Power People: Najell x Kaj & Oskar

Power People is a series of conversations with people who forge their own path. Together, we explore the choices, experiences and perspectives that shape us.

Becoming a parent is often described as a life-changing transformation. For Kaj Beppe Olsson Beto and Oskar Olsson Beto, it feels less like leaving something behind – and more like stepping into something new, together.

Kaj and Oskar Olsson Beto, and their dog outside Stenkrossen, their creative space in Lund.

At first, it was just a small dream. Something they had both imagined, but that for a long time felt far away.

– It was first just a little dream that we both had, but for me it felt like something that would never actually happen, says Kaj. But then came the positive test, and the dream grew very quickly. And now it’s kind of the best thing that has ever happened to me.

The news came as Oskar was about to leave for floorball practice.

– I was like: I have to tell him something, Kaj remembers.

It was a moment they both remember as special. Not because everything suddenly became clear, but because a possibility opened up.

– This could be our life. If we choose to go down this path.

For Kaj, pregnancy has also become a journey of letting go of control. For many years, fear had shaped what she felt able to do.

– I had been very controlled by fear for many years because I hadn’t been feeling well. I thought: I can’t go to the swimming pool, I can’t go on roller coasters, I can’t do this, I can’t do that.

But something shifted when she became pregnant. Not because the fear disappeared, but because she learned to meet it differently.

– It sounds a bit cliché, but I’ve dared to lean into my fears and choose life in a way. This is a huge risk for me, but it feels amazing to dare to follow the dream of becoming a parent, even with those risks.

– Life isn’t risk-free. It’s about accepting life on life’s terms.

For Kaj, that acceptance has brought a new sense of calm.

– I can’t control everything. Things will become what they become, and I’ll take it as it comes. I think that’s what has given me this sense of calm. It really feels like I’m living now, rather than being controlled by fear.

Kaj wearing Najell Before & After Maternity Pants and Top in Dark Bronze.

Oskar describes finding a similar sense of acceptance.

– Some fears simply can’t be solved through thinking. If you can reach a place of acceptance or find a belief that things will work out, sometimes that is enough.

For Kaj and Oskar, much of life has been about exactly that – daring to choose a direction without always knowing exactly where it will lead.

They met four years ago in Lund. They lived in the same area, moved in similar circles and started messaging each other on Instagram without really knowing what it was.

– Everything happened at the same time. It just felt very meant to be, says Oskar.

Quite quickly, everyday life changed.

– It was a sleepover that never ended. I never went home again, says Kaj.

Oskar grew up in Lund and has always had creativity close to him. He is trained as a designer and today works at the university, where he is involved in projects in a workshop environment. Kaj has also always had art as a natural part of her life, giving new life to unwanted textiles and clothing through her artistic practice.

For both of them, Lund became the place where they began taking bigger steps in their creative journeys.

– When I came here, things really started. I dared to move in different directions and not feel limited in my creativity, says Kaj.

Kaj in her studio, where she explores creativity through her project Farfar

She describes how Oskar’s way of looking at life has influenced her.

– You have this mindset about life. I’ve never done this before, but how hard can it be? Just do it.

It is also an attitude that returns throughout their relationship: to experiment, create and stay curious about what happens when you dare.

Perhaps that is why their everyday life also seems to hold so much playfulness.

– There isn’t a single day when I don’t laugh, says Kaj. The first thing we do when we wake up in the morning is laugh.

When pregnancy became part of their lives, their perspective on creativity also began to shift.

For Oskar, it first brought a feeling of wanting to do as much as possible.

– I just felt: oh shit, now I have to go and do a lot of things before I become a dad. Because maybe things won’t work the same way afterwards.

But that feeling quickly changed.

– I actually look forward to putting myself aside a little. A lot of my years have been about self-fulfilment, and sometimes that can feel like it gets in the way of other ways of growing as a person.

A family taking shape.

For Kaj, pregnancy has instead been about finding a new balance.

– Before, I just wanted to do things all the time. Lots of art and videos and everything at once. But now I feel that maybe life is bigger than that.

It is not about letting go of creativity, but about allowing more parts of life to have space.

– It’s actually about taking responsibility for a life and for our home. And it’s so much nicer at home now. The bed is always made, the laundry is done, and the dishes are washed.

She laughs.

– I’m an adult, for goodness’ sake, but it feels like I’ve grown.

Pregnancy has also brought a new kind of care – and quite a few very specific requests.

During the first weeks, Kaj struggled with nausea, and some days there was only one thing that worked.

A specific hamburger in Malmö.

– Some days it was simply: I can only eat this specific hamburger from this specific place in Malmö.

So Oskar got in the car.

There were also trips for very specific foods that never really became recurring traditions. But on that particular day, it was exactly what was needed.

– That’s when I really had to step up, says Oskar.

Kaj in their creative studio in Lund, wearing the Najell Before & After Maternity Wide Pants in Denim Blue.

Other companions throughout the pregnancy have been green apples and sparkling water. One of the apples will follow them into the next chapter – Kaj has tufted a large wool rug in the shape of a green apple for their son.

When they talk about who their son will become, they are both more curious than controlling.

– I want to steer him as little as possible. When he can express himself, I want to know: who are you? What do you want to wear?

Kaj explains that she herself has sometimes felt shaped by other people’s expectations of who she should be.

– I don’t want to do that to him.

Oskar agrees, although he jokingly has some ideas of his own.

– I want him to become a worker.

Kaj laughs.

– A worker?

– Because it builds character. But then he will probably end up being a smart and successful scientist.

Behind the humour is a clear thought: their child should have the space to discover who he is.

Not become an extension of their own dreams.

Small details from Kaj and Oskar’s creative space in Lund.

When they talk about parenthood, they keep returning to the same thing.

Humour.

– I’m completely convinced that we’re going to have fun, says Kaj. Because we have fun through everything.

That does not mean everything will always be easy. But for them, humour has been a way of facing difficult moments together.

– The core of our relationship is having fun.

It is also something they want to bring into parenthood.

Security. Love. And the ability not to take everything too seriously.

At the same time, they know there will be a lot to navigate. Advice, opinions, and expectations come from every direction.

For Oskar, it is about staying curious and trusting your own judgement.

– It will be important to be a little self-critical. Because there will be so many things like: The baby should do this for one minute, and that for another. Those are the kinds of things I’m careful not to listen to.

Instead, he believes in finding your own way.

– You have to create your own idea of who you want to listen to.

Meeting the unexpected – together.

And perhaps that is also why they seem so calm about everything that lies ahead.

Not because they have all the answers.

Not because they know exactly what life will look like.

But because they have already learned how to meet the unexpected – together.

Three quick ones

Morning routine:
K: I make coffee for Oskar.
O: I’ve had coffee made for me every morning for almost four years, and I’m just as happy every single time.

Always within reach at home:
O: Two-component glue.
K: And wet wipes in every room. And we don’t even have a baby yet – just a dog.

One word for this life phase:
K & O: Meaningful.

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More conversations from Power People:

Rebecca & Fiona – On music, identity, and staying true to yourself as a parent.

Tobias Richter – On being a midwife, gender roles and challenging norms.

Rebecca Chelbea – on queer parenthood, fear and learning to trust yourself.

Explore the series

Power People Picks

Selected favourites inspired by the conversation