Mum Brains Abroad

Episode SummaryHosts Annika and Anjelli open up about one of the most personal topics yet: their breastfeeding journeys. Two very different experiences, one honest and judgment-free conversation.Anjelli prepared thoroughly after her midwife's encouragement, but a post-birth infection sent her body into stress, tanking her milk supply. Despite over a month of triple feeding, pumping around the clock, lactation cookies, and Facebook groups — there was never enough milk. She's been formula feeding her daughter ever since, and describes it as one of her real heartbreaks as a mom.Annika went in with almost no preparation, but her daughter Amalia latched perfectly from birth. The challenge came later: oversupply, constant spitting up (likely reflux), a bout of mastitis, and months of painful positions. A lactation consultant proved invaluable. Now at 16 months she's still breastfeeding, has become a passionate advocate — and openly admits she used to judge extended breastfeeding before becoming a mom herself.Together they cover: formula feeding logistics (sterilizing, milk makers, the "pharmacy bag" that goes everywhere), Denmark's supportive breastfeeding culture and public resources, the WHO's 2-year recommendation that most doctors don't mention, the real link between feeding method and sleep (Anjelli's daughter slept through at 3 months; Annika's woke hourly until 12 months), and what they'd tell any expecting mom. The episode closes with their mom highs and lows: a magical first conscious Mother's Day with flowers, a handwritten card and a "Mor" balloon — versus relentless toddler sickness and daycare separation anxiety in full swing.Timestamps0:00 – Intro & Episode Overview0:52 – Breastfeeding Expectations Before Birth4:41 – After Birth: Latching, Infections & Triple Feeding5:47 – Anjelli's Journey: Low Supply, Pumping & Formula8:21 – Annika's Journey: Oversupply, Mastitis & Finding Confidence14:24 – Formula Feeding: Equipment & Challenges26:14 – Breastfeeding in Denmark: Public Support & Resources31:23 – Sleep, Night Wakings & Night Weaning33:51 – Anjelli: Sleep & Formula Feeding at Night35:56 – Advice for Expecting Moms38:25 – Mom High & Mom Low of the WeekComing up: Annika and Anjelli plan to invite a lactation consultant or breastfeeding expert for a dedicated guest episode — so stay tuned for a deeper dive into the science and support behind breastfeeding. They'll also check back in with a breastfeeding update as both their journeys continue to evolve.

Episode Summary: The first days after birth are intense, emotional, and nothing like the Instagram version.Annika and Anjelli get honest about what those early days really looked like — the hospital stays, the pain, the sleepless nights, and the moments that caught them completely off guard.In this episode:What the first 24 hours felt like for each of them — C-section recovery vs. an unmedicated birth in a hotel-wing roomThe golden hour: why that uninterrupted time matters so muchTriple feeding, tracking sheets, and setting alarms every 3 hours while sharing a room with another coupleAnjelli's post-birth infection that went undiagnosed for a week — and what she wishes had been caught soonerThe great visitor debate: why both hosts say they would do it very differently next timeContradictory breastfeeding advice from nurses, and how to navigate the information overloadWhat it's like recovering from a C-section at home — and the ibuprofen allergy Annika discovered the hard wayPractical advice for expat parents giving birth away from family, plus why your "birth plan" should extend past the birth itselfThis week's Mom Light & Mom Low: first words, new shoes, and two very shaken toddlers after back-to-back fallsNext episode: The breastfeeding and feeding journey — expectations vs. reality, what worked, what didn't, and navigating the fourth trimester.Timestamps0:00 — Intro & episode overview *(Annika & Anjelli)*0:17 — Annika: first 24 hours — C-section recovery, shared room, surreal feeling2:14 — Anjelli: first 24 hours — unmedicated birth, golden hour4:44 — Anjelli: the hotel-wing room — two beds, no nurses, "why did we even bring a bag?"5:44 — Annika: C-section aftermath — pain kicking in, couldn't stand, 4-night stay6:59 — Anjelli: post-birth complications — pain dismissed, readmitted, infection missed for a week9:53 — Both: triple feeding, the ML tracking sheet & shared room alarm chaos12:24 — Anjelli: the sleeping couple story — baby had jaundice, they slept anyway14:15 — Anjelli: infection finally diagnosed by GP a week after discharge15:38 — Annika: officially discharged but stayed extra nights due to scar pain; the placenta question16:31 — Both: visitors at hospital — regrets, boundaries, the couple with 1,000 visitors behind the curtain20:40 — Annika: the nurse who told them to tidy up "as practice for going home"23:10 — Both: contradictory breastfeeding advice from different nurses 26:17 — Both: first nights at home — relief, better sleep, newborn sounds at 3am28:00 — Annika: C-section recovery at home — ibuprofen allergy, first family walk at 2 weeks29:07 — Anjelli: grieving the postpartum she expected — 3 weeks unable to walk due to untreated infection31:16 — Both: parental leave in Denmark, missing family from abroad, mom support34:08 — Both: advice for expat parents — research, open mindset, network, placenta tip38:43 — Annika: breastfeeding expectations — going in without over-researching40:18 — Anjelli: choosing what's best for your baby without added guilt41:53 — Mom Light: Anjelli's daughter saying new words / Annika's daughter's new confident shoes43:41 — Mom Low: Anjelli & daughter fall together / Annika's daughter's double fall at daycare46:33 — Outro & next episode: breastfeeding & the fourth trimester

