Have no fear — I’m not here to spoil what went down on Game of Thrones this past Sunday. Instead, I have a story that’s way more heartwarming and a lot less dark. It turns out Yara Greyjoy can remember this last season as the one where she got to truly bond with her baby daughter.
Yara, a fan favorite character, is played by Gemma Whelan, who often gives fans behind-the-scenes news on Instagram. Even though the show wrapped up filming awhile ago, it happened to coincide with a very special time in her life. Whelan had her daughter in 2017.
But she didn’t let that heavy armor stop her from breastfeeding. Instead, she nursed her daughter while on set, even with her costume on.
New moms who choose to nurse are more or less on call when it comes to feeding. Like many things regarding motherhood, breastfeeding can be stressful and unpredictable. And that’s without having to film battle scenes.
And by the looks of it, she was battling when this photo was taken. It’s almost funny to see Yara Greyjoy at war with the elements and still smiling. This photo captures a special time in Whelan’s life.
“Enjoy tonight’s episode guys…!” she wrote on Sunday. “Yara’s got some big news.”
Just looking at her daughter is a great reminder that these actors filmed these final episodes quite some time ago. Still, this kid is going to be the coolest one around when she gets to tell her friends that she hung out on the Game of Thrones set.
As of this March, Whelan is still breastfeeding. “She BiiiiiiiG but she still loving the boob,” she wrote.
Whelan hasn’t been shy about posting her parenting adventure online. Even in the beginning, she admitted that she was a little clueless.
That’s probably why so many Game of Thrones fans love to follow her. She’s truly a warrior queen both on and off-screen.
And, it’s a good thing that Whelan keeps an active social media presence. Plenty of people feel like she just hasn’t gotten the amount of screen time she deserves this season.
But people think that might change in the last few episodes. It’s definitely important for Yara to have some sort of closure on the show.
Being a mom is literally a full-time job as-is. But Whelan is still keeping her schedule busy with a second HBO show called Gentleman Jack.
Just got around to watching the first episode of #GentlemanJack on #HBO. Within the first two minutes, I see the actress who plays Yara Greyjoy - Gemma Whelan - flawlessly playing a proper 19th century English lady. She's the Meryl Streep of HBO shows!
— Nick Ewertz (@ewertz) May 1, 2019
Let’s hope her wardrobe for that show is as versatile as the wardrobe for Game of Thrones. It’s hard to find good nursing tops, so it’s pretty amazing that they dressed Whelan in a top that let her nurse with little difficulty.
The photo is also important as it helps normalize breastfeeding. Whelan is one of the many celebrities who hasn’t been afraid to post breastfeeding photos online, proving that it’s a healthy and normal way to feed your child.
i LOVE seeing celebrities support breastfeeding !!! 🥰 #Breastisbest #normalizebreastfeeding ❤️
— nikki🖤 (@mamanikks) January 14, 2019
Other celebrities that have been open about breastfeeding include Olivia Wilde, Alyssa Milano, and P!nk. Even though breasts have the sole function of feeding our young, some people still find the act to be shameful.
How strong are women for naturally providing food for their young, after carrying them for the greater part of a year? Breastfeeding is pretty powerful.
And the fact that Whelan is still doing it after the one year mark? Even more so.
Every mother’s feeding journey is a little different. Some people have issues with nursing, while others overproduce. You never know what to expect until your baby arrives.
breastfeeding is so hard. Props to those who go for many months!
— •Dominique• (@dominekia) April 26, 2019
Luckily, it seems like Whelan’s fellow cast members just loved having such a tiny Game of Thrones fan on set.
Being able to bond with her baby while also playing such a badass character on one of the world’s most popular shows must have been a pretty rewarding experience.
For all of you GOT fans? Do you recognize this dirty-faced young lady breastfeeding her baby? It’s Yara Greyjoy in full makeup during filming of Game of Thrones. I just love that!!! pic.twitter.com/mW42gjAnv4
— dad to dogs (@WmDeanFrench) May 1, 2019
And, who knows? That kid might actually know how the show ends. Good thing she’s too young to spoil it for the rest of us.
