Hayley Erbert reflected candidly on motherhood following the arrival of her first child with Derek Hough.
Taking to Instagram on Saturday, April 11, Erbert, 31, shared a carousel of four images that captured daughter Everley, born on December 29, 2025, being doted on by her professional dancer mom. The photos were accompanied by Erbert’s heartfelt musings.
“My love. My girl. My world. Motherhood is even more complex and contradicting than I could have ever imagined. It feels like living in two places at once. Where joy and heartache can both be true, all of the time. My heart is constantly bursting open, while also breaking into a million pieces,” Erbert wrote. “I find myself celebrating every little bit of your growth, while quietly grieving the version of you that existed just moments before.”
Hough, 40, shared news of his daughter’s arrival via Instagram on January 5. “Everley Capri Hough 🤍,” the Dancing With the Stars judge wrote alongside a black-and-white photo of his and Erbert’s hands cupping their baby’s feet. “Every step of our lives has led us to you. Our hearts have been cracked wide open and our world is forever changed.”
Hayley’s post also reflected on how her own world is adjusting to the “beautiful contradiction” that is motherhood. “This pull between holding on and letting go, between wanting time to slow down and knowing it never will,” she explained. “If this is the dichotomy of motherhood, then I’ll try my best to meet it with open arms. Soaking in every little detail, every version of you, every fleeting moment we have together.”
She concluded the post, “I love being your mom. I love you beyond, Everley. I have truly never felt a love like this.”
Hough was one of many who shared support on the post, writing, “😢❤️My girls,” in the comments section. Fellow DWTS personality Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy also wrote, “So beautifully said!!!” while Daniella Pashkova commented, “The best🥹💜.”
Erbert and Hough started dating in 2015 and announced their engagement in June 2022 before tying the knot the following year. After almost two years of marriage, Erbert announced her pregnancy via Instagram in July 2025.
“We can’t believe the biggest thing to happen to us could be so small,” she captioned a video that showed Erbert holding sonogram images.
The couple also shared their baby’s birth via social media, too, posting footage from Erbert’s home delivery via the social media platform on January 29. In the clip, Erbert was seen sitting in a birthing pool surrounded by candles inside the couple’s home as Hough stroked his wife’s hair.
The footage also showed their daughter earth-side, with Hough sharing a kiss with Erbert in the moments that followed.
