When Esther and William were born at 27 weeks they were too small and too sick to breastfeed and so for weeks I had to express milk every three hours, day and night. We used the hospital pumps for much of the time but I also bought a Medela Pump In Style Advance. A double pump was essential when producing enough milk for twins. The Medela model meant that I could pump on the move if I needed too. It was efficient and comfortable to use and it was easy to clean. Medela support breastfeeding Mums and Mums who want to bottle feed their babies with expressed breast milk.

As well as selling breast pumps and accessories they carry out research and advise mothers at this important time of their lives.

As part of their ongoing research and advice Medela are delighted to announce that they will be taking part in ‘HOW TO… Prepare for your baby’s arrival’, a brand new six-part television series to provide support to new and expectant parents. Medela was chosen to provide expert content for the breastfeeding segment of the programme, which is predicted to attract millions of viewers this February.

The series promises to provide an honest view of parenting and is thorough in its chosen topics. Each show will see experts discussing the essentials such as weaning, bath-time, bed-time, and of course breastfeeding. In addition to these issues the show also examines the latest ideas and concepts in parenting, the health needs of expectant mums, and how to plan financially for the future of your child. The complete parenting experience has been touched on in some way making this a show not to be missed.

Medela is honoured to have had a chance to work with the makers of the documentary and to be able to provide breastfeeding advice to such a wide audience of new and expectant parents. In the show the company’s in house lactation consultant, Sioned Hilton, speaks honestly about common concerns related to breastfeeding. She gives mums plenty of advice on how to prepare themselves during pregnancy and shares exactly what feeding entails during those first few months. Sioned provides encouraging advice on breastfeeding and Medela believe, with her guidance mums can set realistic expectations for themselves and enjoy their breastfeeding experience.

Medela is committed to providing mums with the all the support they need when breastfeeding and are thrilled to have taken part in this series.

Paul Furlong, Managing Director at Medela commented:
‘We are very excited to be part of this documentary that is making expert advice accessible to so many parents. At Medela we always want to ensure every mum, who wants to breastfeed, gets all the support they need and that every mother is able to make an informed choice about how they feed their baby. We hope that Sioned’s advice will reach many mums’ those who are in the midst of breastfeeding, but also those who may be preparing to breastfeed or are still thinking about it and that is the best bit, we really are communicating with a vast group and sharing some all important information.”

‘HOW TO… Prepare for your baby’s arrival’ will be screened on How to TV on 7th February 2012 and is estimated to reach 22 million viewers in the UK alone, and a further 50 million in Europe. The documentary is bound to be a great success, and ideal viewing for all those expectant mums and dads looking for sound and honest advice on what is about to become the most important moment of their lives.

I for one hope to be able to see this documentary and benefit from the advice given by Medela and the other experts.

To celebrate Medela‘s participation in this important documentary I am running a special giveaway in conjunction with Medela and Bump PR. I can offer one reader a tube of Medela’s PureLan.

Medela’s PureLan cream is perfect for any mums experiencing pain or discomfort whilst feeding due to dry or sore nipples. The cream gently soothes and rehydrates the skin so mothers can continue their breastfeeding journey comfortably.

PureLan contains 100% pure lanolin, otherwise known as wool wax. As there are no artificial additives or preservatives, mums can leave the cream on whilst breastfeeding safe in the knowledge it won’t harm their little one. The cream is so safe; you can even use it on your baby’s skin. I have used it today on William’s chapped cheeks and it has really helped to soothe his broken red skin. He did not mind having the clear gel applied and as it has no scent he was happy to keep it on.

With multiple uses PureLan is a must have for any mother and baby, even once you’ve finished breastfeeding the cream will still come in handy, especially during the winter months! Channel 4’s Kirstie Allsopp is a big fan of PureLan and has famously used it as lip balm – saying it works wonders on her chapped skin. I tried this out today too and found the rich, thick lanolin helped to soothe and protect my lips in today’s bitter wintry winds.

PureLan fits neatly into your handbag or pocket so you can take it with you wherever you go. It is a great product to put into your hospital bag because of it’s range of uses.

If you would like to try this product out for yourself then all you have to do is leave a comment below and a winner will be picked at random on Tuesday 7th February when the first episode of the documentary goes on air. UK Entrants only please. Good luck!

We have a winner!

Congratulations Sam!