Hilary Duff: Mum bullying is isolating

Hilary Duff found becoming a mother very isolating.

The 27-year-old has son Luca, three, with estranged husband Mike Comrie. While the singer and actress loves being a parent, the criticism she's felt from her peers has been hard to take at times.

"Even before you have your baby, you can start feeling the judgment," she explained to ET Online. "And, you know, becoming a mother and that whole process is so special and so magical really, but it's also very isolating."

Hilary has joined forces with her older sister Haylie, 30, who welcomed her first daughter Ryan Ava in May, to try and combat mother-to-mother bullying. They have become part of the Sisterhood of Motherhood campaign by Similac, which produces baby products including formula.

The campaign aims to bring mothers together without judging each other. Hilary recalled to the outlet some of the harshest criticisms she faced from others.

"The biggest things that stand out for me was choosing to have an epidural. I felt very judged by some people," she admits.

"Also, once I had breastfed for a certain amount of time and I was starting to work and starting to supplement with formula, I felt judged then."

The former Lizzie McGuire star finds it strange that new mothers seem to be expected to know exactly what to do at all times.
"I think a lot of the times you feel like you should have all the answers and you feel like you should know how to do everything and nothing should go wrong," she added. "You put so much pressure on yourself, and it's really kind of a lonely place to be. So I think women and families need to boost each other up instead of, you know, bullying one another."

The sisters are very close, and they dream of one day being pregnant at the same time.

"We'd still like to do it together at some point," she laughed. "Try to time that out right."