The start to the fourth trimester can feel like a montage of pain, ice packs, warm compresses, irritable outbursts, and milk production anxiety. It’s a never-ending sizzle reel of discomfort. While the adrenaline typically propels us through the worst of it, recovery is no joke–it makes the actual labor arguably the easiest part.

Recovery also takes time. Despite the fact that I know this now, both of my postpartum experiences have left me impatiently awaiting that one morning where I’d wake up and feel like myself. Would it come in 3 days? 3 weeks? Newsflash: that dreamlike morning might not ever really come. The trick is to slowly begin to embrace your battle scars and newfound superhuman abilities…welcome to motherhood!

There are also a few small steps we can take that give us space, comfort, and make the transition from the hospital to home a positive one. These were a few of the must-haves that I relied on throughout recovery this time around.

Frida Mom

First, I recommend establishing a section of every bathroom in the house that belongs to you. It shouldn’t be a messy corner of pads strewn around but a carefully crafted, welcoming box of staples that you’ll need over the next few weeks. In other words, order at least one Frida Mom set.

A few moms told me to order Frida Mom and I’m so glad that I did. There was something about making the immediate transition from the hospital’s pads to Frida Mom’s assortment of pink products that were specifically designed for my comfort that felt almost indulgent and well deserved. I used the witch hazel inserts and foam like they were part of a new beauty regimen (just don’t ask me to do a live video tutorial ;).

Nyssa Care

Then, after function it’s only natural to think of fashion. So what if you’re home with no intention of going further than from your kitchen to your couch? You can still take a few steps to feel like a woman.

The first step? Rocking forth trimester kit complete with a flattering postpartum lingerie set that makes room for ice packs and warm compresses. Ditching hospital mesh for this forgiving fabric was a total game-changer this time around and I’ve since been recommending Nyssa’s Go Forth Kit to everyone.

Larken X Bras

I tried on almost 20 different nursing bras this time around. Full reviews will follow, but I’ll start by saying that the Larken is the most comfortable for that immediate postpartum phase. I love how I can do everything from sleep to pump in these bras that are comfortable enough that I feel almost “braless.”

If you want to try Larken, use the code Leya10 for 10% off!

Thinx

Finally, by the time you hit the third or forth week postpartum you’ll likely want to venture out into the world. So, even if you’re just planning a quick grocery run, you’ll be in need of undergarments that still respect the fact that you might be spotting. Enter: Thinx.

While I would have never thought of myself as a Thinx girl for that time of the month, I fully embraced having the additional layer postpartum. After all, who wants to be wearing pads for a month?