Actress, Singer and Author Lea Michele Talks All Things Motherhood, Career and How She Avoids Burnout (Exclusive)
Singer, actress, New York Times bestselling author and Broadway superstar Lea Michele is gearing up to become a mom — again. To do so, the global icon needs just one thing: Infants Tylenol, which is the #1 pediatrician-recommended pain and fever relief brand.
Woman’s World recently had the chance to sit down with Michele and learn all about why that is the one staple she has to have in her medicine cabinet, how she really feels about becoming a mother for the second time and what she has to say about her decade-spanning career. Keep reading for more.
Woman’s World: What made you want to team up with Infants TYLENOL, and what do you want people to know about this partnership?
Lea Michele: I really learned a lot when I became a mom for the first time with my son, Ever. our years ago, when he was born, our pediatrician really recommended and instilled in us the importance of filling up our medicine cabinets with all the first aid needs that we might need for our baby. And I really remember thinking at the time, this just seems so far in advance, to be thinking about our child getting sick for the first time. But before we knew it, our son had his first fever, and I was so grateful that when I opened up my medicine cabinet, we already had Infant’s Tylenol on hand for us.
The fact that we were prepared helped me through what could have been a very stressful situation. Tylenol has been a real lifesaver for us.
WW: How did you feel the first time your baby got sick? Was there something that helped get you through it?
Lea Michele: I was a lot more nervous than I thought I would be, so knowing I was prepared eased a lot of those nerves.
When we called our pediatrician, she said, “Okay, give your baby Infant’s Tylenol.” The fact that we had it was really such a relief for me. And aside from Infants TYLENOL, it's just a lot of snuggling time, getting cozy in bed together, and just making sure that he's as comfortable as possible.
Michael Simon / Contributor/Getty
WW: How are you preparing for your second child? Are you ready? Is there anything you know now that you wish you knew the first time?
Lea Michele: For me, I like to be a little over-prepared, that way, when life throws whatever at you, like a kid getting sick for the first time, you're prepared. You're as prepared as you can be. I guess that’s what I'm doing again this time. Plus, I'm definitely filling up our medicine cabinets with all of the necessary products and items that we need, including Infants Tylenol.
You know, it's been four years since I had Ever, and there are parts of me that feel like it was just yesterday and parts that feel like it was years ago since I've been pregnant and welcomed a baby. So this has been a really wonderful journey, just having this time.
I finished work in September, and I am just now really settling into this pregnancy and spending time with Ever before we become a family of four. I feel really grateful and am doing the best that I can.
WW: What advice do you have for working moms out there? Is there a secret that you have that you feel like others would benefit from?
Lea Michele: I've been really fortunate to be able to work during this pregnancy. I wasn't, obviously, doing eight shows a week on Broadway, but working here and there. I think it's different just popping in and out of work, as opposed to women who have to go to work every single day pregnant. And I can't speak on that. I have some friends who have been pregnant while working on Broadway, which seems unbelievable to me.
I think we as women are so strong and unbelievable, and I'm sort of just learning as I go here. All I try to do is make sure that I'm taking as good care of myself as possible, and making sure that I'm giving my body the right nutrients that it needs, and hydrating and just remembering along the way that like we need to fuel ourselves so that we can be our best for our children, whether we're pregnant or have children at home, just to make sure that we're taking care of ourselves.
@leamichele/Instagram
WW: How important is self-care to you? Is there a special way you like to unwind after a long day?
Lea Michele: I think the most important thing is getting as much sleep as possible at night, which is really hard. Right now, I’m 30 weeks pregnant and I'm not sleeping at night. I have a four-year-old who wakes up in the middle of the night or wakes up early in the morning, so it is hard to get sleep, but [I get] as much sleep as I can. And I really try to take advantage of it and drink tons of water. If I know that I'm doing those two simple things, I know I'm giving my body, in the simplest forms, the best things that I can. So I really just try to do that.
WW: Obviously you’re a very busy lady. Is there something you do to help manage your day-to-day life and keep yourself from getting stressed and burned out?
Lea Michele: I really believe in meditation and yoga. I really try to focus on those self-care rituals to make sure that I'm taking care of myself so that I can be the best that I can be for my family.
Being a mom and working is a lot, so I want to make sure that I'm doing those things for myself, my mind and my body so that I can be there for my son, my husband [Zandy Reich], work, or even myself. I just want to make sure that I'm prioritizing those important things.
WW: With fall coming up, is there anything you're looking forward to?
Lea Michele: It's so funny, because I turned to my husband the other night and said, “That's it. I'm ready for fall.” He said, “You've been saying that you wanted summer and that you wanted the warm weather.” I replied, “Yep, but I'm over it. Give me the fall.”
My son is going to be starting preschool. I'm so excited for him, and we always do a little apple picking in the fall together. And just thinking about the upcoming holiday season and what all of those things are going to be like now as a family of four, it's really exciting to think about and just getting to share those memories that we have, like rituals and traditions that we've created with our son, that we're now going to get to share with this new baby. I'm also just really excited to get out of the heat.
Theo Wargo / Staff/Getty
WW: Finally, you've had a very impactful and exciting career between 'Glee,' Broadway and now this partnership with Infant’s TYLENOL. What's one thing that you want people to take away from your career at this point?
Lea Michele: You know, April 2025 will mark 30 years since I started working. I did my first Broadway show when I was eight years old, and I am so grateful that I've been able to work for as long as I have.
And the fact that I'm coming up on 30 years, knowing that I got to live out my dream of playing Fanny Brice on Broadway, is such a dream come true. More than anything, I feel so grateful to be able to do what I love and to continue to play roles that really inspire me. I had the most incredible time in Funny Girl. It was such a dream come true. It's been a dream since I was eight years old, and it still is.
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