Guest Post by Brand Ambassador. Shelby Friesen

Pregnancy and the fourth trimester can be hard to navigate. But here are some favorite 'must haves' that helped our girl, Shelby! 

First Trimester

Hydration

During pregnancy my doctor told me to always be well hydrated. Working full time as a medical assistant made that challenging. I found having a cute water bottle full of ice-cold lemon water made drinking enough water easier!

Prenatal Vitamin  

In order to get all the minerals and vitamins you need to grow that baby, a prenatal vitamin is a must. I took several different prenatals trying to help with my morning sickness. Finding one that’s right for you is important, but this was one of my favorites.

Morning Sickness Soother 

I was one of the unlucky women who was so sick throughout my whole pregnancy. I tried just about everything to aid in getting rid of the nausea, but ultimately I had to go on a prescription to help. I was able to find a few things that did help me with that never-ending hangover feeling however. Crackers, ginger ale, preggie pops, peppermint essential oils, and ginger chews were a must every morning.

Second Trimester

A Comfortable Bra

Little did I know my belly wouldn’t be the only thing growing. Going from having no boobs to needing an actual bra took me by surprise. I found out quickly that there were tons of breast feeding/pumping bras to choose from. 

Belly Butter/Oil

With my growing body and the cold Colorado air, I found my skin itching like crazy. Finding a good body butter or oil was crucial, but not wanting to feel oily all day was also important. These few were my go to while my little man grew.

Slip on Shoes

I worked full-time as a medical assistant while pregnant with my son. The one thing I always needed (whether at work or at home) was a comfortable pair of slip-on shoes. As my belly got bigger, having easy-to-put-on shoes that didn’t hurt my feet were a must.

Third Trimester

Heartburn relief

Oh my. This was the worst, I didn’t know water alone could give me such horrible heartburn. Not to mention when I craved Mexican food or spaghetti, boy was I in for it.

Well Packed Hospital Bag

I never knew I could watch so many videos on one topic. Knowing what to bring and what not to bring was so worrisome to me. After having my son, I'm definitely confident in knowing what I would pack again and what I would leave behind.

Massage

As I got closer to having my son, anything I did took such a toll on my body. I don’t love massages but let me tell you - this was one of the highlights of my third trimester. I think a combination of being able to lay on my stomach and having all the knots worked out of my massive pregnant body was what made it so significant.

Fourth Trimester

Haakaa Breast Pump

I was determined to breastfeed and the one thing I heard from all the other mamas was a Hakka. At first glance I wasn’t sure what I was even supposed to do with it but it slowly became a staple.

Postpartum Kit

Back to all the hospital bag videos, postpartum care was a huge thing. I quickly learned after my son was born what was a must to aid in healing my body.

Diaper Caddy

One thing I used more than anything once we were home was our Parker Baby diaper caddy. I kept all the postpartum essentials. I was able to take the Caddy with me wherever I went in the house, making it easy to have all the essentials for our little man and I close by.

Every trimester has its own challenges and every pregnancy is different. I am so thankful for the mom friends I have and the advice we share with each other. I hope this helps any expecting mamas! We need to stick together and help each other as much as we can in this amazing adventure called motherhood.