Kelly Hughes first model to show caesarean section scar on Sports Illustrated cover

Kelly Hughes has made history in Sports Illustrated’s annual Swimsuit Issue, becoming the first model to expose her c-section scar in print.

Kelly Hughes has made history in Sports Illustrated’s annual Swimsuit Issue, becoming the first model to expose her caesarean section scar in the iconic magazine’s 58-year history.

The 42-year-old proudly showed off the scar above her pelvic bone while posing in a string bikini for the spread, produced in collaboration with pregnancy and post-partum brand Frida Mom.

Sharing the shoot to Instagram, the US model and mum-of-one explained that she’d had a difficult C-section recovery and used to be self conscious about the scar — despite the fact that one in three babies are born in America via C-section.

“I am speechless and so honoured to be in @si_swimsuit 2022 as the FIRST woman to expose her C-section scar in [the] magazine’s history!” she wrote.

“This partnership with @fridamom #paywithchange partnership to normalise and embrace the changes with a woman’s body, especially when becoming a mom is so amazing to be a part of.

“I struggled with insecurities from scar being that I’m a model and my incredibly difficult recovery but it wasn’t until I ‘embraced my scar that I experienced the true power in it’.”

Opening up further about how much the spread meant to her in her Instagram Stories, Hughes, whose son is now three, said she “held a lot of pain” and “a lot of insecurities” around her scar.

“We all age, we all have insecurities, we all have things in life that we would maybe just change, but when it comes to birthing, that scar means so, so much to me because it’s my son,” she explained.

“It’s everything that means everything to me.”

US model and mum-of-one Kelly Hughes. Picture: Instagram

“It’s everything that means everything to me.” Picture: Instagram

After giving birth to her son in December 2018, Hughes opened up about planning to have a vaginal birth, but after 38 hours of labour she still hadn’t dilated past 7cm, and her doctor decided to perform a C-section to keep the baby safe.

“I wanted to share my birth story because we all have a plan and no matter what it is when it comes to birthing nothing really matters in the end except a healthy baby and a healthy mommy,” she wrote in an Instagram post at the time.

“To me a C-section was the worst thing you could tell me. I had a healthy pregnancy, studied this amazing plan, gone to classes, recommended this plan to many friends and believed in it.

“I had a vision of how birthing was going to be and I was so excited to experience it. I was willing to cave on some things but a C-section was not one I even thought of being a possibility.

“Nevertheless my baby was born absolutely perfect so I forgot all about it.”

“I had a vision of how birthing was going to be and I was so excited to experience it. I was willing to cave on some things but a C-section was not one I even thought of being a possibility”. Picture: Instagram

Within days of returning home, however, she experienced “excruciating pains” and vomited for 48 hours before returning to the hospital — where doctors discovered she had a serious infection in her uterus from the surgery, and would need another operation to fix it.

“All of this pain doesn’t compare to the pain of missing out on these special first days with my boy, not being able to comfort him, bond with him, and breastfeed him,” Hughes said, calling her son’s visits to the hospital the only thing that kept her going.

“No matter what happens or what you have envisioned there’s always so much to be thankful for and nothing wrong with whatever type of labour you have.

“We have to be willing and open because labour is out of our control our bodies are all different and having nothing to prove or feel shame for.”

Hughes explained that she’d had a difficult C-section recovery and used to be self conscious about the scar. Picture: Instagram

“It wasn’t until I ‘embraced my scar that I experienced the true power in it’.” Picture: Instagram

Her SI shoot coincides with the magazine’s first Pay with Change initiative — vowing to only feature ads from brands that show a commitment to supporting women’s empowerment and gender equality.

Frida Mom founder and CEO Chelsea Hirschorn, whose business is the “first official Pay with Change” partner, said the magazine has “a valuable platform to disrupt the traditional narrative around women’s bodies — especially those they feature who are mothers”.

“We’re thrilled that Sports Illustrated Swimsuit appreciates the importance of highlighting these women authentically — C-section scars and all — and welcome the progress we will make together as a result of this shared commitment,” she added.