Hilary Duff Shared Mae’s Incredible, Raw At-Home Birth Story and Photos

In a series of powerful photos shared to Instagram, Hilary Duff is opening up about the at-home birth of her second daughter.

Duff and husband Matthew Koma welcomed Mae James Bair back in March, making their 2-year-old daughter, Banks Violet, an official big sister. The Lizzie McGuire actress also shares her son, Luca Cruz, age 9, with former husband Mike Comrie. All were present at the time of Mae’s arrival, including Duff’s mother and her Younger co-star Molly Bernard, who doubled as her doula on the big day. The mom of three gave them all a shoutout in Mae’s birthing story and she also cheersed to “almighty mothers” for making “mountains move daily.”

For me to feel safe during birth and get to where I need to go, it’s crucial to have the right support system, Duff began her July 13th post. The perfect amount of space, counter-pressure, humor, stillness and people that support my power.

Multiple shots were of Koma supporting Duff through labor, including a few photos of him comforting her from behind and another of them sharing an intimate moment while she’s on a medicine ball. The actress spoke very highly of Koma, crediting him as her “most calm anchor” when she felt like she was “climbing the walls.” 

She continued to thank Bernard for not only being her coach but a lifeline of laughter during Mae’s birth: “She quite enjoyed the fact that I was sitting on doggy puddle pads as my water had broken hours before.” Duff also gave a big thank you to those who watched Banks and Luca while she and Koma prepared for Mae’s arrival, including her own mom, whom she says was awed to witness “her baby bring her a new grandbaby earthside.”

Lastly, the Raise Your Voice star took a moment to acknowledge that the journey to becoming a mother is hard work, and it’s never-ending. 

“This is hard work…every way a woman brings a baby in is. 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,” she penned.

Moms truly are superheroes, and Duff’s vulnerability to share Mae’s “birth day” story with the world is going to help somebody and start a conversation. As she wrote, “So cheers almighty mothers. You make mountains move daily.”