Breastfeeding in public has been a very controversial topic. To think women are often made to feel ashamed to do in public is something that should be so natural. Shouldn’t breastfed babies be able to eat in public just like bottle-fed babies?
This is why we are applauding Sports illustrated for celebrating motherhood, using their swimsuit catwalk to advocate for breastfeeding in public. During the Paraiso x SI Swimsuit show, they featured a mother–Mara Martin who walked the runway while breastfeeding her five-month-old daughter, Aria. From a pool of 16 finalists, Mara was selected by Sports Illustrated at Miami Swim Week through an open casting call. With Aria in hand wearing a green bikini and a diaper with soundproof headphones to protect her precious little ears from the noise, Mara walked the runway in a gold bikini pulled down on one side to accommodate breastfeeding.
It so happened that Mara’s baby was sleeping peacefully backstage while nursing. And so Mara was asked if she wanted to walk the runway while continuing to nurse. So she went for it!
Though it wasn’t intentionally planned, it was so refreshing to see breastfeeding being shown with no shame and no apologies. Immediately after the show, the breastfeeding model-mom took to Instagram to share a personal message about what breastfeeding on the runway meant to her.
She wrote, “Words can’t even describe how amazing I feel after being picked to walk the runway for @si_swimsuit. Anyone who knows me knows it has been a lifelong dream of mine. ‘I can’t believe I am waking up to headlines with me and my daughter in them for doing something I do every day.”
