These Gorgeous Clothes Were Designed for Breastfeeding

A Relationship Timeline For Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma

2013 — Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma Meet While Working On Breathe In. Breathe Out.

January 2017 — Matthew Koma Posts Date Night Pics of Himself and Hilary Duff on Instagram

A year after Hilary Duff got divorced from ex-husband Mike Comrie, Matthew Koma shared pics of himself and Hilary Duff looking cozy together on Instagram. He captioned the snapshots "Date night" and @rachie_griff7 wrote, "You and the Duff. Solid."

Although they didn't say anything about it, it looks like his Instagram post came after they made the couple made their first red carpet debut at Entertainment Weekly's Pre-SAG Awards party on January 28, 2017.

February 2017 — Matthew Koma Dedicates A Valentine's Day Post To He and Hilary Duff

A couple of weeks later, Matthew Koma shared another Instagram post that showed he and Hilary Duff spending Valentine's Day together. It looks like they enjoyed a nice day at the beach and can be seen snuggled up next to each other.

June 2018 — Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma Announce They're Expecting First Baby Together

Eight months later, Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma excitedly shared they were expecting their first baby together on Instagram! Hilary captioned the picture, "Guess what guys! @matthewkoma and I made a little princess of our own and we couldn’t be more excited!!!!!!🤰🏼👶🏼🎀" while Matthew posted the same image of his Instagram page with the caption, "We made a baby girl! She will be as beautiful and sweet as her mother... @hilaryduff another incredible chapter begins."

October 2018 — Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma Welcome Their First Baby

Four months after their announcement, the loving couple shared that their first baby had arrived. Matthew Koma shared of sweet picture of their family of three on Instagram and wrote, "Banks Violet Bair /// 10.25.18 /// We welcome a beautiful daughter, little sister, and best friend for life. Could not possibly be more grateful for our growing family and for the 🍊 who makes it all possible. Cloud ten."

May 2019 — Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma Get Engaged

Seven months after welcoming their first daughter together, the couple announced their engagement on Instagram. They looked joyful as Hilary held up her hand to show off her sparkly engagement ring. She sat down with the hosts of The Talk in 2019 to dish about Koma's proposal details and talked about the sweet way things went down.

She told them how he gave her an intricate scrapbook filled with a timeline of their love. "I get to the very last page, and there's a little piece that I have to lift up and my ring was inside. It was so sweet. It was really special and really simple, which is very much how we are and how we operate. Then it started raining, and it was perfect," she said.

December 2019 — Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma Get Married

Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma exchanged vows in an intimate backyard wedding. Their debut picture as husband and wife garnered over 2 million likes on Instagram and seemed to capture their undeniable glow. According to People, Hilary's Younger co-star Molly Bernard and Matthew Kom's best friend Chris Mintz-Plasse were the couple's officiants.

October 2020 — Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma Announce Their Second Pregnancy

After experiencing almost a year of wedding bliss, Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma shared they were announcing their second baby together. It's safe to say this baby joined the ranks of other pandemic babies that were conceived during lockdown.

March 2021 — Hilary Duff Gives Birth To Mae James Blair

Hilary Duff safely delivered her and Matthew Koma's second daughter during a water birth and shared a cute snap of their family post-birth on Instagram. She wrote, "Mae James Bair- We LOVE you beauty 3-24-21" as her caption and we can't get over how blissful everyone looked.

December 2023 — Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma Announce Their Third Pregnancy

A year after celebrating their wedding anniversary, the couple announced they were growing their family again in a cute holiday picture on Instagram. We can't wait to see what other milestones are in store for the couple!

So, what is a doula?

Dr. Inglis said, "A doula assists in providing education, emotional, and physical support before, during, and after childbirth. They can also offer pain management techniques during labor." However, she wants to be clear that doulas are not medical professionals who can give you medical advice.

