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Three years ago, I was waddling around (very pregnant) in our West Hollywood office with Rachel Zeilic, who was also pregnant with her first. We would talk about how we were nervous to enter motherhood, share tips on the different ways to manage pregnancy hurdles, talk about how we had no idea what to expect when our bundles of joy made their arrivals—it was all very fresh. Fast-forward to today, and I’m expecting my second, while Rachel just came back from maternity leave after having her second son, Lucky.
We’ve both been on this very parallel journey in motherhood—going from one kid to two, managing a toddler amid a pandemic, and figuring out who we are as individuals while also really enjoying our roles as mothers, too. It’s been nice, to say the least, to have someone who understands the struggles and perks of being a working parent. I don’t think parents’ schedules and their daily balancing acts are discussed enough, especially considering the pandemic. Sometimes, it almost feels like we’re expected to manage it all with ease because we get to “take a break” from the kids throughout the day. It’s quite the opposite, which is why routines and thought-out day-to-day plans are crucial.
Rachel broke down her morning routine and gave me a snapshot of how she’s managing two kids and her career. Trust me—I am taking notes.
“At 6:00 a.m., I wake up before the kids. I used to sleep until I’d hear one of my babies crying, but I would start the day on the back foot, all frazzled. My biggest parenting hack is to wake up before the kids to have a moment to yourself before the madness of the day begins.
“I wake up in classic, coordinated pajamas. I switched from wearing random sweats and tees to proper pajamas a few years ago, and it’s actually quicker and easier and makes my mind feel calmer.
“Having also experienced extreme sleep deprivation as a mom of a newborn and a toddler, I realized that getting good sleep is the most important thing you can do for yourself. It’s the foundation of everything. So I’ve set up my bedroom to be as soothing as possible. For me, that looks like everything resembling a white cloud.”
“The first thing I do is make my coffee so that the caffeine can start to kick in by the time the kids get up. Being from Australia, where we have some of the best baristas and coffee in the world, I’m a total coffee snob.
“While I’m waiting for my coffee to boil, I drink a giant glass of water with an 8Greens effervescent tablet in it (trust me: blood orange flavor). I then fill it again and pop a Nuun electrolyte tablet into my big Sporty & Rich water bottle. I then take a pre/postnatal multivitamin and collagen supplement. That way, I start the day hydrated, caffeinated, and vitaminized. I will try to be healthy throughout the rest of the day, but when it inevitably goes off the rails, at least I know I’m covered with this simple morning routine.”
“Around 6:30 a.m., I hear the baby start to stir on the monitor. I make his bottle, and I grab him and go snuggle in bed. I got really, really sad both times I stopped breastfeeding until I realized it wasn’t guilt about nutrition or anything like that. It was just that calm, skin-to-skin connection I was missing. Now that I’ve made this part of my routine, I’m so much happier.
“At 7:00 a.m., my toddler wakes up and also joins us in bed. All five of us (including my fiancé, Pete, and my dog, Molly) cuddle in bed for a moment before the toddler starts going wild.”
“Pete will start to get August ready for school, and I will take Lucky and put him in a high chair in my bathroom while I get ready. My whole morning routine is based on ROI (return on investment) in either time or money. So I have a simple, quick skincare-and-makeup routine. Starting with skincare, I like brands that are science-baked, clinical, and effective, without frills and fluff. After suffering from bad hormonal acne for the first time in my life in my 30s, I nailed a simple skincare routine that helps me keep that in check without drying out my skin and prevents aging.”
“Once my skincare routine is done, I move on to my makeup. I’m so passionate about my lineup of products because I’m not the type of person who likes trying a million new makeup things all the time. I want to just find the best and then stick with that. I’m so loyal to the Tarte Shape Tape concealer, as it’s the only concealer that can cover mom-of-a-newborn-level dark circles under the eyes. Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand is next on the list along with Saie liquid blush in Rosy—the consistency is amazing.”
“I splurge time-wise on my eyelashes with a MAC mascara primer and then top it off with Saie Mascara, which perfectly separates the lashes and stays on better than any other mascara I’ve used.
“Lastly, I swipe on Charlotte Tilbury Tinted Love Lip Stain in Bohemian Kiss. It doesn’t look like you’re wearing lipstick, just like your lips are naturally an amazing color. It’s long-lasting (again, I don’t have time to keep reapplying) and also moisturizing, so I don’t have to think about lip balm.
“Every two weeks or so, I usually dye my eyebrows with the RefectoCil eyebrow dye kit in natural brown, which helps me save time by not having to do my eyebrows every day.”
“I then throw on some clothes, usually choosing something that looks chic but is comfortable enough to run around in all day. When I’m in a busy phase of my life, I love uniform dressing: well-fitting jeans, tees and shirts in neutral colors, soft blazers and coats, everyday jewelry stack with some statement pieces layered on, a nice watch, and flat shoes. It takes the mental work out of choosing an outfit, and you always look chic.”
“At 8 a.m., I hand off the baby to the nanny and take my toddler to preschool on my way to work. Growing up in Australia, we had a school uniform, and so I kind of made one for my toddler to take the guesswork out of dressing him, too. Every day to school he wears jeans, white Hanes tees that I buy in packs of five for like $10 so I can bleach them when he gets paint all over them and so I’m not upset if they get ruined, and cool sneakers. We spend the time to slick his hair, and he always looks classic and well-dressed, like a mini James Dean.
“On my way to the office, I’ll pick up a breakfast burrito and another coffee and arrive at the office by 9 a.m. I pack a lot into my morning routine but get it all done in three hours.”
When you’re feeling overwhelmed with it all, what do you typically do to reset yourself?
For me, it really helps to try and stay in either “work mode” or “mom mode.” When I’m in work mode, I really try to focus and not think too much about the kids, and when I’m with the kids, I try to be really present and not be on my phone. It’s better to spend 30 minutes actually present with the kids than three hours trying to also work and be with them.
Do you have any tips for pregnant people who are also focused on their careers on how they can set themselves up for success to balance both?
I think having grace with yourself and realizing that pregnancy and having small children is a season of life, and it’s okay if you don’t have the bandwidth.
What are your favorite non-work activities to do with the boys?
I love to swim in our pool! Bonus: It tires out the toddler with endless energy.
