baby

Why this hockey player's photo with her baby is going viral.

As most new mums can attest, when your baby cries, you answer.

It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re in the middle of doing, your baby literally gives zero f***s.

Canadian teacher and hockey player Serah Small found this out the hard way during a hockey match, when she found herself breastfeeding her eight-week-old daughter Ellie in the locker room in between breaks in the game.

Serah, 24, shared the sweet photo on her Facebook page, admitting she was a little apprehensive about posting it because of the way breasts have been sexualized.

“I have come to realise that it should not be something to be ashamed of but proud of,” she wrote.

“I have a really hard time feeding Ellie covered and have chose not to cover her at all. Although at times I feel the burn of judgemental eyes I feel more empowered than anything to be able to meet my babies needs the way my body intended.”

Like many first-time mums, Serah said she had a hard time accepting the changes to her appearance brought on by childbirth, but said she’s finally starting to feel a new appreciation for her body.

“I have really struggled with accepting my new body as I have always had that athletic build. I have played hockey my whole life and when I found out I was pregnant I signed up to play in two tournaments in March trusting that my body would just ‘bounce back’,” she added.

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“Well this weekend I played 4 games with a short bench and really learnt how different my body really is I felt slower and lost at first on the ice. My body wasn’t doing the things my brain thought it could. But I have never been more proud of myself and my body.”

Her photos were also shared by Milky Way Lactation Services, a Canadian lactation consultancy firm, where she attracted praise from other mums.

“As a former NCAA hockey goalie and new breastfeeding mum to a 3 week old girl, THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PICTURE I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!” commented one person.

Serah said her milk came in while she was whizzing around on the ice, and she quickly realised she’d forgotten her breast pump.

“I felt my milk come in and leak as I played and between periods I would strip down to feed my 8 week old babe,” she said.

But she has no regrets about any of it.

“Being a mum is absolutely amazing and I’m so happy I got to do something I absolutely love while still meeting my babies needs.”

Can you have sex while breastfeeding?