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Hoda Kotb shares the maternity leave advice she gave to Jenna Bush Hager

Hoda encouraged Jenna not to take this moment for granted because it's such a special time.
/ Source: TODAY

Hoda Kotb has announced she’ll return to TODAY from maternity leave on Sept. 3, but before she gets back, she’s sharing her pearls of wisdom for the other new mom on the show.

Hoda called in to TODAY with Hoda & Jenna on Tuesday to tell guest co-hosts Sheinelle Jones and Willie Geist that she’s passed along some advice to Jenna Bush Hager, who just welcomed her third child — Henry Harold “Hal” Hager — on Aug. 5.

Hoda and Jenna got together last week with their kids, and Hoda said she was reminded of what makes Jenna so special.

“The reason that you’re such a phenomenal host and you’re so good at what you do isn’t because you practice, isn’t because you watch what other people do and imitate them," Hoda recalled telling her fourth hour co-host. "It’s because you’re you. Like, you’re more like people who watch TV than people who are on TV.”

Hoda, who has been on maternity leave since April, said she made sure to let Jenna know to soak in the experience of being home with kids on maternity leave.

“And that’s what makes her amazing, and when I’m sitting with her, it just struck me again. And I said all this time off that you take, all this time that you are enjoying with your children, will be reflected the minute you come back on the show,” she said.

“So, that’s what I was kind of telling her, I said, ‘Just enjoy it. And know that this is like a moment in time and you get to live it, so don’t spend it looking around worrying about what’s ahead.'"