Mindy Kaling on Why She Actually Loved Being Pregnant During the Pandemic

In case you missed it, actor and comedian Mindy Kaling, 41, welcomed her second child, Spencer Kaling, in September 2020. And while being pregnant and giving birth during the middle of a pandemic might seem pretty overwhelming to most of us, Kaling handled it with ease—and even found some silver linings along the way. Kaling told Health that being pregnant with Spencer was actually easier than having her first child, Katherine Kaling, who was born in 2017.

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"When I was pregnant with my daughter it was on camera. I couldn't just eat whatever I wanted, be completely comfortable," Kaling explained. "Every day I had to show up at 6 a.m., put hair and makeup on, and play a non-pregnant person [on The Mindy Project]." This time around, she didn't have to work quite so hard at hiding her pregnancy, since she (like so many others) didn't get out much during the pandemic. "I was like, Oh, everyone's kind of secret-pregnant. Everyone's wearing sweatpants and eating whatever they want," Kaling said.

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The pandemic also gave Kaling more time to be home, which she's extra grateful for considering her son's age. "I've was forced to stay at home more with my kids," she explained, adding that she didn't have that luxury when her daughter was born. "I was traveling to New York and London promoting movies when my daughter was two months old," she said.

All in all, Kaling was able to use the extra time the pandemic afforded her to be more present with her children. "I hate to say it but—in terms of giving birth and having a newborn—it was not the worst time for me," she said. After she gave birth, Kaling partnered with Walgreens on the launch of their new app and loyalty program, myWalgreens.