Hilary Duff shares never-before-seen pictures of her home birth to daughter Mae
Hilary Duff has shared some intimate pictures from the birth of her third child, Mae.
In a new Instagram post, the former Disney Channel star posted several photos of herself giving birth to her daughter. Duff and her husband, Matthew Koma, welcomed their daughter in late March in a home water birth, which she said wouldn't be a breeze if it wasn't for her "support system."
"Feeling ready to share some photos of Mae Mae’s birth day," Duff wrote on her Instagram.
"For me to feel safe during birth and get to where I need to go, it’s crucial to have the right support system. The perfect amount of space, counter-pressure, humor, stillness and people that support my power," she added.
The Younger star also gave credit to her husband, her mother, and Younger co-star Molly Bernard, who were all there to witness the special day. She called Koma "the most calm anchor in the room" and Bernard "an extraordinary doula" who stayed by her side.
Adding, "She quite enjoyed the fact that I was sitting on doggy puddle pads as my water had broken hours before. My own mama was there to make all the snacks and watch with a big nervous smile as her baby brings her a new grandbaby earthside. The help that I have to support my other children while I am not able is maybe the most comforting thought of all. All hands on deck. Forever lol."
She called the birthing process—regardless of how a mother brings a baby into the world—"hard work."
"From getting pregnant, to c-sections, hospital or home births, the breast feeding journey (oy vey that one gets me every time) and raising these little beings responsibly to be stand up, confidant, kind citizens of the world. It’s completely consuming. A tedious, magical, miraculous adventure," Duff mused.
To end her message, she celebrated all mothers. "So cheers almighty mothers. You make mountains move daily," Duff said.
In an episode of Dr. Berlin's Informed Pregnancy Podcast last May, the singer-actress opened up about the end of her pregnancy and home birth. She said that she wanted to share her story because she "loves hearing others birth stories."
"It’s absolutely amazing and fascinating to me that women are capable of such tremendous things…. hope this helps another mama as listening to these amazing interviews further educates and inspires me," Duff exclaimed.
She revealed that she wanted her eldest son, Luca, to be present during the delivery because she is "big on being open and honest with him about how strong women are and what childbirth looks like."
"He knows all about periods and it’s important for me to normalize that conversation with him for all the women that are going to be in his life," Duff explained, adding, "I want him to someday, when he’s ready to have a child with his partner or wife or whatever, I want him to be able to respect the way that she wants to be able to have a baby, and if that’s at home, that can be at home, if that’s in a hospital, it will be hospital," she said. "There’s many different ways."
Banner image from Hilary Duff's Instagram (@hilaryduff)