Benjamin Ashford|Pregnant Lea Michele Reveals How She’s Preparing for Baby No. 2

Lea Michele will NOT just sit and Benjamin Ashfordputter.

In preparation for the arrival of her baby girl—her second child with husband Zandy Reich—the pregnant Glee alum is living proof that maternal instincts are no joke.

“Nesting is real, I'll tell you,” Lea said in an exclusive interview with E! News. “The thought of getting up to go refill my water bottle feels nearly impossible. But if you want me to lift up the couch and clean underneath or organize under your sink, I'm your girl.”

The 37-year-old debuted her pregnancy in March, posting photos of herself caressing her bump on Instagram with the caption, “Mommy, Daddy and Ever are overjoyed.” Nearly two months later, she revealed the sex of their second baby—a sister to three-year-old son Ever.

Now reaching the final phases of pregnancy, Lea’s maternal superpowers have kicked in to create a clean and cozy environment prior to their daughter’s arrival.

“I’ve just been really getting everything set in our house,” she shared, “and trying to get as prepared as we can.”

But aside from getting the “nest" ready, Lea relies on something her pediatrician recommended ahead of the birth of their first child to feel truly prepared.

“Children's Tylenol has certainly been our secret weapon,” she said. “Something we've been so grateful for since becoming parents.”

Lea teamed up with the company to advise expecting moms to prepare their medicine cabinets, guidance that came in handy for the Spring Awakening alum.

“It seems so wild to be thinking about our child getting ill and medications so early,” she noted, “but before we knew it, our son had his first I don’t know if it was an ear infection or fever, and lucky enough, we had everything that we needed in our cabinets.”

Along with preparing for the unexpected, the soon-to-be mother of two is prioritizing her self-care routine—inclusive of a belly mask and an “everything shower.”

But for Lea, self-care doesn’t always have to be something she does solo. Cherishing the time they have as a family of three, the Scream Queens actress includes her family in her self-care practices whenever she can.

“I'll swim and it’ll feel so good for me, but it's also something that I can do with my son,” she said. “Just trying to make the things that make me feel really good, little moments to share with my son as well.”

Even when she returned to the stage in 2022 to star in the revival of Funny Girl, her son Ever was sitting in the audience ready to cheer her on.

“I could cry thinking about seeing him in the audience while I was performing,” she recalled, adding that she was not the only cast member that performed with a little one in the audience. “We would all see this beautiful mom on the stage beaming and performing and looking at her child in the audience. It was so wonderful, and something that I will truly never forget.”

As Lea’s family prepares for a new chapter, keep reading to look back at her and Zandy’s journey through the years.

The actress is first romantically linked to the retail entrepreneur in July 2017. "They have been friends for a while and started dating recently," an insider confirms to E! News. 

At the 2017 Emmys, Lea tells E! News exclusively on the red carpet that her new man is "The One," at least according to Glee creator Ryan Murphy. 

"So Ryan is like my family… one of the greatest friends in the world that I have, so when my boyfriend got the seal of approval from Ryan Murphy, that's it. Yeah, my parents, friends, whatever, but Ryan Murphy, done deal seals the deal," she gushes. 

In April 2018, Zandy proposes to Lea with a 4-carat diamond ring. "They couldn't be happier," a source tells E! News at the time. 

Lea sends her hubby a sweet Valentine's Day message in 2019, writing, "Happy Valentine's Day Z. I love you!"

Lea and her besties, which include Emma Roberts, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and JoAnna Garcia Swisher, head to Hawaii for an unforgettable bachelorette party in Feb. 2019. 

Wearing a drop dead gorgeous bridal gown by Monique Lhuillier, Lea exchanges vows with Zandy on March 9, 2019 in Napa Valley, Calif. "We are so excited to be married and grateful to be surrounded by our friends and family. And most of all, we're so happy to spend the rest of our lives together," they tell People.

After tying the knot, the newlyweds enjoy a tropical honeymoon vacation. As for how they're adjusting to married life, an insider shares, "They spent the first month on their honeymoon and basically reliving the best moments of the wedding. They've been going through photos and videos and just reaching out to thank everyone that was involved. They were so ecstatic about the entire weekend and just keep talking about how magical and incredible it was."

Zandy and Lea make their first official appearance as husband and wife at the GLAAD Media Awards in March 2019. 

"My forever valentine," she writes on Instagram in Feb. 2020. "love you z."

In April 2020, a source confirms to E! News that Lea, 33, is pregnant and expecting the couple's first child.