Expressing breast milk was recommended to me by a lactation consultant as my daughter found it difficult to latch on the right breast and in the early days I was experiencing a lot of engorgement. The lactation consultant felt pumping would prevent blocked ducts and mastitis. (Thankfully I haven’t experienced either!)

For the first month after Niamh’s birth I used the hospital grade Ardo Carrum pump, which I rented from the Coombe Hospital shop. We have established a routine where Niamh has one bottle of expressed milk per day, usually day given to her by her Daddy.

I had a couple of social events and holidays that I need to be able to leave a supply of milk, and also bring a pump with me when travelling. I was absolutely delighted when Ardo wanted to collaborate, and gift me the Calypso pump for an honest review.

The Calypso comes with 2 flanges and 2 inserts, spare valve lips, a compartment for batteries and a power supply adapter. I made my own pumping bra by cutting holes in a pennys soft bra.

Ardo claims to be one of quietest pumps on the market. I wouldn’t say it is silent, the noise is like low purring sound. I used to pump in a bathroom cubicle and the noise didn’t draw any attention.

The pump is compact so it fit into a large handbag. However, I found when using it on the battery power, the suction wasn’t as powerful as it is when connected to main power. I think this is expected with most pumps, but I still managed to express 6oz and continue to enjoy my night!

I love that the pump came with multiple breast shield sizes, and the massage inserts. The attachments I bought when renting the Carrum also fit, so it’s handy to have lots of spares. The calypso is a closed system which means it can be used again or sold.

The Carrum pump has a letdown feature but the Calypso doesn’t. It would be great if this was programmable but it is easy to do this yourself.

Overall, I think the Ardo Calypso pump is great! I have lots of freedom milk stashed in the freezer. I cannot compare to other brands as I haven’t used any other electric pumps. However, in terms of features, quality and value I would highly recommend the Calypso as a more cost friendly and compact alternative to the quite expensive hospital grade Carrum.