Episode
The True Story Behind Ali's Children's Book, Beautiful Bird: Helen, Aaron and Blake on Love, Friendship, Donor Conception, Surviving the NICU and Building a Beautiful Modern Family
- Published
- Jun 25, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4164
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://www.infertileafgroup.com/podcast
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Summary
Today’s episode is a really special one because Ali is sitting down with three of her favorite people in the world: Helen, Aaron, and Blake—the real-life family behind her “Work of ART” children's book, Beautiful Bird . If you’ve read the book, then you already know a little bit about Jack Bird, the incredible boy at the center of the story. And today, you’re going to hear the real origin story. This is a conversation about love, friendship, family building, and creating a family that looks different than what many of us grew up seeing—but is every bit as beautiful. Helen always knew she wanted to be a mom, and as a solo mom by choice, she embarked on a journey to build her family with the help of her dear friend Aaron. At the time, Aaron was building a life with his partner, Blake, and together, the three of them created a beautiful, intentional village around Jack from the very beginning. Ali, Helen, Blake and Aaron talk about fertility treatments, donor conception, LGBTQ+ family building, and what it means to redefine family in a way that puts love, honesty, and a child's well-being first. They also talk about one of the most difficult chapters of their journey: Jack's unexpected 33-day stay in the NICU after he was born, and how that experience shaped all of them as parents and as a family. Most of all, this is a story about showing up for one another. It's about friendship becoming family, about creating your own blueprint, and about the many different ways people can build a loving home. Snag a copy of Beautiful Bird for just $15 here: https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books EPISODE SPONSORS: THE WORK OF ART BOOK SERIES Ali's Children's Book Series about IVF, IUI and Family Building Through Assisted Reproductive Technology https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books Th…