Two months after welcoming her first child, Hunter McGrady is opening up about her experience with breastfeeding – and the plus-size model revealed that it’s been a challenging experience for her at times.
The new mom made a candid post to Instagram on Monday, where she features 724,000 followers, in honor of Breastfeeding Awareness Week. Hunter began the post by revealing she had high expectations for breastfeeding.
“I had this grand idea that I would give birth and Hudson would latch on, it would be beautiful, I would have an amazing supply,” she wrote.
However, she explained that from the get-go she struggled to nurse her son. Hunter revealed she experience cracked nipples as well as mastitis, which is inflammation of the breast tissue that can result in infection. It’s characterized by breast pain, swelling, redness, and warmth.
The model said she originally planned to breastfeed exclusively, but despite pumping and feeding throughout the day, Hunter explained her son was struggling to put on weight. Eventually, she was recommended to introduce formula to supplement breastfeeding.
Hunter went on to describe the experience as “difficult,” but added that she’s “proud” of how far she came. The new mom said it took her a moment to realize that breastfeeding isn’t about her. Rather, it’s about making sure her baby gets enough nutrients, whether that’s through breast milk, formula, or a combination of the two. Fed is always best.
Hunter originally welcomed her son in late June. She introduced the newborn’s arrival through her Instagram page by sharing an image of her son holding onto his mom’s finger. This was the first child for the model and her husband Brian Keyes, though he has an older child from a previous relationship.
The couple had announced Hunter’s pregnancy in March of this year. “After a tumultuous 2020, this feels like the rainbow at the end of the storm,” Hunter captioned the Instagram post.
Hunter’s pregnancy was not without challenges. In May, the Swimsuit Illustrated alum revealed her younger brother, Tynan, had died in a car accident. The 23-year-old was weeks away from graduating from San Francisco State University after studying computer engineering.
Additionally, Hunter has also revealed she contracted coronavirus while seven months pregnant. Discussing the topic on her Model Citizen podcast, the then-pregnant star said she believed she caught the virus during a photo shoot, which she said was the only time she was in public without a mask.
Despite having moderate symptoms, Hunter said she recovered quickly and went on to deliver a healthy baby boy.
Sources: Instagram @huntermcgrady, PEOPLE Magazine,