Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps Welcomes 4th Son & His Shirtless 1st Photo with Baby Sparks Debate

Michael Phelps welcomed his fourth baby with his wife and shared a photo of their new bundle of joy. However, the recent snap of the dad of four sparked heated reactions from the public.

Iconic Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and his beloved wife, Nicole Michele Phelps, recently welcomed a new addition to their family. A couple of hours ago, the parents took to Instagram to share an endearing family image of the two of them with their new son, Nico Michael Phelps.

In the picture, a shirtless Michael is seen securely cradling precious baby Nico as he and Nicole lovingly gaze down at him. Many had much to say when they saw the post depicting a sweet family moment.

Some pondered why the 38-year-old was shirtless while holding his baby boy. In this regard, one person expressed: "Most people have a shirt on. No jealousy, just strange, no??" Another asserted: "No shirt?? Anything for more attention!" Someone else commented: "It's a beautiful picture, but he's def the star, not [the] baby."

Although some found it bizarre that Michael held onto his son while being shirtless, others felt otherwise. One Instagrammer explained: "Lots of new parents practice skin on skin to promote self-regulation & bonding." Similarly, another social media user stated: "It's about fathers bonding with [their] newborn."

Another defended the medal winner: "[The] Phelps family can do what they want." A fan of the swimmer gushed: "He managed to win everything [in] the pool, and now he wins...outside it too by having a lovely family of 4 little boys 😍."

With Michael and Nicole's new son, they now make up a beautiful family of 6 with their three other sons, Boomer, Beckett, and Maverick Phelps. Last year, before Nico was born, his doting mom shared they were expecting. Nicole posted an anniversary photo of the two of them where she showed off her baby bump and confirmed they were expanding their family.

Michael and Nicole have been married since 2016, after meeting in 2007. Following a few years of on-and-off dating, the couple got engaged in 2015.