What do you think?
Rate this book
Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes) #3
Help Is On the Way
After a friend real-talks Mindy into hiring a baby nurse, she finds the help she needs—and so much more—in this soulful essay by the acclaimed writer, actress, producer, and director.
Becoming a new mother after losing her own, Mindy Kaling needs help—like someone to answer the questions What is a baby, and why don’t they have kneecaps? Enter Rose. The in-demand, dedicated baby nurse alleviates Mindy’s fears, from the minor to the profound.
From the acclaimed writer, actor, director, producer, and New York Times bestselling author comes Nothing Like I Imagined. In these essays, Mindy Kaling shares the latest chapters of a multitasking life in Hollywood. Read or listen to them in a single setting. Either way, they’re pitch-perfect.
26 minutes
Becoming a new mother after losing her own, Mindy Kaling needs help—like someone to answer the questions What is a baby, and why don’t they have kneecaps? Enter Rose. The in-demand, dedicated baby nurse alleviates Mindy’s fears, from the minor to the profound.
From the acclaimed writer, actor, director, producer, and New York Times bestselling author comes Nothing Like I Imagined. In these essays, Mindy Kaling shares the latest chapters of a multitasking life in Hollywood. Read or listen to them in a single setting. Either way, they’re pitch-perfect.
26 minutes
Audible Audio
First published October 6, 2020
1193 people are currently reading
6016 people want to read
About the author
Mindy Kaling
32 books251k followersMindy Kaling is an actor, writer, producer, and director. She currently stars in the Hulu original comedy series “The Mindy Project," which she also writes and executive produces.
Before "The Mindy Project," Mindy was best known for her work on the critically acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning NBC show “The Office.” In addition to directing, producing, and portraying celebrity-obsessed Kelly Kapoor, Mindy wrote 18 episodes of the series, including the Emmy nominated episode “Niagra.”
In 2011, Mindy penned the comedic memoir Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns), which continues to be featured on New York Times’ and USA Today’s best-seller lists. Mindy’s second memoir Why Not Me? was released in September 2015 and launched at #1 on the New York Times’ best-seller list.
In 2005, Mindy made her film debut as the object of Paul Rudd's unwanted affections in Judd Apatow’s THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN. Most recently, Mindy lent her voice to the character Disgust in the Oscar-winning Pixar animated film INSIDE OUT alongside Amy Poehler and Bill Hader, and was seen in THE NIGHT BEFORE alongside Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. She will next begin production on OCEAN’S 8 alongside Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway.
Mindy was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2012. In 2014, she was named one of Glamour’s women of the year.
Before "The Mindy Project," Mindy was best known for her work on the critically acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning NBC show “The Office.” In addition to directing, producing, and portraying celebrity-obsessed Kelly Kapoor, Mindy wrote 18 episodes of the series, including the Emmy nominated episode “Niagra.”
In 2011, Mindy penned the comedic memoir Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns), which continues to be featured on New York Times’ and USA Today’s best-seller lists. Mindy’s second memoir Why Not Me? was released in September 2015 and launched at #1 on the New York Times’ best-seller list.
In 2005, Mindy made her film debut as the object of Paul Rudd's unwanted affections in Judd Apatow’s THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN. Most recently, Mindy lent her voice to the character Disgust in the Oscar-winning Pixar animated film INSIDE OUT alongside Amy Poehler and Bill Hader, and was seen in THE NIGHT BEFORE alongside Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. She will next begin production on OCEAN’S 8 alongside Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway.
Mindy was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2012. In 2014, she was named one of Glamour’s women of the year.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
December 26, 2023
Like all the other books in this series, Mindy discusses the important topic of becoming a mother in this book.
She tells us what a woman feels like while becoming a mother. She also tries to discuss the difficulty of getting a baby nurse and the tiresome and confusing journey she took for it.
She was surprised by the demand for getting a good baby nurse in the USA.
My favorite three lines from this book.
“Lauren then went on to tell me one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten about motherhood. She said that the time after you have a baby is exponentially harder than the time leading up to it. And that having a baby nurse is the best way to prepare for this physically and psychologically demanding time.”
“She leaned back and took a long sip of her coffee, which is universal friend body language for, You’re a complete idiot.”
“Never complain, never explain” is the old saying, and my mother completely embodied it. Me, on the other hand? I love complaining. Almost as much as I love explaining!”
Mindy tells her experiences of contacting childcare agencies, collecting a bunch of resumes of baby nurses, and face-timing them. We can also see how the baby nurse who was finally selected helped her a lot in taking care of her baby and altered Mindy’s life in the best way possible.
—————————————————————————
You can also follow me on
Instagram ID - Dasfill | YouTube Channel ID - Dasfill | YouTube Health Channel ID - Dasfill - Health | YouTube Malayalam Channel ID - Dasfill - Malayalam | Threads ID - Dasfill | X ID - Dasfill1 | Snapchat ID - Dasfill | Facebook ID - Dasfill | TikTok ID - Dasfill1
November 26, 2020
The reason her tv-shows and movies are so successful is the same reason why her books and essays are so good. She is an incredible author.
The only downside is the fact that this could´ve been part of one book with essays instead of publishing it separately.
