Episode Summary

Hosts 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.

Timestamps

• 0:00 – Intro & Episode Overview
• 0:52 – Breastfeeding Expectations Before Birth
• 4:41 – After Birth: Latching, Infections & Triple Feeding
• 5:47 – Anjelli's Journey: Low Supply, Pumping & Formula
• 8:21 – Annika's Journey: Oversupply, Mastitis & Finding Confidence
• 14:24 – Formula Feeding: Equipment & Challenges
• 26:14 – Breastfeeding in Denmark: Public Support & Resources
• 31:23 – Sleep, Night Wakings & Night Weaning
• 33:51 – Anjelli: Sleep & Formula Feeding at Night
• 35:56 – Advice for Expecting Moms
• 38:25 – Mom High & Mom Low of the Week

Coming 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 room
• The golden hour: why that uninterrupted time matters so much
• Triple feeding, tracking sheets, and setting alarms every 3 hours while sharing a room with another couple
• Anjelli's post-birth infection that went undiagnosed for a week — and what she wishes had been caught sooner
• The great visitor debate: why both hosts say they would do it very differently next time
• Contradictory breastfeeding advice from nurses, and how to navigate the information overload
• What it's like recovering from a C-section at home — and the ibuprofen allergy Annika discovered the hard way
• Practical advice for expat parents giving birth away from family, plus why your "birth plan" should extend past the birth itself
• This week's Mom Light & Mom Low: first words, new shoes, and two very shaken toddlers after back-to-back falls

Next episode: The breastfeeding and feeding journey — expectations vs. reality, what worked, what didn't, and navigating the fourth trimester.

0:00 — Intro & episode overview *(Annika & Anjelli)*

0:17 — Annika: first 24 hours — C-section recovery, shared room, surreal feeling

2:14 — Anjelli: first 24 hours — unmedicated birth, golden hour

4:44 — 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 stay

6:59 — Anjelli: post-birth complications — pain dismissed, readmitted, infection missed for a week

9:53 — Both: triple feeding, the ML tracking sheet & shared room alarm chaos

12:24 — Anjelli: the sleeping couple story — baby had jaundice, they slept anyway

14:15 — Anjelli: infection finally diagnosed by GP a week after discharge

15:38 — Annika: officially discharged but stayed extra nights due to scar pain; the placenta question

16:31 — Both: visitors at hospital — regrets, boundaries, the couple with 1,000 visitors behind the curtain

20:40 — 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 3am

28:00 — Annika: C-section recovery at home — ibuprofen allergy, first family walk at 2 weeks

29:07 — Anjelli: grieving the postpartum she expected — 3 weeks unable to walk due to untreated infection

31:16 — Both: parental leave in Denmark, missing family from abroad, mom support

34:08 — Both: advice for expat parents — research, open mindset, network, placenta tip

38:43 — Annika: breastfeeding expectations — going in without over-researching

40:18 — Anjelli: choosing what's best for your baby without added guilt

41:53 — Mom Light: Anjelli's daughter saying new words / Annika's daughter's new confident shoes

43:41 — Mom Low: Anjelli & daughter fall together / Annika's daughter's double fall at daycare

46:33 — 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 & intro
• 0:30 – Birth plans: what to write and why it matters
• 7:00 – Birth prep classes: public vs. private, Danish vs. English
• 22:00 – Natural induction, zone therapy & curb walking
• 28:00 – Anjelli's labor: from contractions at 4am to nearly giving birth in the car
• 35:00 – Arriving at the hospital 9cm dilated
• 37:00 – Laughing gas, crowning, and the pushing stage
• 46:00 – Meeting baby for the first time & the golden hours
• 53:00 – Annika's story: finding out about the C-section & getting a date
• 1:06 – The C-section experience: the operating room, the team, the epidural
• 1:11 – Baby's arrival via C-section & first moments
• 1:23 – The hospital stay: the "hotel" wing vs. the ward
• 1:27 – Anjelli's post-birth infection & difficult recovery
• 1:31 – Breastfeeding beginnings & what's coming next
• 1:42 – 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 pregnancy
• Miscarriage risk and building a support network
• HG (hyperemesis gravidarum) and managing severe pregnancy nausea
• Pregnancy cravings: the weird, the wonderful & the unexplained
• Private gender scans as expats
• The 20-week anatomy scan
• Feeling your baby move for the first time
• Navigating a complicated third trimester
• Gestational diabetes testing
• The Danish healthcare system vs. home country prenatal care
• Mum High & Mum Low: nap transitions, strollers & personality milestones

Timestamps:

0:00 – Welcome & episode intro: pregnancy experiences overview

0:54 – Announcing the pregnancy: the secret-keeping phase, when to tell

3:42 – Angeli's announcement story (family Facebook reveal)

7:00 – First trimester: symptoms, exhaustion, HG (hyperemesis gravidarum)

8:34 – Heightened sense of smell stories

10:00 – Cravings: oysters, healing soil, dairy despite lactose intolerance

13:16 – Second trimester: energy, nausea updates & private scans

14:00 – Gender scan: finding out it's a girl

25:02 – First baby movements & kicks

27:38 – Third trimester begins

32:08 – Gestational diabetes test: the glucose drink experience

34:48 – Annika's complicated pregnancy: mysterious pains, baby measuring small, breech & C-section concerns

39:48 – Danish healthcare system as expats: 2 official scans vs. the Philippines

47:47 – 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 mindset
• Fertility, age, and staying stress-free
• Finding out you're pregnant — the real reaction
• Expat parenting in Denmark
• Mum highs and lows

Timestamps:

0:00

Introduction — Expectations vs Reality of Motherhood

0:47

Did We Always Want Kids?

2:09

Marriage, Family & Our Relationships

7:22

Trying to Conceive & Fertility

18:33

How We Found Out We Were Pregnant

30:00

Raising a Family in Denmark

35:38

Mum 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 Denmark
• The story behind the name "Mum Brains Abroad"
• Building community during pregnancy as an expat
• Mum groups in Denmark: municipality groups vs. their own community
• Their different perspectives: birth stories, partners, age, languages
• Mum High & Low: personality milestones & nap schedule chaos

0:00

Welcome & introductions

0:08

Annika's background (Germany/Australia → Denmark, PhD, new mum)

0:50

Anjelli's background (Philippines → Copenhagen, hospitality business, new mum)

2:55

Why "Mum Brains Abroad"? Reframing the name & mission

4:20

How they met – pregnancy brunch community

6:37

Mum groups in Denmark & the value of bonding during pregnancy

10:38

Why they started this podcast

11:39

What to expect: weekly episodes, guests, Instagram & website

12:30

The "Mum High & Mum Low" segment explained

13:35

Their different perspectives: partners, birth stories, age, multilingualism

17:34

Anjelli's Mum High & Low (daughter's sweet gesture / daylight savings nap chaos)

21:47

Annika's Mum High & Low (personality burst / high chair battles at dinner)

25:38

Next episode preview: Journey to motherhood, partners, pregnancy stories

Stay tuned!