"New reason to appreciate my body" - When Justin Verlander's wife Kate Upton recalled having 'hard time' while shooting during first trimester

Justin Verlander's wife Kate Upton has always been an outspoken model highlighting societal issues revolving around fashion and the modeling world. The supermodel has made the cover of Sports Illustrated four times, with the latest coming in this year's issue celebrating the legendary magazine's 60th anniversary.

Upton and the Houston Astros ace started dating in 2014. Two years later, the duo got engaged in 2016. The following year, after the Astros won the World Series, they tied the knot in Tuscany, Italy on November 4, 2017. Six months later, Upton revealed she was carrying their child.

On August 12, 2018, Upton posted a photo in lingerie. In the caption, Upton shares her experience during her first trimester of pregnancy, mentioning that she was very sick at the time but pushed through the photoshoot with the help of a supportive team.

"I was so sick in my first trimester and it was really hard to get through this shoot, but I’m so grateful I had such a great team around me and now I have a new reason to appreciate my body! #ConfidentBeauty" Upton wrote in her caption.

Kate Upton also credited the members who helped her during the photo shoot at the Yamamay Christmas Grand Hotel. This included her hair-stylist Franco Gobbi, makeup artist Maud Laceppe, stylist Vittoria Cerciello, and photographer Giampaolo Sgura.

In November 2018, Upton and Justin Verlander became parents to daughter Genevieve “Vivi” Upton Verlander.

Justin Verlander's wife Kate Upton speaks about her journey to fitness post pregnancy

After giving birth to her daughter, two years later on Jan. 23, 2020, Kate Upton spoke about her post-pregnancy journey where she mentioned issues new mothers face in their journey to get back into shape. She first touched upon the mental hardships that every mother faces, before sharing her personal journey to regain her fitness.

"I tried to push myself early to get back to the gym, eat perfectly and try to achieve this alleged snap back," Upton wrote in her caption. "But, after realizing how ridiculous these pressures are I quickly gave myself some slack and lived in the moment as a new mother."

"Every woman needs to give their body time to heal and to soak in those early, precious moments. I realized quickly that between breastfeeding, healing, little-to-no sleep, off-the-charts hormone changes and experiencing everything for the first time that those weight-loss pressures are extremely unnecessary, and I decided to turn my energy towards my family."

Four years later, Kate Upton would go on to be featured on the Sports Illustrated's SI issue.