Tottenham Hotspur star James Maddison has announced the arrival of his newborn twins - Delilah and Rome Maddison - both born on July 2.
While most people offered their congratulations and well wishes to the England ace and his model girlfriend Kennedy Alexa, others couldn't help pointing out a certain detail about the picture the 26-year-old used to announce their arrival.
The attacking midfielder posted an adorable snap from hospital, where he's holding the newborns in either arm, while still in a theatre scrub hat. But some people couldn't get over the fact that he was topless in the picture, and cruelly shamed him for it.
One person asked: "Why is he posing like he gave birth to them?" while another commented: "Shirt off like he just gave birth," and a third adding: "Dads taking newborn baby photos whilst topless will always be funny to me."
In a similar vein, another asked: "Why the f**k's he got his shirt off?" with one person adding: "Bit weird that."
However, others leapt in to defend the footie star, with one person explaining: "Skin to skin contact is apparently important when your partner gives birth. Don't know why, it's just what they say! It's more common than you clearly think. When you have kids you'll probably know more about it."
Another commented: "The hate Maddison is getting for taking his shirt off is mad. Skin-on-skin contact really helps a newborn."
Unfortunately, dad-shaming is a common issue, with some parents mocked for taking an active role in their children's lives.
According to a UK study in 2020 commissioned by Ginger Research, nearly four in 10 dads claim they have been unfairly "dad shamed" because they take an active role in their child's life.
The study of British men found that 38% of men said they had been made to feel less "manly" by others for being a "hands on dad".
In a recent example, James Bond star Daniel Craig was called out by Piers Morgan, who questioned his masculinity for carrying his newborn child in a baby carrier on his chest.
However, experts believe it's important that dads take an active role in their babies lives', especially as two-thirds of new dads admit to feeling "left out" in the early days of parenting.
One of the ways to create a bond early on is skin-to-skin contact, which can be very beneficial for this.
According to the National Institutes of Health, skin-to-skin contact "may help decrease parental anxiety and enhance the dependency relationship" after the birth.
A 2017 trial found that dads who did skin-to-skin for at least 15 minutes on the day their child was born, and the following three days, had stronger attachment to their babies than parents who held their babies with their newborns were clothed.
The research, which was published in the Journal of Nursing Research and Practice, also found that it helped the dad's understand the infant's needs, as well as lowering the stress levels of the parent due to the release of oxytocin.
Studies have also found that doing skin-to-skin on either parent exposes the baby to good bacteria, which helps them build a healthy immune system.
Registered midwife and co-founder of My Expert Midwife, Lesley Gilchrist, explained: "Skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth is important for many reasons, including developing the microbiome. Everybody has their own microbiome, which is made up of millions of different bacteria.
"Developing this microbiome, in conjunction with the environment the baby will be raised in, will help protect a baby against the bacteria and infections they are most likely to encounter throughout their life.
"From the day a baby enters the world, it is important that they come into contact with their local/unique flora and good bacteria, and the best way is for them to have skin-to-skin contact with their parents as soon as possible. Even if a baby is born via C-section, skin-to-skin contact within the first hour is recommended unless there is a medical indication not to."
