Hilary Duff shares open letter to ‘friends’ as she nears the birth of her fourth child

Hilary Duff has a message for her friends as she nears the end of her fourth pregnancy.

Several days ago, Duff posted a photo of herself getting acupuncture, as well as several other photos of her “slow week.” In the caption, Duff said she was “gently trying to give baby the eviction notice.”

Duff and her husband, singer Matthew Koma, announced they were pregnant in their Christmas card in December. This is their third child together, Duff’s fourth overall.

In the comments section, many fellow moms shared their own stories of giving birth after their respective due dates. “Most of mine wait until after the due date, there was one that came on her due date hours before she was to be induced. Good luck,” one commenter wrote.

“As a midwife- You have got this,” another commenter added. “Your body knew how to grow your baby and it knows how to birth it! You have a sweet family. Not long now till baby is in your arms. You look beautiful!!!”

And although Duff was honest about her desire to “evict” her growing babe, she had to issue a statement to her followers days later.

“Hi friends,” Duff wrote on her Instagram Stories, “This is meant in the kindest tone (I promise). I am no longer responding to texts or dms about ‘when baby is coming!’”

“I know everyone is checking in with love and humor, however, trust me nobody wants it more than me,” Duff continued. “Babies come when they are ready. I am trying my best to be patient! The days are long and uncomfortable. Promise I will let you know.”

According to Parents, “only 4% of pregnant people give birth on their due date,” most of which are only an estimate.

As Parents reports, due dates are not an exact science. It is calculated from the day of conception, which for many is not always an easy date to accurately determine.

Because of that, “a more general and accessible guideline to follow is to count 40 weeks from the date of your last menstrual period.” But again, as Parents points out, “this method assumes you ovulated on day 14,” and that’s not always true for all women.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, most women “give birth between 38 and 41 weeks of pregnancy.”