Ashley Graham breastfeeds newborn son Isaac in her first ever magazine shoot since giving birth

Ashley Graham has unveiled her first ever magazine shoot since giving birth to her son Isaac in January – and she’s seen nursing her newborn in the stunning images.

The 32-year-old model looks sensational as the cover star for Harper’s Bazaar UK’s July issue, which was shot by her husband Justin Ervin in her home state of Nebraska, where she’s been staying with her family since the COVID-19 lockdown.

And in the accompanying interview, the brunette beauty admitted that while she’s spent much of her career espousing the value of body positivity, she struggled with the physical changes she experienced after discovering she was pregnant.

‘That was the wildest part,’ she said of adjusting to the changes. ‘I thought, “What about the things I’ve told myself? What about the affirmations I’ve gone through?”

‘None of these mattered because my body was changing so rapidly. It really took me some time to figure it out mentally, because it was like there was an alien taking over my body.’

However, the joy of motherhood hit the star as soon as she learned she was expecting: ‘I was so excited. I knew immediately I was going to be a great mom,’ she told the glossy publication. 

And while her husband of ten years proved to be the best man to do the job when it came to her cover shoot, Lincoln native Ashley admitted that he was left almost twiddling his thumbs when it came to their son’s home birth. 

She recalled: ‘Justin wanted to be as helpful as possible, and the midwife told him: there’s nothing you can do, nothing! I was in the pool, and I looked over to see him in the kitchen cutting up meat and adding seasoning, because it was all he could do…’

Appreciating the value of having a supportive spouse on hand during the baby’s arrival has led the star to campaign against stringent coronavirus protocols at hospital, which require women to be alone while giving birth. 

‘If I hadn’t had my midwives or even Justin in the room, the whole experience would have been a very different one for me,’ she explained of her stance.

Amid the pandemic, Ashley and Justin took up her mother Linda Graham’s offer of leaving New York City in favour of spending lockdown in her home state of Nebraska.

‘She [Ashley’s mother] talked us into it,’ admitted Ashley. ‘She said, “It’s 20 hours, let’s just go and I’ll drive all the way.” I thought we’d only be away a couple of weeks.

‘Justin had just made a lamb roast, and he said, “We’re not throwing this away”, so we put it in the back of the car and that was what we ate on the trip.’

Ashley found settling back into life in the Midwest seamless, as she was able to continue working while taking care of her adorable little bundle of joy. 

‘We’ve figured out how to shoot my podcast, Pretty Big Deal, remotely,’ she said. ‘But I’m also handling newborn stuff every day. The good thing is if I tilt my computer screen upwards, I can feed the baby without anybody seeing.’

She’s also embracing the extra layer of meaning her unplanned time back home with her son and husband has given her.

‘The silver lining is having all of these incredible, special moments with Isaac, and the nostalgia of being with my son in the home I grew up in,’ she told the magazine. ‘I’ve had time to focus, and I’m so grateful.’

Ashley has even written a letter to her son about the experience, which reads in part: ‘Even though we miss our NYC home, we’ve had the unexpected opportunity to temporarily raise you in the house where I grew up, with the company and help of your loving grandparents.

‘Whenever I’m here, I’m reminded of the values my mother instilled in me that I hope to teach you: trust your faith, always treat people with kindness, generosity and respect, and practise gratitude every day.’

And while she’s enjoyed being around family in a personal sense, she also got the enjoy their professional value when it was time to shoot her new magazine cover. 

She said: ‘Justin saw this one little white house on a hill, and that became the focal point for the whole shoot. I did the styling and help art direct.

‘Michael [Ashley’s mother’s boyfriend] was Justin’s PA, lighting man, assistant, the guy who did the Starbucks run.

‘My mom was taking care of Isaac the whole time, carrying him in a front-facing sling, but she was also holding a light reflector. Everyone knew their role, but man, it was a lot of work!’

There was also much nostalgia: ‘We took one picture inside my grandfather’s truck. He passed away six years ago and my mom left everything inside the same, from his ChapStick to his licence in the visor and the money in the ashtray.

‘I remember looking at the photo and thinking, “This is so cool. The four of us put this together, and it’s so cinematic.” It’s a beautiful moment to look back on during these weird times, and to remember that we had so much joy.’

Read Ashley Graham’s full interview in the July issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK, on sale from 3 June 2020.