Episode Summary: In this episode of Mom Brains Podcast, hosts Anjelli and Annika go deep on their birth experiences in Denmark. They share how they each approached their birth plans — Anjelli hoping for a natural, unmedicated birth and Annika facing the reality of a planned C-section due to her daughter being breech. From birth prep classes (public vs. private, Danish vs. English) to the moment they first held their babies, they cover it all with honesty, humor, and heart. Anjelli recounts a lightning-fast labor that nearly ended in a car delivery, a crowning moment she wanted to forget, and a post-birth infection that clouded an otherwise uncomplicated birth. Annika shares what it was like to have a scheduled C-section, the surreal calm of the operating room, and the challenging recovery that followed. The episode closes with their weekly Mom Light and Mom Low, touching on daycare transitions and sleepless teething nights.Timestamps:0:00 – Welcome & intro0:30 – Birth plans: what to write and why it matters7:00 – Birth prep classes: public vs. private, Danish vs. English22:00 – Natural induction, zone therapy & curb walking28:00 – Anjelli's labor: from contractions at 4am to nearly giving birth in the car35:00 – Arriving at the hospital 9cm dilated37:00 – Laughing gas, crowning, and the pushing stage46:00 – Meeting baby for the first time & the golden hours53:00 – Annika's story: finding out about the C-section & getting a date1:06 – The C-section experience: the operating room, the team, the epidural1:11 – Baby's arrival via C-section & first moments1:23 – The hospital stay: the "hotel" wing vs. the ward1:27 – Anjelli's post-birth infection & difficult recovery1:31 – Breastfeeding beginnings & what's coming next1:42 – Mom Light & Mom Low of the week (daycare wins & sleepless nights)1:06 – Wrap-up & preview of next episode

