Sister Wives: Kody Brown’s place in Madison’s life now explored

Janelle Brown just dropped a bombshell on Sister Wives: Her daughter, Madison Brush, hasn’t talked to Kody Brown in years. The November 9 episode laid it bare: Kody is so out of the loop he didn’t even know Madison was pregnant, let alone that she had already had her fourth baby, Emilia, back in March 2025. Turns out, Madison didn’t tell him because, well, what’s the point of sharing baby news with someone who never asks how you’re doing?

Janelle explained that Madison and Kody have been radio silent for two to three years, and it tracks. Kody's relationship with his adult children has been disintegrating more quickly than a dry biscuit after his tumultuous divorces from three of his four spouses.

Madison has moved on, is focused on her family, and doesn't need the drama, as seen by her decision not to include him. Kody, meanwhile, is perplexed as to why no one is contacting him, failing to grasp that relationships need work in addition to family titles.

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Sister Wives: Madison’s secret pregnancy and her relationship with Kody Brown explored

During the November 9 episode of Sister Wives, Janelle was asked whether Kody knew Madison's due date for her fourth child. Her response was direct and telling. According to E! News, Janelle stated:

"No, Maddie doesn't really even tell him that she's pregnant."

Janelle saw no purpose in sharing such information with Kody ahead of time. She only stated that he= will find out, implying that he would discover the birth after the fact. On March 14, 2025, Madison and her husband, Caleb Brush, had a daughter, Emilia Estelle. In an emotional Instagram post, Madison revealed the news of their "newest little love."

Janelle gave background information regarding the duration of the estrangement. Madison and Kody have not recently stopped communicating. Janelle said:

"They haven't spoken for a long time. It's probably been two or three years."

This extended silence demonstrates a complete breakdown in their relationship. Madison has chosen to move forward with major life events without involving her father in any capacity. This isn't the first time Janelle has addressed Madison's troubled relationship with Kody on the show. A previous episode captured a conversation when Janelle mentioned possibly relocating to be near Madison and her grandchildren.

Sister Wives' Kody questioned why Madison hadn't called him about her pregnancy. Janelle responded plainly:

"The kids are all feeling very estranged from you."

In a private confessional, Janelle explained Madison's perspective more thoroughly. Madison believes Kody "hasn't shown interest" in her children, particularly noting he hadn't visited since daughter Evie was born. As per People Magazine, Janelle shared:

"Maddie's like, 'Why would I tell him that I'm having another one? He hasn't really shown that much interest in the other two."

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What does Kody think about the estrangement?

Sister Wives' Kody just couldn’t wrap his head around why Madison shut him out; he just looked baffled, like someone told him gravity stopped working. Instead of wondering what he might have done wrong, he decided the real villains were “jealousy and gossip,” which, let’s be honest, is kind of his go-to excuse for everything.

His confusion made it pretty clear he’s living in a totally different version of events than the rest of his family. While his kids remember years of distance and control, Kody’s still standing there, wondering why no one is calling him “Dad of the Year.” Madison’s quiet cut-off isn’t just her story; it is the Brown family saga in a nutshell.

Meanwhile, Janelle’s stuck playing referee on Sister Wives, keeping peace between her ex and their grown kids while trying not to get caught in the crossfire. It is a tough gig, but she handles it like someone who has seen every kind of family drama and knows when to step back and let the chaos speak for itself.

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Sister Wives airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on TLC and streams the same day on Discovery+.