Lonix said, "A doula's job is to act as a barrier between moms and their providers. We're actually trying to develop relationships with them so we're considered a part of a mom's care team team instead of being listed as visitors." She said The Doula Network has professional referrals for the provider so everyone is able to be on the same page should mom need additional resources to navigate pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care.

What are the benefits of having a doula?

You can easily come across people who've shared their experiences with having a doula present during delivery, but it doesn't always mean you understand how one would fit into your own life. There could be several reasons why this is true for you, but Dr. Inglis explained that the medical industry contributes to that. She said, "We've been focused on physical, social, and behavioral health [in the medial industry]. We haven't always done a great job about diving into other areas of maternal health."

One of the ways Lonix helps moms who have doubts or concerns about working with a doula is to talk to them in person. She said, "We meet a lot of people who know what a doula is but have apprehension about it. The first thing I say to a mom is, 'Well, let’s meet.' A lot of doubt can be eliminated when they see you and feel the care we have for them."

According to a report by Elevance Health, moms who work with a doula have a lower prevalence of c-sections, higher chance of delivering vaginally after receiving a c-section (VBAC), and are shown to have a better postpartum experience.

How can moms find reputable doulas in their area?

It goes without saying that finding a reputable doula isn't always a stress-free or inexpensive task. In fact, Dr. Inglis said there's a reason for this. "Most doulas have never worked with an insurance company before. They’re not always working with the doctors either," she said. Elevance Health shared that this means only 6% of women in the U.S. receive doula care while another 40% are still unaware that doula care is beneficial. Sadly, this is because only 13 states reimburse for doula services.

However, Dr. Inglis said they are working hard to close the gap. "What we’ve done is build a lot more tools to help push the conversation forward. We try to put more information at people’s fingertips — including video and written content." This education looks like helping moms build a checklist of how to talk to their healthcare providers, how to look for a reputable doula in their areas, and how to see if they're eligible to work with one. "We're trying to empower people to feel like they're allowed to question their providers and ask for the support they want," stressed Dr. Inglis.

How does a doula help a mom and her partner prepare for labor?

Everyone's labor experience differs from the next person, or even their own prior births if they have more than one child. Lonix said, "It’s a lot of prep work beforehand and some clients are apprehensive if they’ve never done it before." Doulas, she said, are also there to help mom find her voice. " I tell my clients all the time, 'You have the right to tell your provider when you don't like or want something. You can even tell them if you need more clarity about something they've explained," continued Lonix.

When it comes to actual labor, doulas can help moms and their partners understand every aspect of it. "Doulas are there to say, 'Hey, it's okay. Breath' or we can help with body care,'" said Lonix. Something that she personally does is try to make sure a mom's partner will be with her during her prenatal appointments. "I let them know they can ask if it something is normal or not. Dads always take me up on that. During one mom's labor, I actually had to tell one dad 'Let’s take a walk and get some water' because he was nervous about what was going on. At the same time, we [The Doula Network] always try to remind our doulas it's about the clients when they're in the room," she said.

Like Dr. Inglis mentioned earlier, a doula's support can extend to postpartum care. Lonix said, "We can help make sure a client has support after she's given birth. Maybe mom needs a mental health referral. Whatever it is, we try to make sure she has access to it."

The Final Takeaway From Working With a Doula

Despite the barriers that don't always lead to a clear path between doulas and their clients, Dr. Inglis said she's extremely proud of the work The Doula Network is doing. Aside from that, she wants to highlight something not every mom is aware of. She said, "A lot of moms don't know they can receive benefits that cover everything from transportation to diapers! We're really working hard to create a line of sight for them so people can see that help is available if they need it."

Literary References In The Tortured Poets Department

Down Bad — "Did You Take All My Old Clothes, Just To Leave Me Here, Naked And Alone"

While "Down Bad" feels like a reference to aliens, it's also reminding us of the story of Adam and Eve, who were left naked in the Garden of Eden after eating the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The "experiments" Taylor Swift references in the first verse (plus the "Fortnight" music video) are also giving Mary Shelley/Frankenstein!

