It’s hard not to be mesmerized by Cheryl Neufville. Just one click over to her Instagram feed will leave you scrolling for hours, devouring not only her stunning portraits of motherhood, but the poetic words that accompany them as well. We sat down with the mother of two and certified doula to chat about navigating self-isolation in new motherhood—it’s so common!—the advice she’d give to moms preparing for birth (that she follows herself), and her summer plans.
Name: Cheryl Neufville
Children: Naomi and Sloane
Occupation: Birth worker and content creator
For those not lucky enough to know you, tell us a little about who you are and what you do.
My name is Cheryl, and I am a birth worker, content creator, and the mother of two beautiful girls. I am originally from Boston and became a professional dancer for a season before I was led to become a birth worker. Since jumping into birth work, I have helped women locally and internationally deliver their babies in a safe and positive environment.
Alongside my birth work, I have a passion for content creation and have built an audience of amazing women and mothers around the world by sharing my personal experiences, tender parenting moments, and maybe a couple dance moves on my journey! As both a content creator and birth worker, I center my work around marginalized communities, becoming a strong voice and offering safety on my platform and through birth work. I love to create beauty, life, and art out of whatever is around me in any of my current roles and whatever I may take on in the future.
How did you become connected with Solly?
I became connected with Solly Baby after I had my first child. Wearing my baby is very important as it keeps me close to both my baby and my culture. Given that she was so small, I felt like it was the safest way to carry her while allowing us special time to bond and connect. I bought my first Solly Baby Wraps during that time and fell in love with the material as it has the perfect stretch and softness for myself and my little one.
Can you share a bit about your babywearing journey and why the practice is important to you?
My babywearing journey goes back to when I was a baby! My mom wore me as it is rooted in our culture, and there are various forms of wearing your baby, including being worn on both the front and on the back. Babywearing was something that I always knew I would do with my babies as well. I think that children won’t get tired of being held close, as it’s an important and amazing way to bond and create safety and stability between mother and baby. It also allows me to move around while staying close, which is helpful for the day-to-day.
These wraps aren’t just functional—they’re poetic. They invite parents of all backgrounds to embrace softness, connection, and the sacred rhythms of their daily lives. To feel beautiful while babywearing. To carry their little ones and themselves with reverence.
As a doula, how do you see babywearing supporting moms postpartum?
Babywearing is such an amazing way to connect with your baby and to create a bond with them. The combination of hearing mother’s heartbeat and skin-to-skin contact is an amazing way to connect with them as a parent while still being able to get to daily tasks as a person.
What was the inspiration behind your Cherry print?
This collection is a love letter to the beauty and richness of motherhood—its sweetness, its tenderness, and its quiet strength. The Cherry print reflects the fruitfulness of this season of life. Inspired by the deep reds and warm tones of ripe summer cherries, it symbolizes both abundance and softness—the juicy, fleeting magic of early motherhood and the enduring roots we grow beneath it.
Cherries are a nod to childhood too—simple joys, sticky fingers, backyard trees, and summer days that stretch on forever. But they’re also bold, vibrant, and full of life. Just like the mothers we carry and become. This print honors the duality of being both soft and strong, sweet and grounded, vibrant and steady. It’s a reminder to savor the sweetness in even the smallest moments—the morning snuggles, the quiet rocking, the crumbs on the counter, and the love that grows in between.
These wraps aren’t just functional—they’re poetic. They invite parents of all backgrounds to embrace softness, connection, and the sacred rhythms of their daily lives. To feel beautiful while babywearing. To carry their little ones and themselves with reverence.
What do you remember about the summers of your childhood?
My greatest memories of the summers are the barbecues, being outside playing double Dutch and basketball with my brother until the streetlights came on. The thing I remember most about summer is the freedom and playfulness that comes with it as a kid. Everything feels warmer and brighter when you’re able to slow down and use your imagination to create your own world!
What will your summer look like as a mother of two?
The best way to describe life these days is that my hands are full, my heart is full, and I think my summer will be full too! I think our summer will be really playful and fun with lots of time for my girls to connect. I hope we get to spend it outside, playing in the grass, and taking the time to be together! This moment, having two girls is something I’ve always wanted, so my goal and my hope is that the summer is as wonderful for them as it is for me and for them to remember how it feels. I know they’re young and will likely not remember this summer (I know I don’t remember everything from my childhood), but I remember the feeling (especially when I feel a warm breeze or smell rainfall on the pavement) and the memories that go along with them! I think this summer is going to be a really special one!
