They say the “fourth trimester,” the first three months after giving birth, is the hardest trimester. In some ways, I definitely agree, in others, like being able to choose sleep positions that are actually comfortable, it’s definitely better now. I’m now four months in, so I’m able to look back at that crazy chunk of time and consider what I’d do differently next time. Here are a few of the essential foods that got me through mine, and, per usual, a bonus of non-food essentials!

My Forth Trimester Food Essentials

1. Peanut butter and jelly. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone around here that this is still on my list. This time my mom helped prep a loaf of bread worth and made a bunch and froze them for easy meals. We added chia seeds for a little extra nutrition. I was sad when I had the last one a couple of weeks ago, and I’d definitely make more next time! Enough for a sandwich per day for the first three months would be amazing, though I know I didn’t have the freezer space this time!

2. Protein pancakes. These were another tasty and filling meal I prepped beforehand and froze in individual servings. I used Kodiak Cakes pancake mix as the base, then added all sorts of healthy extras—protein powder, peanut butter, chia and flax seed, some greens powder…I added an extra egg or two to help break up the heaviness of extra ingredients, plus some extra water to thin it out. These were easy to cook on my Blackstone. And yes, I did make these just two days before going into labor.

   To reheat them, I separate them and heat them in the microwave. At this point, they’re starting to get a little dry, so instead of adding extra butter or syrup, I’ve started adding a little of my morning coffee to them. You laugh, but it works really well!

3. Breakfast bagels. These are always so delicious, and I was so grateful when my husband ran home after baby and I were settled in the hospital for the night and brought one back for me! I got all the ingredients from Costco—bagels, eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese—and baked stuff in the oven on sheet trays

4. Raw milk. This will be controversial, but I really didn’t want to eliminate dairy while breastfeeding if possible. “Bunny” (we’ll use this in place of baby’s name) was having some gas issues and everyone seemed to say cutting out dairy was the first step. Cutting out all forms of dairy didn’t make sense since it wasn’t all forms of dairy that seemed to trigger it. I was able to keep my good quality British cheddar and Fage Greek yogurt (both fermented so better for gut health) and replace my other dairy with raw milk (coffee creamer and protein shakes). We’re now 4 months in and I had to pick up some regular milk this past week for coffee and Bunny has been doing great!

5. Food delivery. This is definitely the time to get delivery to make sure you’re getting at least one good meal a day! I did my best to keep our restaurant deliveries to once a week, but it absolutely helped take away some stress when it was cluster feeding days. I also recommend grocery delivery so you don’t have to try to take baby out.

6. Protein shakes. These are just about a daily drink for me now. You need lots of protein and liquids while breastfeeding, so it’s basically a no-brainer. I’m avoiding seed oils for Bunny (apparently more helpful than avoiding dairy), so if you are too, just know a lot of protein shakes have them, including powders! Fairlife Core (not the regular) is a good one for this—it packs a lot of protein and tastes like that chocolate milk you grew up on.

7. Coconut water. Did I mention you need to drink a LOT of fluids? My current goal is 105 oz a day. Drinking a liter bottle a day is helpful for getting you there, plus it has natural electrolytes!

8. Water flavorings. Drinking over 100 oz of liquid is a LOT for me, so I really like having ways to mix it up. I have a little coffee bar setup, so I got a couple of flavors of syrup that’d mix well with water. Check your local TJ Maxx or Homegoods or Ross and you’re more than likely going to find a few flavors from different brands for a good deal.

9. BONUS. Postpartum supplies. I ended up with way more than I needed, just because I had no idea what to expect. I liked having disposable diapers for at first, as well as the foaming stuff from FridaMom. Once things started to calm down, I switched to the mesh boxers from FridaMom plus their pads. Everything else I bought I either didn’t need or didn’t like, so those are my recommendations!

10. BONUS. Nursing supplies. I started with using disposable nursing pads, but over time I’ve found a system that works better for me, so I’ll just share that! I really don’t like wearing bras, so I ended up getting a bunch of lounge bras from Hanes. No, they’re not meant for nursing, but they’re so comfortable once you break them in/your ribs shrink back after pregnancy. I bought some reusable nursing pads and really liked them, so I decided to get more that were better for overnight. I’ll add links if you’re interested.

    I ended up with 2 used Boppy nursing pillows (why are they so expensive?), just so I don’t have to carry one up and down the stairs while holding a squirming kid.

    Burping cloths are great, but you can also just use a towel most of the time. I have a hand towel at every spot I hang out at this point.