So Long, London — "You Left Me At The House By The Heath"

Hampstead Heath is a beautiful area of London that reportedly inspired C.S. Lewis to write The Chronicles of Narnia in the late 30s and early 40s. As Narnia's self-proclaimed biggest fan, I'm totally claiming this indirect literary reference, especially since the Pevensies have to stay at the Professor's house when they're evacuated from London.

I Hate It Here — "I Hate It Here So I Will Go To Secret Gardens In My Mind People Need A Key To Get To"

This Taylor Swift song is all about wishing she was somewhere else during an early period of her life, and referencing The Secret Garden makes total sense. In the book, lead character Mary has to access the Secret Garden to discover the hope, joy, and healing she's lost.

thanK you aIMee — "I Pushed Each Boulder Up The Hill"

This seems to be another Greek mythology reference, this time to Sisyphus. He was forced by the gods to roll a boulder up a hill — and then do it again when it rolled back down. Considering this song seems to reference Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, and the drama that led to Reputation, it feels like a reference to the feud that rears its head over and over again.

Cassandra — "So They Killed Cassandra First Cause She Feared The Worst And Tried To Tell The Town"

In Greek mythology, Cassandra (whose name means "she who entangles men," FYI) was a beautiful woman, and princess of Troy. The god Apollo falls in love with her, and gives her the power of prophecy — that is, until she rejects him and he turns the gift into a curse where no one believes her anymore.

The Bolter — "She Fell Through The Ice, Then Came Out Alive"

This is another indirect literary reference I'm claiming that totally reminds me of Amy March from Little Women. Amy falls through the ice when the March sisters are all children living in Massachusetts. Fans have historically hated her character, which is tied to the "A curious child, ever reviled // By everyone except her own father" lyric.

Movie References In Taylor Swift's New Album

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys — "I Felt More When We Played Pretend Than With All The Kens"

The internet has claimed Taylor Swift as the real-world version of Barbie, and after last year's blockbuster hit (and Taylor referencing Ken in "Hits Different") we get another nod to our favorite doll. Plus, this song reminds me of Syd from Toy Story destroying his toys, and "he was my best friend down at the sandlot" got me thinking about The Sandlot. So many movie references, so little time!

Guilty As Sin? — "How Can I Be Guilty As Sin?"

Taylor Swift wrote "Carolina" for the book-to-movie adaptation of Where The Crawdads Sing. In "Carolina," she sings that Kya's community has "said that I was guilty as sin and sleep in a liar’s bed.”

More Pop Culture References

• The Tortured Poets Department — Taylor Swift mentions poet & writer Dylan Thomas, singer-songwriter & poet Patti Smith, and American singer Charlie Puth, boygenius singer Lucy Dacus, producer Jack Antonoff.
• But Daddy I Love Him — This is a line in both The Little Mermaid and The Notebook.
• Florida!!! — Florence Welch is featured on this song, which mentions a hurricane. Florence + The Machine has a song titled "Hurricane Love."
• Guilty As Sin? — Taylor also references "The Downtown Lights" by The Blue Nile, as well as the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus in The Bible.
• Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me — Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf revolves around a bitter and aging couple who weaponize the youth of their guests against one another.
• loml — "The coward claimed he was a lion" is a reference to The Wizard of Oz, while "Mr. Steal Your Girl" is a Trey Songz track.
• I Can Do It With A Broken Heart — This whole song is about Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.
• The Alchemy + The Prophecy — In Taylor Swift's TIME interview, she references Harry Potter, which has huge themes around alchemy and prophecies.
• Clara Bow — This song references Clara Bow, Stevie Nicks, and Taylor herself!
• So High School — Taylor Swift Mentions video game Grand Theft Auto, Artistotle, and American Pie. She also mentions games like Kiss Marry Kill, Truth or Dare, and Spin the Bottle