How Teigen refuted online claims she used surrogate for baby Esti

LOS ANGELES: Model Chrissy Teigen recently hit back at a troll who claimed that she and her husband John Legend welcomed their third child, Esti, via surrogate.

After the mom of three posted a photo of the newborn on Instagram on Sunday, a fan asked if she had welcomed the 3-month-old via surrogate, to which another follower replied that Teigen used a bump prosthetic "called a moonbump."

The "Cravings" author, 37, shared an image from her C-section to her Instagram Stories, along with the words, "Extremely realistic 'moon bump.'"

Teigen spoke with PEOPLE about her first cesarean section in March -- and why she was "so excited" about the surgery.

"I was kind of excited because I'm like, 'Yeah, I've done the vaginal thing twice. Let's try this,' " she said of her previous births with daughter Luna Simone, 7, and son Miles Theodore, 4. "I really love surgery."

"I like that I've seen both experiences," added Teigen, who shares her children with musician husband John Legend.

"The incision is a lot and you never know how your stomach's going to come together," she recalled of the surgery. "I think your organs are on the table for a second, but that to me is so cool. I was taking pictures above the seat. I have the craziest pictures of the cord and everything."

Though she is revelling in family life, Teigen also felt the need to stand up to social media trolls last month who scrutinized a photo she shared during a family trip to Italy. This showed Teigen and her husband, 44, walking around Venice with Esti strapped to the musician's chest.

In the picture, Legend is using a baby carrier to hold Esti, who is kept close to her dad while looking outwards.

One user commented on the photo suggesting that the couple was not using the carrier "right," tagging another user to "give them some advice" on how to wear it.

Defending her parental choices, Teigen replied to the user, asserting that "'right' is how she is comfortable."

"She doesn't like to be high and tight and likes to look around and see her daddy," Teigen said of Esti. "She is safe and happy."