield so that the notch in the breast shield is aligned with the stem of the backflow protector.

The last step is to attach the breast shield to the cup, putting the stem from the backflow protector in the notch in the collection cup.