Kim Lim on why she hid her baby bump and life as a new mum
Why did she keep the pregnancy low-key? Kim Lim replies without hesitation: “Pregnancy is a very special time in a woman’s life and I wanted to enjoy it without having my Instagram followers or the public weigh in on something that personal. I wanted it to be a private affair right from the get-go.”
This she did by staying off social media for a good part of the nine months. The handful of Instagram posts she made during this period was generic and offered no hints at the bun in the oven. Lim describes it as “almost like a social media detox”, which helped to keep her calm and focused on staying healthy during the crucial months.
The pregnancy was smooth-sailing save for extreme nausea in the first three months. Things looked up at the end of the first trimester. This was when she started to crave local dishes such as mee pok and nasi lemak.
Like most expectant mothers, she started piling on the pounds. “I was worried but when you are pregnant, it’s not just about you anymore. Listen to your doctor and your body. Remember that the baby comes first, weight loss later!” Lim, who hits the gym four to five times a week these days, lets on.
And like other mothers-to-be, Lim worried about a host of other things. “I asked myself a ton of questions. Am I capable of taking care of a young baby? What if I don’t know how to stop him from crying? Or prepare a bottle of milk? A hundred what-ifs would cross my mind. At times, I would get really afraid.”
With the support of her close-knit family and husband BK Kho — whose details she wishes to keep private — Lim kept positive during the nine months. To prepare herself for Kyden’s arrival, she attended birthing classes and baby care courses at TMC. She read several books and researched topics extensively on the Internet. As an added measure, she also consulted friends with children to gain real-life insights into motherhood.
Another aspect of the preparation this fashion-forward millennial relished was shopping for her child. Kim Lim, who is the ambassador of premium baby store Motherswork, spent hours comparing and learning about baby products such as strollers, car seats, baby bottles and cots.
“It was fun to do research on all that. I read reviews online and asked my mum-friends for opinions. My weak spot? Let’s just say baby’s clothing is very hard to resist. It is quite possible Kyden has a larger wardrobe than mine!” she says with a laugh.
As part of her birth plan, Lim opted for an elective C-section. She says of the experience: “I was in good hands but couldn’t help feeling ultra-nervous. When the procedure started, I laid there in silence and suddenly heard this piercing cry. The doctor put Kyden in my arms and I was overcome with emotions. At that moment, I knew I would always do whatever it takes to look after him.”
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