A new Swedish docuseries, “Moms,” is offering an unvarnished look at the realities of modern motherhood-and the unique pressures faced by those navigating it in the public eye. The series follows several well-known influencers-Filippa Toremo, Lisa Borg, Sanna Guidetti, Ribecka Nilsson, and Julia Frändfors-as they grapple with pregnancy, postpartum challenges, and the complexities of balancing personal lives with curated online personas. the show has sparked conversation about the frequently enough-hidden struggles behind the polished facades of social media, and comedian Jonatan Unge‘s wry observation that “Moms never get it right” seems to resonate with many viewers.
What Happens When Influencer Kids Grow Up?
The new Swedish series “Moms” offers an intimate look at the realities of modern motherhood through the lives of several well-known influencers. The show is sparking conversation about the pressures and complexities faced by mothers today, and how those experiences are amplified when lived publicly. As comedian Jonatan Unge joked, “Moms never get it right,” a sentiment that resonates with many.
The series follows Filippa Toremo, Lisa Borg, Sanna Guidetti, Ribecka Nilsson, and Julia Frändfors as they navigate pregnancy, postpartum depression, relationship struggles, and the challenges of balancing public personas with personal lives. They share deeply personal stories, offering a raw and unfiltered look at motherhood. Lisa Borg, for example, worries about her husband experiencing a bipolar episode after the baby is born, or potentially developing postpartum depression herself. She shares advice from a friend: get a benzo prescription, at the lowest dose, and don’t tell other moms, or they’ll call social services.
To me, Julia is the most relatable. She doesn’t have millions in the bank and therefore has to argue with her partner about financial issues.
Filippa and her boyfriend have broken up but still live together. She’s been hospitalized for mental health issues, received new diagnoses, and started medication—all while adjusting to motherhood. When the show is filmed, she’s struggling with the guilt of breaking up her child’s family. It doesn’t matter that she can afford a new apartment for over seven million; the guilt outweighs everything. They’re trying to figure out their future together, wondering if they can still go on vacation and what will happen if he finds someone new.
Like many, the show’s subjects have experienced complicated relationships with their own mothers. The series explores themes of belonging, mental health, and the lasting impact of childhood experiences. New partners appearing on the scene can also be difficult, as Filippa’s son already has one mother, and she’s working hard to manage the situation.
Sanna Guidetti reflects on her insecure childhood and believes she overcompensates when it comes to her children. A common human experience. Trying to heal childhood wounds through parenthood, that is. In my case, this has manifested in a perverse amount of homemade buns and such low expectations that my daughters will be hopeless, barely able to function when they move out. Perfect, then I can visit them and continue to cater to them until I die. All to appease an inner anxiety that no pills can cure.
Ribecka stands out from the others with her free-spirited vibe and positive outlook. Perhaps that’s possible if you live by the motto “everything will work out” and have cracked the code for stopping arguments. I honestly don’t understand how she does it, but it’s worth congratulating her. Her laid-back attitude permeates pregnancy and motherhood, which she considers the most natural thing, something her body was created to do. Quotes like this are juxtaposed with Julia Frändfors, our fearless queen of bad moods: “people have babies and then they become obsessed with having had a baby. It’s their whole identity. It’s a little sad.”
To me, Julia is the most relatable. She doesn’t have millions in the bank and therefore has to argue with her partner about financial issues.
Julia is the most relatable to me. She doesn’t have millions in the bank and therefore has to argue with her partner about financial issues, like which parent’s sick days will hurt the bank account the most. This contrasts sharply with Lisa Borg’s recent villa purchase for 27 million. Julia was also someone I could identify with during the years at the Stockholm secondhand market, where my daughters and I ran around like stressed ferrets. Her moves sometimes coincided with ours, perhaps we were competing for the same expensive contracts on small two-bedroom apartments?
Julia provides a heroic performance, managing to 1. miss her son’s school graduation, 2. drink strong drinks while playing with her child, and 3. explain that she never says goodbye to her child—instead, she sneaks out like a thief in the night. “It just causes tears.” Are you not entertained? I am!
Julia embodies perhaps the best cognitive dissonance inherent in the modern maternal role. You’re supposed to put your child first, without losing who you were before or falling behind in your personal development. A difficult challenge, as motherhood has a tendency to dissolve the self. The body, thoughts, feelings—everything is hijacked by forces you don’t recognize or can control. I understand what Julia means when she misses her old, child-free self and believes, like her, that the only thing that can create real connection with this is cigarettes and drinks. Or as Frändfors calls it: going full Persbrandt.
We see less of the downsides of being a “momfluencer.” Like, what does it cost a family to share “everything” with hundreds of thousands of followers? As long as the sharing pays the bills and provides entertainment, these are questions we’re willing to overlook. Perhaps we’ll soon see documentaries where adult children tearfully recount what it was like to grow up in front of their mothers’ followers.
Then maybe the mothers can share their benzos. I can’t imagine a better compensation to their children than anti-anxiety medication. Besides villas worth 27 million, of course. One last tip is to ignore everything I’ve said—unsolicited advice is the worst thing we have. In my defense, I’m just a mom. And those of us never quite get it right.
The Year with the Critic Family 2025
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