Hilary Duff just welcomed her fourth baby. But her romance with Matthew Koma almost didn’t happen.

After announcing her pregnancy in December last year, Hilary Duff welcomed her fourth child on May 3, 2024, her third with husband Matthew Koma. 

The How I Met Your Father star shared the happy news on Instagram on Tuesday, along with photos of her home water birth.

Watch: Hilary Duff's December 2019 wedding. Post continues below.

"Townes Meadow Bair, now we know why she made us wait so long… she was perfecting those cheeks!" wrote Duff. 

"I have been dreaming of holding you in my arms for months and the past five 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. 5/3/24."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hilary Duff (@hilaryduff)

The news comes months after Duff revealed that she and Koma were extending their family of five to a family of six.

“Surprise, surprise,” Duff captioned an image of her family Christmas card on Instagram where she's holding her pregnant belly. 

"So much for silent night...Buckle up buttercups, we're adding one more to this crazy bunch. The Duff, Bair, Comrie Crew.”

For reference, Matthew Koma is actually a stage name, with the American singer/songwriter and disc-jockey's true last name being Bair.

Duff and Koma already have two daughters - five-year-old Banks Violet Bair and three-year-old Mae James Bair - as well as Duff's firstborn son, 12-year-old Luca Cruz Comrie, from her previous marriage to Mike Comrie.

Aside from being Hilary Duff's husband, Koma is a successful musician. He's the lead singer of the indie band Winnetka Bowling League, and before that, he was a solo artist who toured with artists like Ellie Goulding, LMFAO and Owl City.

It was actually his musical talents that led him to Duff in the first place. 

The two first met back in 2015 when she asked Koma to help with her fifth studio album Breathe In. Breathe Out. 

At the time, Duff had separated from former hockey player Comrie, whom she was with for six years.

Hilary Duff captioned the announcement, 'Surprise, surprise!'. Image: Instagram @hilaryduff.

Duff and Koma officially started dating in 2017, and were in an on-again-off-again relationship for a few years before deciding to pursue something long term.

"We knew we just had to be together because we tried a bunch of times to be apart, and that didn't work out for either one of us," Duff told People in 2021. "And then the third time was the charm."

Duff's firstborn, Luca, instantly took a liking to Koma. 

"Matt was going trick-or-treating with us, so we showed up to Matt’s house and he was dressed as a full-blown Donatello Ninja Turtle and Luca was like, ‘You’re gonna be my best friend'," Duff told People. 

In 2018, Duff and Koma had their first child together, with the 'Younger' star giving birth to her daughter Banks Violet Bair on October 25, 2018.

Duff and Koma's christmas card. Image: Instagram @hilaryduff.

Two years later, she announced on Instagram that she was expecting once again, writing: "We are growing! Mostly me…" Their second daughter, Mae James Bair, was born on March 24, 2021.

In between the births of their two daughters, Koma and Duff decided to get married. 

Koma got down on one knee in May 2019, proposing at a park near their apartment in New York City. 

Seven months later, they wed in an intimate ceremony just a few days before Christmas.

The couple tied the knot in 2019. Image: Instagram @hilaryduff.

The wedding was held in the front yard of their Southern California home. 

"Our wedding isn’t over-the-top ‘wedding-y’—it’s more understated and for me, that’s more powerful," Duff told Vogue. 

Koma was accompanied by Luca to the altar, and Duff held Banks in her arms as she walked down the aisle in a Jenny Packham dress.

Four years later the spark is still strong. 

Koma and Duff aren't shy when it comes to sharing details of their life on Instagram — in fact, Koma is a huge romantic.

The couple have shared photos of their anniversary celebrations, Valentine's Day, gifts they've given each other and even Polaroid photos of their most special moments. 

Recently, Duff wrote a beautiful tribute to her husband for his 36th birthday. 

"Matthew- here are some of my favourite pictures reminding me of all the happiness and exhaustion we plow through together. This family loves you so much - I love you so much - Happy 36 my love, I’m right behind you. Thanks for making me laugh like no other and making sure to be everywhere all at once for us. My forever leg tangle," Duff gushed. 

Duff and Comrie officially divorced in 2016. Image: Getty.

Before meeting Koma, Duff married Comrie in 2010 after dating for three years. A few months after saying 'I do', Duff and Comrie announced their pregnancy, and Duff gave birth to Luca on March 20, 2012.

Two years later, however, they announced their separation, stating that they would still work together to raise their son. The two officially divorced in 2016.

Being in the spotlight and dealing with fame from a young age, some expected Duff to struggle with the transition to motherhood. But she told the Motherly podcast it was what she's always wanted. 

“I had been working for such a long time that it felt like a natural step for me and I always knew I wanted to be a mum. I always knew that was going to be my number one priority in life," she said. 

"So I felt ready on some fronts and a little scared on others, but really I only got scared once I was pregnant, thinking, like, ‘Oh, this is actually really happening. What if this? What if that?'."

 Hilary Duff's career so far. 

She shot to super stardom thanks to Lizzie McGuire. Image: Getty.

The 36-year-old’s claim to fame was thanks to Disney Channel, when she played erratic yet relatable teen Lizzie McGuire. The role was such a success that about 2.3 million viewers would tune in per episode.

Seizing the opportunity in front of them, Disney decided to sell Lizzie McGuire merch, which included books, dolls, toys and video games, resulting in $100 million worth of revenue. 

What followed was a series of roles in mainstream films, such as Cadet Kelly, Agent Cody Banks, Cheaper by the Dozen, A Cinderella Story and of course, The Lizzie McGuire Movie.

Duff was a certified It Girl, even forging a music career, with many crediting her for inspiring other Disney stars like Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez to release their albums.

After her contract with Disney came to an end, Duff pursued movie roles that were more 'grown-up', but unfortunately, none of them took off at the box office. 

This was the start of a string of bad luck for the actress, who was nominated for Worst Actress at the Razzie Awards three years in a row. 

Things started looking up however after she took on a role in the television show Younger, which saw her nominated for two People’s Choice Awards. 

She's currently starring on the Emmy-winning sitcom, How I Met Your Father, which she also helps produce, but it has been cancelled after two seasons. 

This story was originally published on December 13, 2023, and has since been updated with new information.

Feature Image: Instagram @matthewkoma.

Do you enjoy a weekend away? Take our survey now to go in the running to win a $50 gift voucher.