AGAIN

Schroeder was expecting her first baby—daughter Hartford—and her days were filled with sweatpants, baking cakes, and watching every last season of The Great British Bake Off. “It was peak Covid, so I didn’t leave the house for most of my pregnancy,” the Straight Up with Stassi host tells Mini. “I was actually scared to be pregnant again, because I associated pregnancy with being under house arrest, [but] everything about this pregnancy feels different.” From ditching the loungewear for pulled together ensembles, eating at restaurants, and traveling once again, the soonto-be mom of two has made sure to keep her schedule full to make up for last time, even adding a national podcast tour into the mix. We dove right in with the summer cover mom to talk preg-

Inancy, parenting, and preparing for the changes of a growing family, including her own personal metamorphosis.

“Our mornings are really chaotic and never the same. [Hartford] typicallwakes us up by coming into our room around 7:30 a.m. and on a good day, she’ll snuggle with us before we go upstairs, but for the most part, she comes barrelling in demanding we get going. I’ll make toast and jam for us to share (it’s my main pregnancy craving and one of Hartford’s favorite foods) and Beau will normally make her a proper, balanced breakfast.

I get her dressed. She’s in a phase where she only wants to wear dresses, and we inevitably battle over whether she’ll let me do her hair. We’ll brush our teeth, she’ll hang out with me while I do my make up, and then she’s off.

“I’m doing everything I can to talk to her about it, but she isn’t really getting it and is totally going to be in for the shock of her life come September.”

“[No one prepares you for] constipation and hemorrhoids. I’m sorry if that’s TMI, but let me tell you, it’s life-ruining how bad it is. I don’t understand how this isn’t talked about more often. No one warns you that your butt is going to be in serious pain 24/7.”

“I wish I knew not to beat myself up so much over breastfeeding. I spent the first few months in a constant state of stress and panic over the fact that I wasn’t able to produce enough milk. I ended up isolating myself and not fully enjoying those initial moments as a new mom, because I spent the majority of the day and night pumping and doing everything I could to make more milk. When I’d wake up in the morning, instead of running to Hartford and holding her, I’d have to pump for 20 minutes and it was those types of moments that made me feel lonely. I wish I could go back and tell myself that breastfeeding isn’t everything. Your baby is just as healthy with formula, and that a happy and present mom is more important.”

“Beau and I only have one rule when it comes to baby names, and that rule is that it can’t be in the Top 1000 (I even joke Top 5000 sometimes!). I loved growing up and being the only kid with my name wherever I went and I want my children to have that. Beau actually thought of Hartford’s name and I love that it was unique, but still sounded smart and somewhat classic. I came up with the new baby’s name and I think it gives the same energy as Hartford. It’s definitely not common.”

“I didn’t have any feelings about gender before we found out, but I have been ridiculously excited about having a boy because everyone says they love their mamas so much. Hartford is such a daddy’s girl that I’m often the one left out, but I always joke that with my son, I’ll hopefully get to be the favorite in our house.”

“I was really scared going into the fourth trimester with Hartford. I read so much about postpartum depression and I felt that given everything that 2020 was, environmentally I was set up perfectly for PPD. However, I ended up being really lucky. Being forced [to stay] home actually worked to my advantage. I was able to heal and relax without the pressure of having visitors for a while. I didn’t feel FOMO, because we were collectively at home. I also used Mommy Made Encapsulation and religiously took my placenta pills, which is supposed to help with PPD.”

“I just want to raise happy children who become happy adults. There are so many things I hope for my children, like kindness and inner strength, but if my kids lead happy and fulfilled lives, if they walk around every day knowing they’re truly loved, I will feel like I somewhat succeeded.”

“The real question is, how hasn’t it? I know a lot of women who say, ‘I’m not going to let motherhood change me or become my identity.’ Of course, I hope I’m someone who still has a strong sense of self outside of motherhood, but I definitely welcomed every change. Being a mom is the most profoundly significant thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s the thing that matters the most to me, so that’s going to shift who I am. The second you become a mother, your life isn’t about you anymore. There is something so much more important than you, and as much as I miss being selfish every now and then, I started to like myself a whole lot more as someone who lives for someone else. My priorities have shifted, and because of that, my interests and lifestyle changed. I value peace and joy so much more than I ever did before. I was so chaotic prior to having children; I never thought I’d be someone talking about peace and joy.”

“I couldn’t imagine a better teammate throughout all of this. Besides being aligned in what we value and prioritize, we just instinctively know when the other person needs a break or help and that’s when the other operates at a higher percentage. I’ve heard horror stories about how parenting can turn into a competition over who has done more with the baby or who is more tired. I’ve never felt that once. We both want the other to feel the least possible amount of stress, so it truly is a partnership in how we parent. It’s like a seamless dance of tag teaming. We each have our things: Beau cooks, I always do bathtime, that sort of thing. But I think what it really boils down to is that we prioritize each other’s happiness and mental health, so we’re always trying to help each other out.”

“I’m all about roomy mini dresses. You can dress them down with loafers, sneakers, or sandals and then switch to heels for a more elevated look. I love a good fitted, simple, cotton dress with a trench over it. Easy and elegant.”

“I am so incredibly behind with all the baby gear. I just wrapped my tour, and am finally settling into nesting life at home right now. I’m hoping

I can just reuse a lot of Hartford’s things, but I know I can’t live without the Hatch Rest sound machine and the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced. I also used the DockATot 24/7. I remember when I was pregnant with Hartford, I had quite literally everything purchased and decorated by my fourth month. Second time around, it’s last minute vibes, for sure.

“As a parent, you don’t have that much time for yourself. Parenting is a full-time job. Even if you have childcare, you can never fully tap out of being a parent. Because of that, every little thing I accomplish since having children matters so much more to me. I don’t have all the time in the world anymore to make my dreams come true, so when I do manage to make them happen, it’s that much sweeter. To write a second book and have it become a New York Times Best Seller after becoming a mother is something I will hold onto forever. But I’m proud of every podcast episode I put out, every show we put on for tour, because I was doing that all while multitasking being a parent.”

“I feel like there are endless opportunities in L.A., and I always want to instill in my children that they can do anything they set their minds to. It’s so important to me to teach them to dream big, whatever that means for them. I like the hopeful energy of L.A., that you can be whatever you want to be.”

“I love to take her to the Huntington Gardens or the Descanso Gardens. I always say a good walk in controlled nature soothes the soul. I really love anything that’s festive. The Grove feels like Main Street at Disneyland. And Universal Studios isn’t far from our house, so that’s always a fun place to spend the day.”

“I hope my kids walk through life with the confidence knowing that they can make their lives exactly what they want them to be. They’re capable of anything.”