Hilary Duff Shares Emotional Video of the Moment She Met Daughter Banks After Home Birth
Hilary Duff and daughter Banks Violet had one sweet first meeting — and five months later, it’s prompting new tears everywhere.
In a black-and-white throwback video shot by L.A.-based birth and family photographer Rebecca Coursey (who’s also a doula!) that the Younger star shared to Instagram on Monday, Duff gazes down at her newborn daughter, whom she is cuddling while seated in a birthing tub right after Banks’ arrival.
As new dad Matthew Koma looks on, their baby girl, incredibly, reaches her arms up toward her mama’s neck, after which Duff’s smile grows even wider and she pulls Banks in for a gentle hug and kiss.
“I’ve been wondering for a long time if I would ever share this video as it is extremely personal … it was so absolutely lovely and rewarding (and shocking) that after giving birth to my baby girl we hugged … for the first time,” wrote the actress and singer, 31.
“In my mind I like to believe that she was saying good job mom. Go team go. We did it. Together,” Duff added.
Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Parents newsletter.
A post shared by Hilary Duff (@hilaryduff) on Mar 25, 2019 at 10:10am PDT
A post shared by Hilary Duff (@hilaryduff) on Mar 24, 2019 at 1:43pm PDT
Duff went on to praise her boyfriend, 31, and son Luca Cruz, 7, writing, “Matt provided such a safe calm strength, my mommy and sissy were there to cheer me on, and of course my birth angels to make sure all was well and big brother (downstairs deep in legos).”
“I cannot believe this day was only 5 months ago!! It seems like B has been here with us all along,” she added. “The time is already going so fast … she tried avocado yesterday! Anyway … feeling blessed for this full hectic life and all the people in it. Happy 5 months Banks.”
The former Lizzie McGuire star previously opened up about her home birth on Dr. Elliot Berlin’s Informed Pregnancy podcast, revealing in November that her daughter was born after “like, five pushes.”
“They hand her to me and I’m looking at her … and she reaches up both of her arms and curls into me … reaches up her arms right at my neck, as if to give me a hug,” she recalled. “I couldn’t believe how strong she was but it was so clearly a hug. … It made me feel like she was like, ‘Good team, Mom, we did it.’ ”
Smiles even through his sisters abuse lol #bestbigbro
A post shared by Hilary Duff (@hilaryduff) on Mar 20, 2019 at 11:10am PDT
RELATED VIDEO: Hilary Duff Shares the Official Moment She Found Out She’s Having a Baby Girl
Despite its challenges, Duff admitted of home birth that she “would totally do it again” and had a wonderful, supportive team by her side that included Koma, Luca, the family dogs and Duff’s mom and sister Haylie Duff.
And while Luca wasn’t present for the birth and “was not necessarily stoked to have a sibling in the beginning,” once he entered the room after Banks’ arrival, a “huge smile” crossed his lips and he showed a protective nature toward his new little sister, his mama told Dr. Berlin.
