Written by Jennifer, IBCLC
If you rely solely on electricity for pumping your breast milk, you should think of additional options to power your electric breast pump or additional options to remove your breast milk. In the event of a power outage, especially one that lasts a day or more, you may find yourself in a significant breast milk removal bind. If a pump session is delayed and your milk is not removed in a timely manner, you may suffer from adverse effects such as pain, engorgement, and plugged ducts (which may lead to mastitis). And if you wait too long before your next pump session, you may risk lowering your milk supply. Feedback Inhibitor of Lactation (FIL), a protein present in human milk, slows milk production. There is more FIL present when your breasts are full, telling your body to make less milk. This increase of FIL happens when you are unable to empty your breasts, such as during a power outage. Conversely, when your breasts are emptied regularly, there is less FIL. With more frequent emptying of your breast, your body knows to increase milk production and reduce the amount of FIL present.
Many pump companies desire to help parents in instances of power outages and have taken some action by offering rechargeable breast pump options. It’s an admirable decision to manufacture a rechargeable pump for moms on-the-go, but rechargeable options often last less than one hour of pumping. During a power outage, it just is not possible to charge a built-in rechargeable battery. In this case, you essentially have a paperweight that looks a lot like a breast pump!
This is why ARDO designed the Calypso personal electric pump to have the ability to utilize simple AA batteries in addition to a regular power adapter or the optional car adapter. With this battery feature, you can now pump anywhere, including sustained power outages. There is no concern about voltage (the Ardo Calypso accepts a voltage range of 110-240V), power outages, or a need for recharging. This feature adds more than portability, it offers peace of mind for a very common situation which can easily disrupt access to pumping.
In addition to an electric breast pump, manual hand breast pumps are often overlooked when you are shopping for a breast pump. In fact, a manual breast pump can be a lifesaver in times of need, or even as an alternative to an electric breast pump. As with the Calypso breast pump, our Amaryll hand pump does not require electricity to operate. Ardo’s Amaryll manual pump attaches three ways for the perfect, ergonomic way to pump right or left-handed. Voted the favorite manual pump by mamas and professionals, the Amaryll is efficient, easy-to-use, and a comfortable option for pumping on the go!
With ARDO, mothers can pump with confidence, anytime, anywhere.