On a Wednesday morning in late September, she’s poised as can be in her light-drenched Los Angeles home office with zero signs of new-parent distress: The room itself appears free of toys, snack dregs, and mom-made clutter. To top it off, Schwarzenegger Pratt, 31, somehow looks well-rested and meticulously-styled, with makeup that’s pristine—no Zoom filter needed. There are zero signs of the postpartum baby hairs Schwarzenegger Pratt often complains about during her weekly Instagram Live series, BDA Baby (short for Before, During, and After)—or signs of any toddler, at all. When Schwarzenegger Pratt’s daughter Lyla Maria Pratt isn’t hanging with her mom, she spends her days napping, playing with her father, actor Chris Pratt, 42, or relishing in the attention of her grandmother, journalist Maria Shriver. Meanwhile, her mom makes parenthood look like a piece of the kind of cake that leaves the entire house smelling sweet. And it’s not like raising Lyla is Schwarzenegger Pratt’s only job: She’s a New York Times bestselling author of The Gift of Forgiveness, as well. Here’s how the new-ish mom caters to the needs of her daughter, herself, and her 983K Instagram followers while pounding out a book—all during nap time.
Friday
7 a.m. Lyla wakes up at 6 a.m., so by the time the clock strikes 7 a.m., I’ve already been up for an hour. After I get her up, we do a diaper change and a feeding in her room. I’m still breastfeeding, but weaning—it’s been such a beautiful experience. When Lyla used to wake up at 3 a.m. for feedings, I didn’t even mind—it felt special to be the only ones up together. Although I watched my mom breastfeed—I vividly remember my mom coming home from the hospital with my youngest brother—I didn’t expect to love it. Lyla and I play a little bit before I bring her into my room so I can get dressed.7:30 a.m. Chris, Lyla, and I head downstairs for a family breakfast. Since Chris and I don’t eat first thing in the morning, it’s really all about Lyla—that is, after I have my coffee. I leave Evivo Baby Probiotic next to the coffee maker so I don’t forget to give it to Lyla with her breakfast. (It’s helped her with diaper rash and fussiness.) [Editor’s note: Schwarzenegger Pratt is a brand ambassador for Evivo.] Lyla gets a cup of milk, yogurt, toast, and sometimes bacon, eggs, or sausage depending on how much time we have. She’s become a bit of a picky eater, but we try to experiment with different fruits by offering them several times to help expand her palate. 8 a.m. Both Chris and I work out every morning, so we take shifts with Lyla so we can each get time to ourselves. Today I go first: While I love to get outside to hike or play tennis with my mom or sister, and often do Obé online workouts, this morning, I do an hour of Zoom Pilates with a friend before relieving Chris. 9 a.m. Lyla’s nap schedule has gotten increasingly consistent, and she typically goes down pretty easily after a diaper change and song. As soon as I close the door, I shower and get ready for the day, then squeeze in some breakfast—usually eggs or a smoothie—and head into my home office. On Fridays, I try to check in by phone with everyone I work with—that [includes] my best friend and manager, and another friend who helps with social media and website stuff. I also work on nailing down guests for my Thursday Instagram Live shows. I do all of the bookings myself and [will continue to] through the end of the year. I’m also working on a children’s book.10:45 a.m. I get Lyla up from her nap, and I shift back into mom gear. We listen to Disney music while she practices cruising by holding onto different surfaces. She’s also been into dollies and bubbles lately—we stay busy! 11 p.m. It’s lunchtime! The menu is a mixed bag: I typically give Lyla milk, plus green beans, a pouch from Once Upon a Farm, and some kind of meal-prepped protein like meatballs or fish. Chris does about 98 percent of the cooking—I’m lucky. When he’s home for lunch, we tag-team on cleanup: Lyla is a messy eater, so one of us holds her while the other cleans her up. I play with her until nap time. 1 p.m. I put Lyla down for her afternoon nap and come back into my office well-knowing the clock is ticking. I stay out of my office on Saturdays and Sundays, so this is my chance to wrap up for the week. 3 p.m. When Layla wakes up, she spends some time with Chris before I take her to my mom’s house to hang out. Often, we’ll take a walk, listen to more music, and play. Sometimes my sister also swings by to see her niece. 5 p.m. Chris meets us at my mom’s house for a family dinner. Throughout the week, we eat there often and have family dinner there every Sunday night. 6:00 p.m. I give Lyla a bath, which is way less scary now than when she was tiny—it used to be really nerve-wracking! Now it’s more like playtime—we have a bunch of bath toys, and she loves getting in. 6:30 p.m. Lyla gets a fresh diaper and song, and she’s down for the count. Chris and I have been watching “Nine Perfect Strangers” on Hulu until our regularly scheduled bedtime: Because Lyla wakes up so early, we’re out by 10 p.m.! Read Next: How Sculpt Society Founder Megan Roup Works Out with an Infant
