That Mama: ‘Lion Mums’ Star Nurul Aini, Actress and Mama to Three Kids

That Mama Nurul Aini of Singaporean TV drama Lion Mums talks pregnancy, mama beauty hacks, and Instagram

Nurul Aini is a mama to two kids (with another one on the way), actress on the massively popular Channel 5 show Lion Mums, presenter, entrepreneur, and Estée Lauder film muse. How does she juggle all these roles and still have time to look like her amazing self? It’s clear that a lot of us are intrigued about how this successful, stunning mama manages to do it all. She also has a huge Instagram following of 156k and is always happy to share about her life. Read on for a bit more insight into Nurul’s family, marriage, and how she actually manages to juggle it all!

Can you tell us a little about yourself, your career and your family?

I am 37 this year. I’ve been in the entertainment industry for 17 years as a host and actress. I am married with two kids and another on the way. My son, Shan Ehan, is 9 years old, and my daughter Shaista Eman is 7 years old.

Can you talk us through your career, pre- and post-baby?

Pre-baby, career wise – I guess I had more freedom. More time to do and accept the jobs I wanted to. I could even travel alone for work without having to feel guilty. That changed after I had kids. I constantly miss my children and I can’t be away from them for too long. My husband will always support me with whatever decision I make when it comes to my career and it helps a lot, but I still put my children first before my career. I love my job but kids — they grow up super fast, you will miss out on a lot if you are not there during their younger years.

How did you get back into the swing of things after having kids?

I love working. As in, I cannot stay at home and sit still. I will always find something to do, so it was pretty easy going back to work after having a baby. I only have to be expressing my milk every few hours everywhere I go.

Read more: Expert Tips on Breastfeeding When You Return to Work

You’ve got a new baby on the way, any tips for making sure you get enough rest as a new mother?

I haven’t known the meaning of rest ever since I became a mum, haha! The only time I get to sleep for eight uninterrupted hours is when I travel for work. But if you are asking for tips, then maybe try to nap whenever your baby naps. Don’t think too much about the laundry or anything else. Get the husband to help out with that. Baby naps all the time, so if you can have your rest during those brief periods, it will help you get energized.

How do you save time? What are your organizational tricks and tips?

A trick I have to save time is to be alert and always have enough sleep. Sleep is VERY important to me! It makes a difference even on your skin. I put my kids down to sleep at 8.30pm and when they are asleep, I will also sometimes go to sleep at 9.30pm. I am talking about now at this current stage of pregnancy. I need my sleep. I will sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and won’t be able to go back to sleep but that’s only because I am getting bigger and it’s getting uncomfortable. But yes. Sleep is super important to me. I love to sleep.

I wish I had more time for…

Myself!

I always feel saner after….

A good massage.

Favourite kid-friendly activity in Singapore?

SuperPark Singapore.

Favourite kid-friendly restaurants in Singapore?

There are so manyyyyy now, I don’t have just one favourite!

Read more: Our Favourite Kids Eat Free deals in Singapore

Favourite family-friendly holiday spot in Asia?

Japan.

Do you have any advice for carving out one-on-one time to spend with each child?

I think it makes a big difference when you bond with one child at a time. Dedicate a few hours for each child at any time. I do that all the time with my kids. You don’t have to be doing a specific activity together. It can be a simple lunch together, or sometimes I bring my daughter for events. I like that we can talk about girly stuff and she can share her thoughts about what she sees around her. My son loves the outdoors so I love to bring him to the park for cycling or sometimes just a short walk to the nearby shop can make him happy.

Do you have any tips for keeping the romance alive in your relationship?

Be friends instead of spouses. My husband and I — we act more like friends than spouses and it works for us. We give each other the space when each other needs it. I let him go on holidays with his friends, and he encourages me to take time off to meet my friends whenever I want to. The trust is very important. Also, we are not clingy. I don’t expect him to be around me all the time as his job requires him to be available for his clients at any time of the day. It works for us. But we still go on dates at least once a week. It can be the movies, or dinner.

Any favourite date night restaurants?

Since I got pregnant and I try to avoid putting on make-up, we love Netflix and eating on the bed. BEST DATE NIGHT PLAN EVER.

What are your top beauty tips for mamas?

Clean your entire face before going to bed. Moisturise! The Estée Lauder Advance Night Repair works best for this. I’ve also moisturised my entire body every day for many years. It makes a big difference.

What are your top beauty tips for mamas? Do you have any favourite holy-grail products?

My holy-grail product is the Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair. I started using it because I was challenged to do a 21-day challenge using the eye serum. I was amazed by how well it moisturises and prevents ageing. From there, I started on the Advanced Night Repair and I fell in love with the product ever since.

Tell us about your five-minute makeup routine:

Makeup remover, cleanser, Advanced Night Repair, eye serum. That’s all!

What’s your favourite family ritual?

Hmmmm… We don’t have a ritual but we have reading time every night at 8pm, where everyone in the house sits down to read for 30 minutes. And if they come across anything interesting in their books (facts or anything), we encourage sharing with everyone.

I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about….

At present moment? When am I giving birth.

My favourite moment of the day is…

When the kids are home from school and they are sweaty and eager to tell me about their day.

Thanks Nurul for your time and for sharing your pictures of your gorgeous family! All the best with the arrival of number 3!