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Spectra Handsfree CaraCups: Review, Assembly Steps and Pro Tips

ByElizabeth Hours Updated:

These Spectra Handsfree CaraCups were made for busy moms short on time who have to pump at work or on the go!

Here’s a real mom’s review on the product, plus assembly instructions and where you can find these elusive pumping cups!

Let’s get started!

Frequently Asked Questions about CaraCups

How do You Use Spectra Handsfree Cups?

Woman torso pictured holding a spectra breast pump wearing spectra handsfree cups.

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The cups are simply used to collect expressed breast milk. They will replace your native pumping kit that usually is a flange with a baby bottle attached at the bottom.

You use Spectra Handsfree Cups by placing them into your bra attached to an electric breast pump.

Further down, you will see step by step instructions (with photos) on how to assemble your sanitized Spectra pumping cups!

What do They Look Like On?

Same woman pictured side by side with and without wearing the spectra handsfree caracups for comparison purposes.

The photo above shows a comparison of what the Spectra Handsfree Cups look like when worn and without. Honestly, not bad right!

If anything, the enhancement they provide is kind of nice!

For comparison sake, Freemie Collections Cups are more pointed on the ends. Whereas the Spectra CaraCups seem to be more discreet when worn due to flatness on the tips.

How do They Feel?

Woman wearing the Spectra Handsfree Cups, shown up close at the tubing placement coming out of the top of her shirt.

I can say that I found them to be very comfortable! I was able to wear them with a normal sports bra, which is a huge plus for me because I really dislike pumping bras!

One thing I would advice – is to wear a slightly larger sports bra to accommodate the large cups. 

Pro Tip: Make sure the tubing is positioned at the top of the cups. Otherwise, you will get spills!

Will I Pump More Milk Using Them?

Actually, yes!

There is good reason to believe that when we remove the psychological boundary of being able to see how much milk we are producing, we may actually produce more!

This is because stress can be a huge inhibitor of oxytocin, which is the hormone responsible for triggering the letdown reflex.

I also thought the suction was fantastic!

Just make sure you have everything fastened tightly, aligned correctly and parts are in good working order.

You’ll see the full assembly process further down, with video and pictures!

Can I Care for Baby While Wearing Them?

Woman holding her baby while pumping wearing the spectra handsfree caracups.

If you are exclusively pumping and are also trying to care for your baby while you pump, you know how almost impossible it is at times.

Which is why, a handsfree pumping kit makes pumping on the go such a game changer!

While wearing the Spectra Pumping Cups, I could easily move about AND hold my baby while I pumped. They were not intrusive at all.

Pro Tip: If you are using a portable pump, like my favorite the BabyBuddha (more on that next!), feel free to cut the excess tubing!

You can alway purchase cheap replacement tubing at Amazon.

Can You Use Spectra Cups with Other Breast Pumps?

Woman wearing the BabyBuddha breast pump with her Spectra handsfree cups.

Yes! 

As I expressed earlier, my favorite portable pump to use with the Spectra Handsfree Cups is my BabyBuddha! This pump is the best if you are looking for handsfree pumping options.

What I love most about the BabyBuddha is how light and quiet it is!

Use my exclusive discount code LOVEOURLITTLES10 for 10% OFF your TOTAL purchase! You can shop for it at BabyBuddhaProducts.com.

I should also add that hacking the Spectra Cups to my BabyBuddha was a breeze (unlike the Freemie Collection Cups)!

What are the Pros?

  • They are a closed system kit, which means no breast milk will get sucked back into your breast pump ruining it.
  • You can effortlessly hold your baby, feed and burp them while pumping or doing other tasks.
  • They can be placed into most any bra with enough space and surface area to hold them in place, no pumping bra required.
  • Each lightweight cup holds a whopping 250ml of milk!
  • Inexpensive compared to other cups.
  • Can be easily hacked with other pumps.
  • Totally handsfree! 

What are the Cons?

  • There are a lot of parts to wash! 
  • Because they are so new, you may have a hard time finding out a lot about them.
  • Some kits may still have all instruction written in another language.

Where to Buy Spectra Handsfree Cups 

The existence of these cups have been on the lips of serious pumping moms for quite a while now, but getting your hands on them has been extremely difficult! This is because Spectra has not yet rolled out the product for purchase in their USA store. You could sometimes find them on some not so well-known online asian marketplaces, but making a purchase there felt little risky for some moms.

Update: You can now find Spectra CaraCups at Amazon as well!

You can also purchase them brand new through this Ebay seller, who I got mine from. The shipping was super fast, I had them in just 2 or 3 days from order and they were very competitively priced!

It also appears that Spectra will soon begin selling the product as well, but as I am writing this, they are pre-order only and the price appears to be significantly higher than what I bought mine for through Ebay.

How to Assemble Step by Step

If you have recently purchased the CaraCups, you may have noticed that the instructions are not in English. Or, you didn’t get any at all!

Here are some pointers and tips to help make the assembly more of a seamless process for you!

Step 1: Membrane Onto Valve Connector

Woman hands pictured holding the Silicone piece to the spectra handsfree cups, placing it on the inside of the plastic backflow protector.

Assemble the backflow protectors by placing the membrane onto the valve connector so it sits smoothly against it (not convex). 

Pro Tip: There should be a gap between the lid (backflow prevention cap) and membrane.

Step 2: Place Backflow Prevention CapWoman's hands assembling the spectra cups by placing the backflow prevention lid onto the membrane and valve connector.

This dome-shaped lid is called the Backflow Prevention Cap and it needs to be placed snuggly over the membrane, closing up the whole system. 

This ensures no milk will come in contact with the breast pump. 

Pro Tip: The little stem on the side of the cap needs to be facing upwards towards the top of the cups.

Step 3: Attach the Silicone Valve 

Woman's hands pointing to the valve membrane on the valve connector of the spectra handsfree caracups.

To complete the assembly on the internal components, place the silicone valve onto the open end of the valve connector.

Pro Tip: I like to turn my valve sideways, so it sits length-wise.

You can see what I mean in the photo above. For whatever reason, this seems to have a positive impact on the suction. But, maybe that’s just me!

Step 4: Place Flange and Connect Tubing

Woman's hands holding the spectra hands free caracups placing the tubing on.

Now that all of the internal parts are prepared, all you have to do is place the flange and connect the tubing to that little stem piece we talked about in step 2.

Pro Tip: When placing the flange onto the valve connector, be sure to line up the openings (this is where the milk flows through). You can see this opening better in step 3.

A Wearable Pump for the Same Price!?

While we are on the subject of handsfree pumping, they do make wearable breast pumps now that simplify the process even more!

You may be familiar with The Willow Pump and even The Elvie, probably because these two wearable pumps are advertised the most.

They also extremely pricey! 

Which is why I want to introduce you to this affordable version, a wearable electric breast pump that is literally a fraction of the price!

So if you’re looking for an alternative to pumping handsfree AND you aren’t yet ready to spend a small fortune testing it out, I definitely recommend you start with this affordable pump first! 

Bottom Line

I hope you found this review of the Spectra Handsfree CaraCups useful and helpful! I found them very simple to assemble and clean.

They were also surprisingly compatible with my BabyBuddha breast pump (Freemie’s not so much). Taking care of baby while wearing these cups were not a problem at all.

They are comfortable, have great suction and honestly don’t look that crazy on at all!

I recommend you check this article out next: How to Use Spectra Pump Settings with Cheat Sheets and Instructions