FLY Entertainment artiste Jaime Teo is used to playing different roles as an actress but nothing quite prepared her for a real-life role as a mother.

The 33-year-old, who is married to former radio presenter Daniel Ong, gave birth to baby girl Renee on April 8. Like all new parents, Ms Teo has to contend with the lack of sleep for now, having to wake up several times at night for feeds and diaper changes.

She says the longest stretch of uninterrupted sleep she had since giving birth was two and a half hours.

Despite that, she is clearly enjoying her new responsibilities. She says: “Just looking at Renee makes the tiredness and inconveniences disappear.” She gushes about how she felt “an overwhelming amount of love” when she held Renee in her arms for the first time.

Becoming a mummy has given her a new purpose and meaning in life. She now thinks more about the future and has started looking at insurance and study funds for baby.

She also makes sure she eats healthily as she is breastfeeding Renee. “I try to take more proteins and complex carbohydrates now because nursing requires more of these food groups,” she says.

Her new role also requires her to pick up skills like the right way to breastfeed a baby. “I had expected breastfeeding to come naturally but was alarmed at how difficult it was! Eventually I sought professional help from the lactation consultants at Thomson Medical Centre, and discovered what I was doing it incorrectly.

“Things are much better now and the lesson I learnt is to ask for help!”

She adds: “It’s odd how the thought of stopping breastfeeding didn’t occur to me. I think it ties in with wanting to give Renee the best, and we all know the benefits
of breast milk for mother and child.” Ms Teo hopes to breastfeed Renee for at least a year

This article was first published in The Straits Times.