Carley Shimkus, the bubbly co-host of Fox & Friends First, has left fans slack-jawed and caffeine-addicted peers in awe after peeling back the curtain on her punishing daily grind. At 38, this New Jersey native and new mom to son Brock, born February 2023, revealed she sets her alarm for 1:15 a.m. to prep for her 5 a.m. ET broadcast—then powers through a day that blends diaper changes, live TV, and cookbook fame. In interviews with The U.S. Sun and Daily Mail, plus candid Instagram posts, Shimkus has painted a picture of a life that’s equal parts inspiring and exhausting, sparking a frenzy among fans who can’t decide if she’s a superhuman or just crazy. How does she juggle it all? Let’s dive into the wild world of Carley Shimkus—and whether her routine is a triumph or a cry for nap time.

The Dawn of a Dynamo: 1:15 A.M. and Counting

Shimkus isn’t new to early mornings—she’s been with Fox News since 2009, climbing from production assistant to co-hosting Fox & Friends First alongside Todd Piro in 2021. But her routine hit next-level brutal after welcoming Brock with husband Peter Buchignani. “My alarm goes off at 1:15 a.m.,” she told Daily Mail in December 2023, a confession that floored fans. By 5 a.m., she’s live from Studio J in New York City, delivering news with a smile that belies the fact she’s barely slept. “I drink so much coffee that sometimes I’m going to bed excited about waking up to drink more,” she laughed, per the outlet—a lifeline for a gig that demands she’s camera-ready while most of America snoozes.

Her day’s a blur: up at 1:15, out the door by 2:30, on air at 5:00, then home to a toddler who doesn’t care about mom’s sleep debt. “I’m basically a zombie by noon,” she quipped on Janice Dean’s Podcast in March 2023, weeks after Brock’s birth. That hasn’t stopped her—she returned from maternity leave in June 2023, telling First Time Parent Magazine, “It feels like the first day of school.” Fans on X marvel: “1:15 a.m.? I can’t even get up at 7!” Yet Shimkus shrugs it off, crediting coffee and grit honed from years at Fox.

Motherhood Meets Madness: Brock Changes Everything

Brock’s arrival flipped Shimkus’s world upside down—and her schedule into overdrive. “Early motherhood is a wild ride,” she told The U.S. Sun in May 2023, describing a haze of “love, exhaustion, and poop.” She and Buchignani, a financier who splits time between New York and Chicago, welcomed their son at seven pounds, one ounce—a “pure sweetness” she gushed about on Instagram. But the joy came with chaos. “Your body looks different, but you have this sweet little person who needs you,” she said, a sentiment echoed in her Daily Mail chat where she marveled at Brock’s growth: “Even four months ago, he’s changed so much.”

The 1:15 a.m. wake-up became a lifeline and a curse. “I worried about managing it all,” she admitted to First Time Parent Magazine, noting her odd hours left few peers to lean on. Enter the nanny—“wonderful with Brock,” she said—whose help syncs their schedules. Still, Shimkus is hands-on when she can be. Her Instagram’s a scrapbook of Brock moments: meltdowns on Santa’s lap (“he recovered quickly”), park strolls, workout cuddles. “More than anything, I wanted to be a present mom while maintaining a rigorous work schedule,” she told the magazine. Fans swoon—“He’s got your smile!”—but some wonder: at what cost?

Cookbook Queen: Adding Fuel to the Fire

If sleep deprivation and toddler-wrangling weren’t enough, Shimkus layered on a passion project: Cooking with Friends: Eat, Drink & Be Merry, released November 2023 by Fox News Books. Born from the Fox & Friends cooking segment she adored in high school, it’s a hit—featuring recipes like her “indulgent” tater tot casserole and Rachel Campos-Duffy’s lemon ricotta pancakes. “It’s a full-circle moment,” she told Daily Mail, tying it to her pregnancy cravings and Brock’s arrival. She’s a self-proclaimed “foodie,” but cooking at home? “Fast, affordable, delicious,” she said, laughing off Michelin-star ambitions.

The book’s success—she plugged it on air and in a Daily Mail exclusive—adds another hat to her rack. “It’s a cool way to see anchors let their hair down,” she explained, a nod to colleagues like Steve Doocy and Pete Hegseth who contributed. Fans love it—“Carley’s recipes are gold!” one X user raved—but it’s another ball to juggle. “She’s a machine,” co-host Piro said on air in June 2023, per The U.S. Sun, welcoming her back post-maternity with awe.

Fan Frenzy: Admiration or Alarm?

Shimkus’s routine has fans buzzing—and bickering. On X, posts like “Carley waking up at 1:15 a.m. as a new mom? Superwoman!” clash with “That’s insane—she needs a break!” Her December 2023 Daily Mail reveal—“I get excited about coffee in the morning”—went viral, with Instagram followers gushing over Brock snaps: “Blessed!” and “He’s cuter every day!” Yet some balk at the grind. “No one should live like that,” an X user sniped, while another mused, “Fox works her too hard—where’s the balance?”

Her co-hosts pile on the praise. “Carley’s the happiest mama,” Dana Perino said on Instagram in May 2023, per The U.S. Sun, while Piro and Ashley Strohmier celebrated Brock’s birth on air: “We’re raising Carley’s kid now!” (AdWeek). Off-screen, she’s human—crashing by noon, leaning on coffee and a nanny. “It works because it has to,” she told First Time Parent Magazine, echoing a friend’s advice. But the grueling pace raises eyebrows: is this sustainable, or a burnout fuse?

Why It’s Grueling—and Glorious

At 38, Shimkus defies norms. Most new moms aren’t live on air at 5 a.m., let alone penning cookbooks. Her 1:15 a.m. start predates Brock—she honed it as a producer and fill-in anchor—but motherhood’s magnified the strain. “My biggest frustration is closet space for all the gear!” she laughed to First Time Parent Magazine, a New York City woe. Physically, she’s candid: “You’re so tired,” she told The U.S. Sun. Emotionally, it’s a rollercoaster—Brock’s growth is her “highlight,” per Daily Mail, softening the slog.

Her Fox tenure—14 years by 2025—helps. She’s no rookie; she’s a pro who turned a high school fan-girl moment (The U.S. Sun) into a career. Graduating Quinnipiac with a broadcast journalism degree, she rose fast, replacing Jillian Mele in 2021 (Hollywood Reporter). That grit fuels her now—1:15 a.m. isn’t a choice, it’s a calling. “I feel blessed,” she told NJ Starz in 2023, a mantra that carries her through.

Fox’s Morning Star: A New Era?

Shimkus’s routine reflects Fox’s dawn dominance—Fox & Friends First leads cable mornings, per Nielsen—and her star’s rising. Cain’s 4 p.m. promo and Gutfeld’s late-night reign flank her, but she’s the early riser setting the tone. If she keeps this up—book tours, diaper runs, 5 a.m. smiles—she could anchor Fox’s future. Burnout’s the risk; her net worth, pegged at $1 million (Celebrity Net Worth), cushions it, but her drive’s the real engine.

Verdict: Super Mom or Sleep-Deprived Saint?

Carley Shimkus’s 1:15 a.m. wake-up stuns because it’s bonkers—and brilliant. She’s a new mom, host, and author thriving on fumes, coffee, and love for Brock. Fans are split—half hail her as a hero, half beg her to nap—but she’s unfazed: “It flies by,” she says of her shifts (Daily Mail). Is it grueling? Hell yes. Glorious? Absolutely. The real question: how long can she keep this up before the coffee runs dry? What’s your take—tough as nails or teetering on the edge? Sound off below!