Molly Sims gets candid on motherhood, why she put Hollywood on hold

When Molly Sims married Scott Stuber in 2011, she was eager to take on the role of mom, even if it meant putting her career as a supermodel and Hollywood actress on hold.

“You know, I started older,” the 44-year-old told Fox News. “I had my first baby when I was 39… I’ve done a lot in a very short amount of time. It’s like a record. Three kids in five years. But I think because I was older and I met my Prince Charming a little bit later in life that I definitely had to buckle down… We weren’t able to have a real family if I didn’t take a little bit of a step back in my career.”

Sims, who once wore a $30 million diamond bikini for the 2006 issue of Sports Illustrated, is happily embracing domestic bliss being a hands-on mom to three children under the age of five.

Still, she admitted it can be a struggle at times. It’s the reason why she chose to share the ups and downs of becoming a parent on her YouTube channel. Sims insisted she never hesitated when it came to being open with fans about her personal challenges.

“I think it’s who I am,” she said. “And I also want to be real with them. I don’t want to sit around and say, ‘Oh, I eat McDonalds and eat M&Ms all day long.' Nor do I want to be like, ‘I’m perfect.’ I think we all struggle. And I think in the world of the perfect Instagram or Facebook post, it’s just not real.

"I mean, yes, we try to make it look amazing, but I think it’s really important to be honest and to know that I’m going through something you might be going through… I've never had a baby before. I’ve never been married before. I’ve never been in this situation where my son fell and hit his head. So I think in that way, it’s so important to be honest.”

However, Sims is aware not every new mom is willing to openly discuss their challenges. It compelled her to recently host the LiveHealth Online summit in New York to share the importance of postpartum care.

The site allows mothers to speak with doctors for medical advice on a computer or mobile device. Sims insisted it makes it easier for many new mothers to seek help without the guilt or shame.

“Sometimes we forget about a lot of mothers who don’t even realize they don’t feel well or they’re not doing well postpartum,” she explained. “It’s like you’re off on this journey by yourself… [And] I think a good key piece of advice for moms is [take] care of yourself. And I mean that."

Motherhood may not be all glitz and glamour like her early years as a sought-after cover girl, but Sims wouldn’t have it any other way. And these days, she’s focused on sharing her Southern values with her family, though she is living in Los Angeles.

“I’m really Southern,” said Sims. “I grew up in Kentucky, a place called Murray… [My mom and dad] raised me with really good morals. Mr. and Mrs. and thank yous. Respecting your elders. You know, the South gets a hard knock every now and then because you know, we have a little bit of an accent [and] sometimes people think we’re not as smart as we are.

"But the South is really good. And you have some really loyal people and I love that I’m from there. I try my best to instill a little bit of my Southern values in my LA kids, which I think is really important. But it’s a nice place to grow up. And there are really great people in the South.”

As for Sims’ Kentucky drawl, that disappeared when she took on the role of James Caan’s daughter Delinda Deline in the hit TV NBC series “Las Vegas,” which aired from 2003 until 2008.

“I was not allowed to have an accent,” revealed Sims. “I worked very hard. So I would never call my mom the day I was filming because she’d be like, ‘Hey girl, how you doing!’ Yeah, I wasn’t allowed. So then you kind of just get used to it and it sort of goes away. But, I drink sometimes so the Southern drawl will come out.”

But Sims hasn’t completely left the spotlight. She wrote a new book, titled “Everyday Chic,” which is schedule to hit bookshelves in October. It dives into her love of decor and how being creative keeps inspiring her as a busy parent.

Hollywood will eventually come her way again, but for now, she’s perfectly content watching her children grow from the comfort of home.

“Yes, I do miss being on a TV show,” said Sims. “It’s a little bit harder to do a lot of different things and just one thing. But it wouldn’t allow me the family time that I have with them. And these years are short. I wouldn’t want to miss them.”