What’s a time in the last week that your heart has been full?
Seeing my mother as a grandmother. I was watching her with both of my daughters, and at that moment, I couldn’t believe how full circle it was. Just the thought that she was just holding me and now is holding my second daughter—it’s something truly special. At a family gathering, my mom invited a family friend that she hadn’t seen since she was pregnant with me and watching them realize that not only was she a mother, but now a grandmother, it was a sweet reminder of how life moves so quickly!
What’s something that surprised you about motherhood?
Being in your body during pregnancy, giving birth, experiencing nursing, and how much your actual life changes when you have a baby! It’s not all physical because the body can repair, but it was the “this is not a dress rehearsal” feeling that was surprising. Knowing the permanence of becoming a mother and feeling the permanence of being a mother are two different things. Being a mother is something that you never turn off, and I had to get used to the fact that if I want to take a phone call, I still have my baby on me and my toddler at my feet. Being a mother is always going to be part of your current actions or thoughts, even if you’re not with your children at that moment. The motherly instinct naturally kicked in for me, and there were natural things that supported an adjustment, but as all moms know, it takes time to figure out the rhythm again.
What’s something you’re looking forward to in motherhood?
I am looking forward to watching my girls grow up and continuing to grow up with them. I make the necessary decisions to raise my girls intentionally without distraction. As a mother, I am taking control of my mental health, staying healthy for the future, and taking control of what is within my control to be as present as possible to go through life’s moments with my girls. I want to be the mom that you call at any moment—for the good or the bad. This is my only motherhood, so I get to choose how it looks and see everyone grow up! I’m looking forward to learning from my kids, getting to know them at every stage, and seeing who they will become (along with who I will become).
What’s something about motherhood that you wish people talked about more?
Self-isolation. You can isolate yourself really easily as a new mom. Connecting with others can become something that is a conscious decision. You may not mind it because the day is almost over and you want nothing more than to go to bed or have some alone time, but before you know it, you haven’t seen anyone in a long time. When the motherhood journey starts, keeping your community strong and active is important. You may go through periods of self-isolation while you’re in the trenches, so it is important to have people who remind you that you are a mother, but also a woman. In those moments, you need to figure out this version of you, the same way you learn your baby's schedule and things to make their lives flow. Find your flow as well to ensure you don’t feel lost in motherhood and develop these pillars for yourself! Don’t give up on discovering yourself, and be aware of self-isolation. Don’t let the isolation influence your inner voice and remind yourself that you are beautiful, developing, and you can do this!
As a doula, what advice would you offer to a mother preparing to give birth?
The decision is yours no matter what choice you make, and there is information for whatever you choose. It is your space, and you can create it. It is important to speak up about what you want and the job of the people around you is to support, not to push up against your boundaries.
If you don’t know what you want, try closing your eyes and imagining what you want to feel—then go with it. If something doesn’t feel right and you can’t put your finger on it, move on. Your energy intuition is very heightened while you’re pregnant, and while we are used to going with logic, your intuition is stronger. Being pregnant forces you to be in touch with your body, and there is an inherent knowing, so my advice is to take your intuition seriously.
It was important for me to choose everything for my birth, including a birth team that supported me on my natural birth journey from conception to 3 months after my birth. I chose them because choosing them aligned with how I felt.
I explain this like summer rain: You’ve just put your laundry out on the clothes line to try, but something in the air is telling you it’s going to rain. You might feel like the clouds are getting a little dark, the air might be a little humid, and you might smell that pre-rain smell. There are three possible outcomes:
Scenario 1: You bring the clothes inside to dry, but it doesn’t rain. Your laundry dries inside.
Scenario 2: You bring the clothes inside, and it does rain. You don’t have to rewash your clothes, and they dry inside.
Scenario 3: You leave the clothes outside, and it rains. You have to wash your clothes over again.
I recommend trusting your gut and keeping your clothing dry.
Rapid-Fire...
Favorite indulgence: Reading—Sometimes self-help, right now fantasy (currently reading ACOTAR for the second time)
Favorite children’s book:
Cheryl’s Favourite: Brown Bear, Brown Bear or Ramona and Beezus
Naomi’s favourite: Bodies are Cool (they introduce different kinds of people)
Drink of choice: Lavender milk tea with a little bit of collagen
Sans-kids activity: Going on a walk in nature
Motherhood-related topic you could talk about for 15 minutes uninterrupted: Everything motherhood, but the self-discovery that comes with being a mother
After bedtime snack: Homemade strawberry ice cream topped with homemade granola
