On the other hand, the best advice has come from her mum. “She shared with my sister and I while we were both pregnant that we should continue to love ourselves and take care of ourselves even after we become mothers.” It hit home because “my mum is the most giving person I’ve ever met and she cares for everyone but herself.”
It’s important to have community in parenthood, Lim feels. In her case, she’s grateful not only for her mum but also for her younger sister, who became a first-time mother around the same time that she did.
“We have each other to rely on, which is extremely fortunate. And I wonder how women do it without support, or how our mothers did it on their own. My sister and I chat about everything every day and text or video call each other whenever we wake up for night feeds. It’s wonderful to have her support through it all.”
She’d previously shared with us that in the past, she had always been laser-focused on work, but being a mum has helped her grow to love who she is “as Rebecca Lim the person, as opposed to Rebecca Lim the actress”. Part of that is now learning to be less harsh on herself, while at the same time, setting high standards for what matters most.
“I think I’m doing the best that I can” as a mum, she said. “There are definitely things I wish to improve on. I want to be a great example for him. To hopefully, one day, be a mother he’s proud to have. I also hope to be a lot braver so that he can also be brave as he faces challenges in life.”
With Love, Becks is available on demand for free on mewatch and airs on Mondays at 8pm on Channel 8.