Hilary Duff on Balancing Time With a Newborn and Older Kids

Hilary Duff is just trying to keep her head above water as a new mom of four!

The beloved Lizzie McGuire star shared some all-to-relatable snapshots from her busy life earlier this week lamenting the struggle of wanting to soak in all those newborn moments while still making time for her older kids, Luca, 12, Banks, 8, Mae, 3, and herself.

“Never want to forget this and also the amount of time it takes is so complicated with so many other kids,” Duff wrote over the photo on her Instagram story of her breastfeeding her newborn Townes. “Right now it’s diapers and noise and dog vomit and packing endless snacks and putting out fires,” she added in another post.

Image: Hilary Duff | Instagram

Known for her candor, Duff was frank with her fans on Instagram, sharing another black-and-white photo of her snuggling baby Townes with the caption, “I was very tired here. Because this s— is hard.”

Image: Hilary Duff | Instagram

The How I Met Your Father star isn’t the only parent who struggles to find new balance after welcoming a new member to the family with older kids. It’s a familar struggle that plenty of parents weigh in on in the comments. “How can you not kiss those cheeks constantly? She’s such a doll,” wrote on fan in response to Duff getting in all the newborn kisses. “Hope you get some shut-eye soon,” added another.

Thankfully Duff has her husband Matthew Koma to help out and spread the love. “You do it so well - you endlessly go for us - say yes to us- protect us- never miss a moment big or small,” Duff wrote in a post honoring Koma on Father’s Day. “You’re the only one that could handle us. We love you the biggest and the most.”

Duff first shared the arrival of her newest addition on May 7. “Townes Meadow Bair, now we know why she made us wait so long…She was perfecting those Cheeks,” Duff captioned intimate black-and-white photos of her newborn and her water birth.

Traditionally a masculine name of English origin, Duff colored outside the box by naming her daughter Townes—an ideal for the little one who makes everywhere feel like home—and the moniker seems to fit perfectly.

“I have been dreaming of holding you in my arms for months, and the past 5 days of getting to know you, stare at you and smell you has been pure moments of magic. We all love you like you’ve been here all along beauty,” she wrote.

Friends, family members and fellow Disney stars chimed in the comments to send their congratulations. “Congrats!!! She’s perfection. I’m so happy for you guys!! I am in awe of you woman,” Suite Life of Zach & Cody star and mom of two Brenda Song wrote. “Townes you are the cutest and coolest already,” added a pregnant Ashley Tisdale.

Duff and Koma used their Christmas card to announce they were expecting baby number four back in December 2023. “Surprise, Surprise,” Duff captioned photos of the card on Instagram. “So much for silent nights,” the card read. “Love, the Duff-Bair-Comrie Crew.”

The front featured a family photo with Thomas coffee cup in hand and Duff sporting a baby bump, looking shocked as 4-year-old Banks hangs from her bed’s rafters, 2-year-old daughter Mae sits on the ground with a guitar and 11-year-old Luca sits playing video games in a chair.

Duff also shared the back of her holiday card, which included solo shots of all three of her kids, captioned, “Buckle up Buttercups, we’re adding one more to this crazy bunch!”

Friends, fans and celebrities sent their congratulations in the comments, including love from Mandy Moore, Vanessa Lachey and Jenna Dewan. Koma also shared the exciting news on his Instagram, reposting the family’s holiday photo. “Baby #4 is loading…” he wrote, jokingly tagging the location of his picture as “Vasectomy clinic.”

Duff shares her now three daughters with Koma, and son Luca with ex-husband Mike Comrie. Duff and Koma tied the knot in December 2019 after dating for close to three years.