🍼 How to Prepare for a Baby (Mind, Body & Home) — with Daniëlla Vons

Interview by Jo Sarah | Founder of Umaversity

What if preparing for motherhood wasn’t about perfect planning — but about surrendering, softening, and creating space?

In this intimate conversation with birth educator and mom of two, Daniëlla Vons, we explore how to truly prepare for a baby: not just with lists and nursery décor, but by tuning into your mind, body, and home as portals of transformation.

Daniëlla’s words are soft, grounded, and deeply wise — she blends practical tools with soul-level insight, and gives voice to what many women+ feel but rarely say out loud.

📺 Watch the full Interview on the Umaversity Podcast

Let’s start at the beginning — what exactly does a birth educator do?

“I inform women and parents about how to give birth and how to prepare. Not just with physical tools, but also how your nervous system works, how your mind works — so you can respond to birth from a place of awareness.”

Daniëlla teaches physiology, breathwork, and mental preparation in a way that helps people return to their own body’s intelligence.

How did you get into this work?

“When I was pregnant with my eldest son, I was also setting up my own yoga studio. I wanted something empowering — not just slow yoga classes — but real preparation. I discovered hypnobirthing online and thought, if this works for me, I’m going to teach it. And I did.”

Her pregnancy and entrepreneurial journey collided — and instead of choosing one, she let both unfold with trust and fire.

What does “preparing for a baby” actually mean?

“We think we need our finances in order, our business figured out. But my son had other plans. I had to accept that it wouldn’t be perfect — and that asking for help was the real preparation.”

She adds:

“We’re raised to be independent women, but motherhood asks us to lean in, ask for help, and receive support. That’s strength.”

And how did you prepare your mind?

“I made space for not knowing. I had no idea how I’d feel as a mom. And that became the mindset: let it unfold. That’s actually what I teach now — allowing women+ to go in with curiosity instead of control.”

What about preparing your body?

“Relaxation is key. The uterus runs on oxytocin — the love hormone — and it only flows when we feel safe. If you’re tense, your body produces adrenaline instead, which stops labor. That’s why I teach breathing and relaxation as core tools.”

She explains that your environment deeply matters:

“Some people feel safest at home, others in a hospital. What matters is not the place, but where you feel safe enough to relax. That’s where birth works best.”

How did you prepare your home?

“Actually, two years before getting pregnant, we left our tiny Amsterdam studio and moved back toward family and community. That was part of the preparation. But even then — after giving birth — I realized this isn’t it anymore, and we moved again.”

“You have to create space not just in your home, but in your life to change your mind.”

How did your partner prepare?

“We prepared for birth — not for parenthood,” she laughs.“But he trusted me deeply. He knew I knew my body. And when our son came, we both transformed. The love is unreal. Your heart grows bigger than you think is possible.”

“Yes, you lose parts of yourself. But you gain something so much bigger. You won’t even want the old parts back.”

Was your second pregnancy different?

“Completely. I had prenatal depression during the pandemic. My studio shut down. I was nauseous and disconnected. But then I had this visualization with my baby where he said, I’m here to dance with my brother. Life is fun — stop taking it so seriously. And that cracked me open.”

“It reminded me: I don’t need the world to get better — my world is already beautiful.”

COMMUNITY QUESTION FROM LISA:

"I want to become a mom but I’m scared. My mom and aunts always told me horror stories. How do I stop being afraid and trust my body?"

“You’re not afraid of your body. You’re afraid of the stories you’ve been told. Those stories shape how you react when things get hard — they create fear, fear creates tension, and tension creates pain. But if you stay present and release those stories, your body knows what to do.”

Daniëlla’s advice?

“Understand where your fear comes from, and separate it from your truth. Your birth story is yours. Not your mom’s. Not your friend’s. And not the media’s.”

Final words of advice?

“You don’t have to have it all figured out. Just keep doing what fulfills you. When the time comes, you’ll know what needs to shift. And when you feel fear — come back to love.”

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Listen/Watch the Full Conversation

📺 Watch the full Interview on the Umaversity Podcast