Hayley Erbert Says She’s “Forever in Awe” as She Shares Final Baby Bump Photos
The dancer reflects on survival, loss, and strength as she counts down to motherhood with Derek Hough
Los Angeles, December 30 EST: There is a particular kind of quiet confidence that shows up when someone has been through hell and made it out the other side. You can feel it in the way Hayley Erbert is showing up online right now, pregnant, glowing, and deeply aware of what her body has pulled off.
In a new set of photos shared just days before she is expected to give birth, the dancer posted a simple caption that landed with unexpected force. She wrote that she is “forever in awe” of her body. No hashtags. No performance. Just a statement that carries the weight of everything she has survived to get here.
If you have followed Erbert’s story over the last couple of years, you know why that line hits harder than your average late-pregnancy reflection.
The Photos Feel Personal For A Reason
The images themselves are disarmingly intimate. Think Polaroid snapshots rather than a glossy maternity shoot. Erbert cradles her baby bump in soft light, smiles to herself, and stands in what looks like everyday corners of her life. The photos track her pregnancy over time, less “reveal” and more memory keeping.
According to People, that was very much the point. There is no attempt to package the pregnancy as aspirational content. Instead, it feels like someone taking a breath and saying, look what my body managed to do.
That tone matters. In an era where celebrity pregnancies often arrive wrapped in sponsorships and styled to within an inch of reality, Erbert’s approach feels refreshingly grounded. Fans are responding not because the images are flashy, but because they are recognizably human.
A Pregnancy That Carries History
This baby has been openly described by Erbert and her husband, Derek Hough, as their “rainbow baby,” a term used for children born after pregnancy loss. The couple previously experienced a miscarriage, something they have spoken about with care rather than spectacle.
As reported by Parade, that loss reframed what this pregnancy means to them. It is joyful, yes, but also layered with memory and vulnerability. That emotional context has followed every update they have shared, making even small moments feel significant.
Fans of Dancing with the Stars have watched Hough grow up in public, from prodigy to judge to husband. Seeing him and Erbert step into parenthood has landed as a full-circle moment for an audience that has tracked his life beats for years.
The Health Crisis That Changed Everything
And then there is the part of this story that still feels hard to believe.
In late 2023, Erbert suffered a sudden and life-threatening brain bleed that required emergency surgery. Doctors removed part of her skull to relieve pressure, a procedure that saved her life but launched a long and uncertain recovery. Months later, she underwent another operation to replace that portion of her skull.
According to Us Weekly, the situation escalated rapidly, leaving little time for processing what was happening. Erbert has since spoken about how close she came to a very different outcome, sharing updates that were raw and unfiltered in a way that resonated deeply with fans.
Earlier this year, while pregnant, she marked the second anniversary of that surgery. In reflections shared with E! News, she called the baby growing inside her a miracle, a word that in this case feels earned rather than rhetorical.
So when Erbert says she is in awe of her body, it is not a platitude. It is a statement rooted in survival. This is a body that failed, was repaired, relearned how to heal, and now is carrying new life. That context transforms what could have been a generic maternity caption into something far more resonant.
Savoring The “Lasts”
In the weeks leading up to her latest post, Erbert and Hough have been quietly documenting the final moments of their life as a couple of two. Over Christmas, they shared photos by their tree, calling it their last holiday as “just you and me” before becoming parents.
According to People, the post struck a chord because it avoided sentimentality while still acknowledging the shift ahead. There was no big announcement energy. Just a recognition that everything is about to change.
Shortly after, the couple shared another small but meaningful moment. They spotted a rainbow in the sky and took it as a hopeful sign as they wait to meet their rainbow baby. For a pair shaped by both loss and recovery, the symbolism felt personal rather than performative.
Why Fans Are Leaning In
Part of what makes this moment land is timing. Conversations around body autonomy, recovery, and the realities of pregnancy are more visible than ever. Erbert’s message slots neatly into that cultural moment without trying to capitalize on it.
She is not presenting her body as flawless. She is presenting it as capable. That distinction matters, especially to fans who have followed her health journey and know how much was at stake.
For now, there is no announcement about the baby’s arrival. But the tone of these final photos suggests readiness, not anxiety. Gratitude, not fear. A sense that whatever comes next is something she has already proven she can handle.
As it turns out, the most powerful part of Erbert’s post is not the pregnancy itself, but the perspective she brings to it. This is not just a countdown to motherhood. It is a quiet acknowledgment of everything it took to get here.
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A bi-coastal pop culture critic and former indie screenwriter, Gia covers Hollywood, streaming wars, and subculture shifts with razor wit and Gen Z intuition. If it’s going viral, she already knew about it.
