Anna had been told time and time again that motherhood was the greatest journey a woman could experience. When Anna found out the wonderful news that she was pregnant, she was overwhelmed with joy. She had always dreamed of raising a beautiful family with her beloved partner, and now that dream was becoming a reality. She was filled with so much happiness that she could barely contain herself. Anna was filled with excitement for the journey ahead and couldn't wait to take this adventure into motherhood.

Anna's first trimester of pregnancy was a rollercoaster of emotions — the highs being the joyous moments of her positive pregnancy test and seeing her baby on the ultrasound for the first time, and the lows being the morning sickness and exhaustion she experienced, as well as the weird feelings of sickness. But she was determined not to let it keep her down, and took steps to take care of herself both mentally and physically. She started a daily routine of gentle stretching exercises and mindful moments. She couldn't wait to meet her new bundle of joy!

Anna was nearing the end of her second trimester of pregnancy, until she felt some relief from the morning sickness. As each passing day went by, she could feel her baby moving around, and her love was growing stronger. She marvelled at the changes happening in her body and felt deep gratitude for the life that was growing within her; now she could really feel the baby moving around and its little ears were close to reaching their final positioning. Anna loved to take time and relax and sing to her baby.

Feeling radiant, Anna entered her third trimester of pregnancy. With her growing belly, her urge to nest was growing. She was in her element, ready to create a beautiful and peaceful home for her new little family. As her belly continued to grow, the baby was healthy inside, and they said the baby would be around 48cm long now and all of its organs were still maturing. Anna's beautiful friend gave her a gift; the box said "Bare self," and she didn't have a clue what could be in it. As she opened it, a lovely quote read "Give yourself permission to feel good" – this was exactly what Anna needed in that moment, some self-care. In the box were four bars of handmade chocolate: one for pregnancy and one for breastfeeding, both with added benefits to support each phase of the journey. As Anna relaxed in her chair, eating her pregnancy chocolate and rubbing her tummy, she felt like the luckiest person alive.

Anna's fourth trimester was filled with a mixture of emotions. She was excited to meet her baby soon, but also had some nerves, considering the unknown that comes with birth and parenthood. Anna's mother reassured her that these feelings are all natural and it would all be okay. Her thoughts were constantly filled with baby names, nursery decor, and more. Anna was ready to experience the physical bliss of labour and was confident in her body's ability to do so.

Three days before the due date, Anna welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world! After a long labour, their bundle of joy arrived healthy and safe. The family were overjoyed with their new addition and couldn't wait to spend all of their days watching their baby girl grow and learning new things. As they embarked on this incredible journey as a new family, Anna savoured every moment and felt blessed that the little one was ever so perfect.

Welcome home, baby girl! As Anna cuddled her new little bundle close and learned the ins and outs of breastfeeding, she was prepared for the challenges it could bring. She took each day as it came, providing her little one with the nutrition she needed. Anna's mother was a great support for her through this first phase of motherhood, sharing many smiles and tears together. With her baby nestled in her arms, Anna filled her days with sweet kisses, snuggles, and learning the art of breastfeeding, while eating her Bare Self Breastfeeding Chocolate. She was determined to make their first days together as blissful as possible and was grateful for the amazing gift of motherhood.

 We hope you enjoyed Anna's story! With Love Chloe x Jas x Nat x