Episode Decription:In Episode 3 of Mum Brains Abroad, hosts Annika and Anjelli take listeners through their full pregnancy journeys — from the shock of those first positive tests to the final weeks before birth. They share how and when they announced their pregnancies, compare their very different first trimester experiences (including Anjelli's severe Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG)), laugh about unexpected cravings (oysters, healing soil, and dairy despite lactose intolerance), and discuss the emotional rollercoaster of gender scans, the 20-week scan, and feeling their babies move for the first time. The third trimester turns more serious as Annika opens up about a complicated pregnancy involving mysterious pains, a baby measuring small, breech positioning, and the stress of frequent hospital visits. Both hosts also reflect on navigating the Danish healthcare system as expats, and the episode wraps with their weekly Mum High & Mum Low ritual — covering nap transitions, stroller struggles, and the joy of watching their daughters' personalities emerge.Topics covered:When & how to announce a pregnancyMiscarriage risk and building a support networkHG (hyperemesis gravidarum) and managing severe pregnancy nauseaPregnancy cravings: the weird, the wonderful & the unexplainedPrivate gender scans as expatsThe 20-week anatomy scanFeeling your baby move for the first timeNavigating a complicated third trimesterGestational diabetes testingThe Danish healthcare system vs. home country prenatal careMum High & Mum Low: nap transitions, strollers & personality milestonesTimestamps:0:00 – Welcome & episode intro: pregnancy experiences overview0:54 – Announcing the pregnancy: the secret-keeping phase, when to tell3:42 – Angeli's announcement story (family Facebook reveal)7:00 – First trimester: symptoms, exhaustion, HG (hyperemesis gravidarum)8:34 – Heightened sense of smell stories10:00 – Cravings: oysters, healing soil, dairy despite lactose intolerance13:16 – Second trimester: energy, nausea updates & private scans14:00 – Gender scan: finding out it's a girl25:02 – First baby movements & kicks27:38 – Third trimester begins32:08 – Gestational diabetes test: the glucose drink experience34:48 – Annika's complicated pregnancy: mysterious pains, baby measuring small, breech & C-section concerns39:48 – Danish healthcare system as expats: 2 official scans vs. the Philippines47:47 – Mum High & Mum Low of the week: nap transitions, stroller battles & cheeky personality milestones

Episode description:Did you always know you wanted to be a mum? In this episode, the hosts get honest about where they each started — one who never felt the pull until her thirties, and one who always knew but let life lead the way. They share how their relationships shaped their paths to parenthood, what their fertility journeys looked like, and the very different (and very real) moments they found out they were pregnant.They also talk about what it means to raise children as expats in Denmark — a country that makes space for slow living, long maternity leave, and strollers on the metro (terrifying or not). The episode closes with their mum high and mum low of the week: toddler dinner meltdowns, unpredictable nap schedules, a first outdoor play session, and the peace that comes with finally making a decision about daycare.Themes covered:Did she always want children?Career vs family mindsetFertility, age, and staying stress-freeFinding out you're pregnant — the real reactionExpat parenting in DenmarkMum highs and lowsTimestamps:0:00Introduction — Expectations vs Reality of Motherhood0:47Did We Always Want Kids?2:09Marriage, Family & Our Relationships7:22Trying to Conceive & Fertility18:33How We Found Out We Were Pregnant30:00Raising a Family in Denmark35:38Mum High & Mum Low of the Week

Episode Description: Welcome to Mum Brains Abroad! In their very first episode, Annika and Anjelli introduce themselves — two expat mums living in Copenhagen navigating first-time motherhood far from home. Annika is a German-Australian PhD researcher; Anjelli is a Filipina entrepreneur. Together they are rewriting what "mum brain" means.They share how they met through a pregnancy community brunch they built themselves, why they started this podcast, and what listeners can expect every week — including their signature segment, Mum High & Mum Low.Topics covered:Who they are & how they ended up in DenmarkThe story behind the name "Mum Brains Abroad"Building community during pregnancy as an expatMum groups in Denmark: municipality groups vs. their own communityTheir different perspectives: birth stories, partners, age, languagesMum High & Low: personality milestones & nap schedule chaosTimestamps0:00Welcome & introductions0:08Annika's background (Germany/Australia → Denmark, PhD, new mum)0:50Anjelli's background (Philippines → Copenhagen, hospitality business, new mum)2:55Why "Mum Brains Abroad"? Reframing the name & mission4:20How they met – pregnancy brunch community6:37Mum groups in Denmark & the value of bonding during pregnancy10:38Why they started this podcast11:39What to expect: weekly episodes, guests, Instagram & website12:30The "Mum High & Mum Low" segment explained13:35Their different perspectives: partners, birth stories, age, multilingualism17:34Anjelli's Mum High & Low (daughter's sweet gesture / daylight savings nap chaos)21:47Annika's Mum High & Low (personality burst / high chair battles at dinner)25:38Next episode preview: Journey to motherhood, partners, pregnancy stories

Stay tuned!