Why Talking About Surrogacy Early Matters: How The Enchanted Nest Can Help

As psychologists, we help families navigate complex conversations, strong emotions, and major life transitions. However, when it came to building our own families and becoming mothers, we faced something unfamiliar and often isolating. We each became parents through gestational surrogacy, and our journeys were both long and filled with complicated feelings. 

We knew from both research and clinical experience that the earlier children hear their birth story, the easier it is for them to embrace it as a natural part of who they are. We wanted to share with our children from the very beginning how they came into the world in an honest, comforting, and age-appropriate way. When we couldn’t find books that reflected our children’s stories with the depth we hoped for, we decided to write one ourselves. The Enchanted Nest is the book we wish we had when our babies were young.  

In our work, parents often struggle with when and how to explain their child’s origin story. They want to be open but are unsure what to say or worry about saying the wrong thing. The Enchanted Nest is a story about a puffin family that grows through surrogacy, created to help children feel proud of their story and to feel safe to ask questions. It provides parents with a gentle way to have these conversations early. Instead of being a single “big talk,” the story becomes a familiar part of bedtime reading, family language, and a child’s identity. Our hope is that this story about love, connection, and belonging becomes a cherished tool for families, supporting open conversations, celebrating the hope and determination that brought them together, and helping children grow up proud of their beginnings.