Irina Shayk has opened up about embracing her body after becoming a mother.

The Sports Illustrated model wrote a piece for Harper’s Bazaar published on Thursday in which she responded to trolls who had criticised her for continuing to model after the birth of her daughter, Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper, in 2017.

Irina shares the six-year-old with her ex Bradley Cooper, whom she dated from 2015 to 2019.

“Motherhood definitely shined a light on me, (like) ‘Oh, you’re a mother, you’re busy, but you still have time for yourself and you don’t have to change who you are.’ Sometimes I wake up and I feel cute and I think, ‘Oh, should I put these pictures out on social media?’” the model began. “One voice says, ‘Oh, but people will say, you’re a mother.’ And I’m like, ‘But what does it mean?’”

Using Emily Ratajkowski as her “example”, Irina described the My Body author as “always sexy and feminine and all about loving your body”, adding, “Maybe I’m not so vocal about it, but I’m totally on the same wavelength: You’re a mother, but it doesn’t mean you cannot go outside in a tiny little skirt or put a sexy picture up.”

She continued, “I’m so busy. We don’t have a nanny, so between trying to run my career, cook, clean, dress my daughter, bring her to school, and do all the mom stuff, I have no time for people’s opinions.

“Why on earth would I click and read 2,000 comments? I kind of don’t rely on it. I have my friends, my family. They love me, and I know who I am.”

– Cover Media