America Ferrera Shared The Detailed Instructions Kerry Washington Gave Her When She Was A First-Time Mom Returning To Work, And I Love Seeing This Type Of Sisterhood In Hollywood

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America Ferrera is opening up about the power of friendship and the motherhood advice Kerry Washington gave her that truly "saved" her.

closeup of america
Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images

During a recent interview with People, America shared how difficult it was for her to return to work after having her first child and the way Kerry guided her through balancing work and life.

  Arturo Holmes / Getty Images
Arturo Holmes / Getty Images

The Barbie star and her husband Ryan Piers Williams welcomed their first child together, a baby boy named Sebastian, in 2018. In 2020, America gave birth to their daughter Lucia.

“When I first had my first child, my son, I went back to shoot on Superstore when he was 10 weeks old,” America told People. “I was so lucky to have Kerry Washington as a friend, who had two of her babies while she was on Scandal.”

america at an event with kerry and eva longoria
Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images for ELLE

“I remember asking her, ‘How do you do it? How are you on a TV show and have a newborn baby? What am I going to do?’” America shared. “And she gave me the most detailed instructions of every single thing that I was going to do to make my life easier, down to the exact Pack ‘n Play for my trailer.”

closeup of the two
Amy Graves / WireImage / Getty Images

America expressed how appreciative she was to have Kerry by her side during such an emotional and new time in her life. She cited Kerry for saving her from a mountain of stress and tears.

  Marla Aufmuth / Getty Images for Massachusetts Conference For Women
Marla Aufmuth / Getty Images for Massachusetts Conference For Women

Kerry's tedious instructions ranged from her on-set pumping and breastfeeding schedule to the exact bra she bought for wardrobe. "She just saved me," America added.

  Alexander Tamargo / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
Alexander Tamargo / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

"I think all the time about how many tears and how much energy and how much money and how much trial and error she saved me by just telling me what she learned."

  Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for Warner Bros.
Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for Warner Bros.

But Kerry wasn't the only one in her corner. America said since she became a mom, there have been "countless times" when other mothers came to her rescue and kept her feeling encouraged.

  Kayla Oaddams / WireImage / Getty Images
Kayla Oaddams / WireImage / Getty Images

"And countless times, just in the almost six years that I’ve been a mom, it’s other moms and other women who have saved me and kept me going and kept me feeling like I can do this.”

  Jon Kopaloff / WireImage / Getty Images
Jon Kopaloff / WireImage / Getty Images

It truly takes a village! To learn more about America, be sure to check out her full People interview.