A book for women navigating infertility, IVF, baby loss, grief, and becoming.
If motherhood hasn’t arrived easily – or the journey has changed you in ways you never expected – this book is for you.
Beyond The Nest is a compassionate companion for the women holding invisible grief, quiet hope, and the deep question of:
Who am I now?
You’ll also receive book updates, reflections, and gentle support via email. No spam – just heart-led content.
📍 Local bookstore: Available at PaperPlus Blenheim
There are seasons in life that don’t fit neatly into conversation.
Seasons where you’re still showing up, still functioning, still trying-
but inside, everything feels tender.
Infertility. IVF. Baby loss. The waiting. The hope. The grief.
The way life keeps moving while your heart feels like it’s holding its breath.
Beyond The Nest was written to meet you in that space – with honesty, warmth, and the reminder you may need most:
You are not broken. And you are not alone.
What you’ll find inside
This is not a book of quick fixes or forced positivity.
It’s a gentle, grief-informed guide for women and those supporting others navigating the emotional landscape of infertility and loss – and the identity shifts that come with it.
Inside, you’ll find:
- Words for the grief that often goes unseen
- Support for the emotional weight of IVF and waiting
- Reflections on identity, self-worth, and purpose
- Comfort for the days when hope feels complicated
- Reminders that you are still whole, even in the unknown
- Invitations to soften, breathe, and come home to yourself
This book is for you if…
- You’re experiencing infertility or IVF OR supporting someone who is
- You’ve suffered pregnancy loss or baby loss
- You’re living in the “in-between” – hoping, grieving, waiting
- You feel behind in life while others move forward
- You’re tired of being told to “stay positive”
- You’re trying to find meaning and purpose in a season you didn’t choose
This book is not…
- A promise that everything will work out
- A medical guide to fertility treatment
- A place for toxic positivity or “just relax” advice
- A book that asks you to hurry your grief
It is a book that says:
You get to be human here.
Hi, I’m Milinda
I’m a Wellness Therapist & Coach, and the founder of Essence & Soul.
Beyond The Nest was born from lived experience – from walking through infertility, loss, and the deep emotional reshaping that can come when life doesn’t unfold the way you imagined.
This book is my way of offering what I once needed most:
gentle truth, emotional companionship, and hope that doesn’t bypass pain.
Learn more about my offerings HERE, I would love to connect with you and help guide you through your own journey!
Free Reflection Worksheet
Want something supportive to begin with?
Download my free printable worksheet:
“Who Am I Becoming This Season?”
A gentle journaling page to help you slow down, reconnect with yourself, and find steadiness in the waiting.
Get your copy
Amazon Release: March
Local Bookstores: April (printing in progress)
If you’d like to stock Beyond The Nest in your bookstore, clinic, or community space, please contact me here:
OR Email me at hello@essence-and-soul.com
Featured with Fertility NZ
Beyond The Nest has been read and endorsed by Fertility New Zealand.
“At Fertility NZ, we understand how isolating and overwhelming fertility challenges can be, and how beneficial it can be for people to encounter stories that reflect aspects of their own experience. This book contributes to that space by offering readers a personal perspective alongside tools and reflections that some may find helpful as they navigate grief, uncertainty, or hope. While individual experiences vary, resources like this can prompt connection, support self-reflection, and help people feel less alone during a complex and emotionally demanding time.”
— Lydia Hemingway, CEO, Fertility New Zealand
The Blenheim Sun Newspaper article 11th March 2026 (pages 5, 10 + 11)
If you are reading this page and feeling emotional – please know it makes sense. This journey can be lonely. But you don’t have to walk it unsupported.
Beyond The Nest is here when you’re ready.
Beyond The Nest is a New Zealand book supporting women through infertility, IVF, pregnancy loss, baby loss, grief, and identity changes. Written by Milinda Higgins of Essence & Soul.
