Kate Upton gets real about her breastfeeding struggles

Kate Upton may be best known for her supermodel-ness and covering Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues but her role as mom is eating away at most of her time. She and husband Justin Verlander welcomed daughter Genevieve in November 2018 and now Upton is opening up about how motherhood is impacting her."Having VeVe has changed my life in such a wonderful way," Upton said in an interview with Editorialist. It's a learning curve but she's aware that she needs to be more gentle with herself on a daily basis and try to not succumb to the demands that can be put on a woman after having a baby. Kate admitted that during her post-partum months, there was "so much pressure to be doing all these things, like breastfeeding on the go — when the reality, for me, was that breastfeeding was sucking the energy away from me." That forced Upton to listen to what her body was telling her. "I realized I needed to calm down, to allow my body to recover."Four months after having VeVe (which is, btw, maybe the most adorable nickname ever), Upton posted a breastfeeding selfie on International Women's Day and captioned the photo, "Will cherish these moments forever," adding a heart emoji. "Can't imagine a greater superpower!" But that's what makes Kate a hero: knowing her limits. It's long been hammered in women's heads that "breast is best" but Kate is also aware that she needs to be in good, working condition to care and provide for her daughter. And if that means requiring bottle breaks in between nursing or stopping breastfeeding altogether, so be it. Whatever case, it's up to her.

 

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Will cherish these moments forever ? can’t imagine a greater superpower! #internationalwomensday

A post shared by Kate Upton (@kateupton) on Mar 8, 2019 at 12:54pm PST

Upton also revealed her desire to disconnect a little more; not completely, but dial it back. "I want to be enjoying my life, enjoying my family, not constantly trying to take the perfect picture,” she said. But if Verlander had his way, he'd be tossing her phone away. "We talk about it in the house all the time: 'Let's have a phone-free dinner.' We don't want [our daughter] thinking being on the phone is all that life is."Kind of ironic for someone who became famous after her attempt at "the Dougie" made her a viral sensation, followed by the "Cat Daddy" video, which has over 27 million views. Of course, that was when she was 18, 19. Kate's now a 27-year-old wife and mom and with those experiences comes growth and change and self-awareness, though it can be argued Upton has always boasted the latter.[video_embed id='5530409896001']RELATED: Kate Upton Doesn't Find Jay-Z or Kanye West Attractive[/video_embed]"Women are bombarded with this push to be perfect all the time," said Upton. "We went from Photoshopping covers on magazines to Photoshopping our everyday lives — you know, a picture of you at the grocery store. It's getting more extreme, literally people changing their face with plastic surgery. The industry has to be the trendsetter, to show there's more than just having the perfect brand or messaging. We don't need that in our lives. We need connections."Upton now knows exactly what to do if you want to shock people: "It's by just being yourself." And who better than Kate to look to for inspiration?Unplugging from the world a little at a time, telling it like it is, and knowing what's best for herself and her family, even if it might mean being judged or looked down on, those are the things that matter to Kate. She's authentic and honouring herself and others by speaking her truth, which is all we can ask for in a superhero.

 

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My daily motivation to spread positivity & empower one another. ❤️ #ShareStrong

A post shared by Kate Upton (@kateupton) on Dec 13, 2019 at 10:24am PST

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