Hunter McGrady Says 'Society' Viewed Her Body as Too 'Unhealthy' for Pregnancy: 'I Was So Nervous'

Hunter McGrady/Instagram

Hunter McGrady is reflecting on the misconceptions surrounding pregnancy as a plus-size woman.

The new mom, 28 — who welcomed her first baby, son Hudson Tynan, with husband Brian Keys in June — graces the cover of Health's January/February 2022 issue, in which she tells the magazine that, as a plus-size model, she tried not to focus on her weight throughout her pregnancy.

McGrady says that before her pregnancy, she was nervous visiting the doctors because "society" told her that her "body was unhealthy" and she would have difficulty getting and staying pregnant.

"I've become more bold when it comes to my body and doctors," she says. "In the past, I'd go in for an earache and they'd say, 'You should lose weight,'" she explains. "So, early in my pregnancy, I told my doctor that I didn't want to discuss my weight unless it became a real issue to me or the baby. When I'd get on the scale, I'd tell them I didn't want to know the number."

"As someone who came from disordered eating, I've worked too long and hard to care about what that number is," McGrady adds. "My doctor was on board with it, and I had a healthy pregnancy until the end, when I got preeclampsia."

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RELATED: Hunter McGrady Supports Plus Size Pregnant Women in Powerful Post: 'Your Body Is Equipped'

The Sports Illustrated swimsuit model shares that she had to "meet myself again" during her pregnancy and appreciate her body "in a different way."

"Maybe it's because of the way society treats pregnant women. All of a sudden, people say you're glowing and fabulous," McGrady says in the interview. "And then postpartum happens, and everyone asks when you're going to lose weight — there's that whole bounce-back culture."

"You're not sleeping, you don't even know your name — you can't think about bouncing back. It made me realize that throughout life, you have to meet yourself over and over again, because your body does change—and that's what's beautiful about it," she says, adding that she's grown to "love being called plus size."

Hunter McGrady/Instagram

During the course of her pregnancy, the star opened up about the lack of representation for plus-size pregnant women in a powerful Instagram post back in April.

"Being plus size the representation already falls incredibly short, but being plus size AND pregnant? Forget it," McGrady wrote alongside a pair of mirror selfies showing off her bump. "When I embarked on this journey I was excitedly googling pregnancy, plus size pregnancy, bump pictures, updates, all the things! However, I never saw myself represented."

"There aren't any plus size pregnant women on magazine covers, advertisements, television, or even the brochures at the OBGYN office. It's almost as if we don't exist, like we're an anomaly," she added. "I'm here to tell you that you are not a 'one off' you're not wrong for being plus size and pregnant, your body is equipped for this."

Concluded McGrady, "Wherever you are on your journey just remember how wildly worthy you are to experience this and enjoy every moment of it just as anyone else."