I Founded a Maternal Wellness Startup—Here's My Pregnancy-Safe Morning Routine

What's the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning? A well-rounded morning routine sets the tone for the day and gets you prepped—both mentally and physically—before you dive into a packed schedule filled with emails, chores, happy hours, workouts, and more. Our series Morning Person profiles those who have mastered the art of the morning routine.

Tune in every week here and on our Instagram to learn exactly how the pros get it all done before the sun comes up, from their go-to breakfasts to their a.m. workouts.

In 2020, I had the privilege of witnessing (through numerous video calls, no less!) a few of my friends and colleagues becoming first-time parents. And while having a child is such a momentous and beautiful experience, adjusting to parenthood quickly became this emotionally, physically, and mentally taxing part of their lives.

This is the barrier that Chelsea Allison sought to lower when she founded Motherfigure, a maternal wellness startup that is focused on empowering and supporting parents. Through this platform, people are able to access a community-driven provider directory, expert-led articles, and products that provide meaningful improvements on pregnancy and parenting. 

As a mother of two young children and the CEO of an early stage company, Allison's mornings are all about multitasking to optimize her time. Keep reading to see how this entrepreneur starts her day. 

6 A.M.

For me, motherhood is an exercise in adaptability, especially for my morning routine. Right now, we’re in a groove: I wake up at 6 a.m. in an effort to get ready for the day and get a little work done before my 3-month-old, Hunter, and 2-year old, Henry, wake up.

Shower time is a multitasking moment, so I'll also take this time to brush my teeth and moisturize. London Grant’s products have been game changers for me.

I have rosacea (which I discovered while pregnant!), and a lot of "natural” products irritate my skin. I use a little SkinCeuticals Phyto Plus to combat redness for endless Zoom calls later, moisturize with SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore, and do some jade-rolling.

6:30 A.M.

Afterward, I'll drink a big glass of ice water and make an espresso. I make it a goal to drink a gallon of water a day.

I pump a little before Hunter wakes up and start my workday by responding to emails. I’m an inbox-zero person, so my email serves as my to-do list. Generally, I try to segment my day so that my meetings are in the afternoon, while mornings are reserved for family and "execution” work. Needing a bra that lets me do all of the above while pumping or nursing was a big inspiration for creating our Multitasking Maternity Bra.

6:45 A.M.

Hunter’s up! After she eats, I answer a few emails on the ground next to her while she stretches and works on rolling on her Little Bot baby play mat.

After I gave birth to Henry, I saw an amazing pelvic-floor physical therapist, whom I found through Motherfigure's directory and who supported me throughout my pregnancy with Hunter and during my recovery. Right now, we’re working on continuing to engage my transverse abdominis (TVA) and counteract the posture I generally have while breastfeeding. We decided it wasn’t realistic to have more than three exercises a day, so I run through those with Hunter.

My husband gets Henry up, and we'll have breakfast. Henry and I made banana bread over the weekend, so we each have a slice.

8 A.M.

Dropoff for Henry. His preschool is a five-minute walk from our house, which is super nice.

Then I nurse Hunter again with our Cavapoo, Duke, by our side until it's time for her to sleep. I also take this time to review samples for a new product line and send comments to the team on fit and patterns.

10:45 A.M.

This is the time I'll get a solid 90 minutes of work in, which includes emails, road-map planning, reading magazine features, plus responding to an early career marketer I advise.

I'll hop on my first call of the day while taking Duke for a walk. The rest of the afternoon will be dominated by calls and video meetings, so I appreciate the opportunity for some fresh air for both of us.

Up Next: How the Founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate Starts a Productive Workday