Hilary Duff has explained why she wanted her young son to watch her give birth to her second at home.
The 35-year-old mother-of-three discussed her home birth on a parenting podcast, and why she wanted her son to be involved in the delivery.
Duff - who shot to fame as the star of Disney Channel show Lizzie McGuire - has been a vocal advocate for homebirth, having welcomed both her daughters, Banks and Mae, at home.
The actress and singer's decision to have a home birth was not without its risks, and she did admit that a lot of careful consideration and planning went into the decision. However, for her, the benefits of having her family present during such a monumental moment far outweighed any potential risks.
Speaking to Kelly Clarkson on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Duff revealed that her uncomplicated delivery with son Luca left her feeling as if she didn't necessarily require medical intervention, and that a home birth for her second child was the right decision for her family.
"You're bringing a baby into the world, that's some of the hardest work anybody can do. And they don't let you have water in the hospital, or food or snacks and you're about to work the hardest you've ever worked to push a baby out," Duff said, via Today.
But at home, the 'How I Met Your Father' actor revealed she snacked on sushi in bed, and that she kept a glass of rosé in her room for her to sip on after the arrival of her baby.
She continued: "It's kind of the most hippie dippy thing about me, to have my kids around while I'm birthing. At first I thought it was really weird - but it was beautiful to bring another member in with everyone around."
As for why Duff wanted her son to be present during her home birth, she said to Dr. Elliott Berlin on the Informed Pregnancy Podcast: "It was kind of important for me because I'm really 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 also added that her son 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." Evidently, Duff is a powerful advocate for women's health and empowerment, and it's great that she's imparting this knowledge onto her son.
