Swimsuit model praised for breastfeeding daughter on Sports Illustrated catwalk

A new mother has won plaudits for modelling on a catwalk while breastfeeding her five-month-old daughter.

Mara Martin wore a gold bikini while she walked down the Sports Illustrated swimwear catwalk, after landing a spot in the top 16 of an open casting run by the magazine for Miami Swim Week.

Ms Martin was joined by other unique models, including a paralympian who wore a prosthetic leg.

Posting online after the show, Ms Martin wrote: "Wow! WHAT A NIGHT! 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 life long 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. It is truly so humbling and unreal to say the least. I'm so grateful to be able to share this message and hopefully normalise breastfeeding and also show others that women CAN DO IT ALL!"

She also lavished praise on other women who she believed to be more deserving of the attention, and thanked Sports Illustrated.

She added: "THANK YOU for letting all 16 of us be our true selves, strong beautiful women!!! Because of you, my daughter is going to grow up in a better world, where she will always feel this way!!!!!!

"Lastly, to every single woman that rocked that runway with me. Be proud. I know I am of you! You all have inspired me in ways unimaginable. I love you all!!!"

Ms Martin's daughter Aria wore noise-cancelling headphones to prevent ear damage from the noise of the catwalk.

Sports Illustrated swimsuit editor MJ Day said the decision to send her down with her baby feeding had been "spontaneous".

Ms Day said: "I saw that Mara's baby was sleeping and peacefully nursing. I asked Mara if she would want to walk and continue to nurse.

"She said 'Oh my gosh, yes! Really? Are you sure?', and I said 'Absolutely!'

"I loved the idea to be able to allow Mara to keep nursing and further highlight how incredible and beautiful women are.

"For me, I nursed two babies myself, so I find it to be one of the most powerful things the female body can do. It was the easiest decision I have had to make in months."

Ms Martin was met with praise on social media, with comments including one which read: "When I become a mother, I pray the stigma around breastfeeding will be gone. And if it is, it will be BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE @_maramartin_ and MOMENTS LIKE THIS!!"

Others called it "absolutely beautiful", though there were some who thought it blurred the lines of where breastfeeding at work became acceptable.

One said: "Like if I pull up through the Starbucks drive through should I be prepared to be served by a breastfeeding woman, or if I'm at the gynaecologist would it be appropriate if my doctor came in with a baby on her breast nursing? who's to say where the line is anymore?"

Two-time Paralympic gold medallist Brenna Huckby also walked the Miami Swim Week, with her prosthetic.

She was the first Paralympian to be featured on a cover of Sports Illustrated, before the 2018 games in South Korea.

Posting on Instagram, she wrote: "I'm imperfectly perfect, if I listened to my insecurities I wouldn't post this picture (then again I wouldn't have walked in the show) but like most negativity in life, it's wrong. Do you boo!"