Mum Brains Abroad

Show Notes Anjelli and Annika devote an entire episode to one of the most judged and emotionally charged topics in parenting: sleep. From controlled crying to the chair method, co-sleeping to cry-it-out, they explore both paths — and then share what actually happened in their own homes. As expat moms raising children in Denmark, they navigate the gap between how they were raised, what the internet...

SHOW NOTES: This week on Mom Brains Abroad, we're keeping it light. After last episode's heavy hitters (sleep apps, Montessori, feeding wars), we're confessing the easy trends — the cute ones, the ones we maybe did for the grandparents. From monthly milestone photos and Pinterest-worthy first birthdays to matching outfits and a rapid-fire cute-or-cringe round, we're unpacking it all. But here's th...

Show Notes: Welcome to Episode 20 of Mom Brains Abroad! In this special episode, we're confessing every parenting trend we fell for, the ones we rolled our eyes at, and the ones we're still not sure about. We explore three big trends through our expat lens — wake windows and sleep schedules, the Montessori and beige nursery aesthetic, and baby-led weaning versus purees. We share our personal exper...

Episode Summary Anjelli and Annika tackle the emotionally charged question of whether daycare makes mothers "better." They share personal experiences of guilt, slow transitions, and the relief that came once their daughters settled in. They compare cultural attitudes between Germany (where staying home 2–3 years is common) and Denmark (where early daycare is the norm and deeply affordable), and di...

Show Notes: This week on Mom Brains Abroad, Angeli and Annika get honest about the baby gear they bought as expat parents in Copenhagen — the heroes they still use, the flops gathering dust, and everything in between. From baby carriers and Moon Boon hammocks to unopened IKEA beds and pricey baby monitors, they share what was worth every krone and what ended up on Facebook Marketplace. They also d...

We're back with round two of our mom friend questions — and this one goes deep. From the hobbies we miss to the boundaries we're learning to set, this conversation gets real about the things we let go of, the things we protect, and the things we're quietly proud of. In this episode: The hobbies we miss most (and the ones we're rediscovering with our toddlers) How we make time for ourselves and our...

In this episode, hosts Anjelli and Annika shake up the usual mom-friend chat by asking each other five questions — some silly, some deeper — that go beyond the default sleep, food, and daycare talk. They share their current favorite non-parenting media (Danish reality TV, Untamed by Glennon Doyle, and parenting audiobooks), reflect on what they'd do with three uninterrupted hours to themselves, an...

In Episode 15 of Mum Brains Abroad hosts Anjelli and Annika dive into the messy, unspoken realities of motherhood — from postpartum rage and the shame that follows, to the exhaustion of sleep deprivation and the comparison trap on social media. They unpack why Denmark banned the cry-it-out method, how baby temperament plays a bigger role than any sleep training technique, and how the "no sugar, no...

In this episode of Mum Brains Abroad, hosts Anjelli and Annika unpack whether the Danish parenting dream is real — or just a very good marketing campaign. They dig into the structural support that makes Denmark famous for family life: 52 weeks of shared parental leave, heavily subsidized childcare, a 37-hour work week, and Copenhagen ranking as the #1 most livable city in the world. But they also...

The tradwife movement is everywhere on social media — but what does it actually mean, and could two moms living in Denmark actually do it? Anjelli and Annika unpack why women are drawn to traditional roles, the paradox of "modern tradwives" earning income online, and how Denmark's gender equality makes this lifestyle hard to imagine. They reflect on their own upbringing, the pressure to "do it all...

Welcome back to Mum Brains Abroad! After a summer break, Annika and Anjelli are back with a topic close to every expat's heart: identity . Who were we before we moved abroad — and who did we become? Anjelli shares her journey from the Philippines, where she worked in nonprofits after a finance degree, to arriving in Denmark at 27 with big ambitions and very little money. Annika reflects on her mov...

In this episode, Anjelli and Annika tackle a question sent in by a listener: How do you manage deadlines and unforeseen circumstances — like when your child is suddenly sick? Both hosts share what their workdays actually look like: Annika is finishing her PhD in Denmark (hello, thesis deadline on Christmas Eve!), while Anjelli runs a family-friendly café/community space she co-founded with her hus...

On today's episode of Mum Brains Abroad , we welcome our very first special guest expert — Friederike Steinbeck , a yoga teacher, yin yoga specialist, and nervous system educator based in Copenhagen. This episode was produced by Anjelli and the conversation was led by Annika . Friederike breaks down why understanding your nervous system is one of the most important things a mother can do — not to...

Summer in Copenhagen hits different when you've got a toddler and no clear routine. In this episode, Annika and Anjelli talk candidly about what summer actually looks like as expat moms in Denmark — from daycare closures and substitute pedagogues to summer houses, swimming spots, and the legendary Thomas Dambo giants hidden across the city. They also compare summer culture in Denmark with their ho...

Episode Summary: In this episode of Mom Brains Abroad , hosts Annika and Anjelli dive into a fun and candid Q&A using ChatGPT-generated questions about motherhood, parenting abroad, and chasing ambitions while raising little ones. Recording from a Copenhagen heatwave, they reflect on what it truly means to build a life — and a family — far from home. From cargo bikes and forest kindergartens t...

In this deeply honest episode, Anjelli and Annika — two expat moms living in Copenhagen — open up about what it's really like to raise children far from home and family. They share the emotional weight of missing milestones, the guilt of choosing a life abroad, and the grief that comes with aging parents living thousands of miles away — feelings that many expat parents carry quietly. Anjelli and A...

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 cl...

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 unmedicate...

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 th...

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 u...

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 brunc...

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 fo...

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