The only downside is the fact that this could´ve been part of one book with essays instead of publishing it separately.
October 11, 2020
We've been watching the Mindy Project (a rewatch for me, first time for my husband) so when I saw this series of six essays by Mindy Kaling it was an obvious download. The Kindle version is free to Amazon Prime members and after you download them you can access the audio free as well. Obviously I listened to this in audio read by the author - this one is all about hiring a baby nurse who ends up playing a role Mindy wishes her mother could have played, but she is deceased.
This one is interesting, especially since you don't often hear about single motherhood, but I really feel she should have acknowledge the incredible amount of privilege she has, just once, even once. I know she's a comedy writer but okay at the hospital, every time her baby cried, the baby's nurse took care of it. Every time she needed something, her (separate!) nurse was there. A few days later (!) they went home. The baby nurse stayed with her full-time and even handled the baby for the 3 am feedings (she did the feeding but the nurse brings her the baby.) This is not how it goes for the majority of people.
She also frequently refers to her baby as "my baby" - this might be an attempt not to gender the child, although from time to time she does use "my daughter" or her name. Over and over it feels like when kids have a baby doll... it's a bit strange, can't quite put my finger on it.
This one is interesting, especially since you don't often hear about single motherhood, but I really feel she should have acknowledge the incredible amount of privilege she has, just once, even once. I know she's a comedy writer but okay at the hospital, every time her baby cried, the baby's nurse took care of it. Every time she needed something, her (separate!) nurse was there. A few days later (!) they went home. The baby nurse stayed with her full-time and even handled the baby for the 3 am feedings (she did the feeding but the nurse brings her the baby.) This is not how it goes for the majority of people.
She also frequently refers to her baby as "my baby" - this might be an attempt not to gender the child, although from time to time she does use "my daughter" or her name. Over and over it feels like when kids have a baby doll... it's a bit strange, can't quite put my finger on it.
January 4, 2021
I really enjoyed this book because Mindy educated me on a culture that I was very unaware of. That culture is having a baby nurse live with you for a couple months after the baby is born. I have never even heard of this. I'm not sure if it is because I grew up and still live in the midwest, where no one I know has done this or if it is because its only a celebrity thing, but I appreciate Mindy being open about it. I wonder if she had a baby nurse for her second kid.
"After a friend real-talks Mindy into hiring a baby nurse, she finds the help she needs—and so much more—in this soulful essay by the acclaimed writer, actress, producer, and director.
Becoming a new mother after losing her own, Mindy Kaling needs help—like someone to answer the questions What is a baby, and why don’t they have kneecaps? Enter Rose. The in-demand, dedicated baby nurse alleviates Mindy’s fears, from the minor to the profound."
"After a friend real-talks Mindy into hiring a baby nurse, she finds the help she needs—and so much more—in this soulful essay by the acclaimed writer, actress, producer, and director.
Becoming a new mother after losing her own, Mindy Kaling needs help—like someone to answer the questions What is a baby, and why don’t they have kneecaps? Enter Rose. The in-demand, dedicated baby nurse alleviates Mindy’s fears, from the minor to the profound."
November 11, 2020
"I once backed into my own mailbox!" this is a story I would like to hear.
This essay is so sweet and sincere. This is the other crier. The maternal and warm feelings Mindy has for Rose extends easily to the reader. The moments of late night feedings with baby Kit, they debated which celebrities they liked, and shared family stories which were lovely details in the essay.
The ending of " I-might-have-another-baby-just- to- spend-more-time with-Rose-again" is so coy and so telling. What a little sneak.
This essay is so sweet and sincere. This is the other crier. The maternal and warm feelings Mindy has for Rose extends easily to the reader. The moments of late night feedings with baby Kit, they debated which celebrities they liked, and shared family stories which were lovely details in the essay.
The ending of " I-might-have-another-baby-just- to- spend-more-time with-Rose-again" is so coy and so telling. What a little sneak.
October 21, 2020
I understand the point of the story is how much she appreciates the role her baby nurse played in her life and acted as a mother figure to her, I hope others in a tax bracket high enough to afford hiring people to help with things most people have to do themselves out of necessity appreciate this one. There are some classic funny lines, hut ultimately too privileged for my taste.
August 17, 2021
The best twenty minutes of my day was just spent reading this cute essay about Mindy's baby nurse, and their relationship.
Even if you are not a mother who had a baby nurse or help of any kind, you will relate and even empathize with Mindy and how she felt about motherhood. It's not always the pretty picture you see on tv and in magazines. It's messy, tough, scary but in the end, when they are grown, it is the most rewarding feeling in the world.
I look forward to the next essay I have waiting. I love her voice, it's so funny and relatable. I suggest you read them all too!
Even if you are not a mother who had a baby nurse or help of any kind, you will relate and even empathize with Mindy and how she felt about motherhood. It's not always the pretty picture you see on tv and in magazines. It's messy, tough, scary but in the end, when they are grown, it is the most rewarding feeling in the world.
I look forward to the next essay I have waiting. I love her voice, it's so funny and relatable. I suggest you read them all too!
November 29, 2020
This is part of a collection of essays and I'm going to give it an overall rating of 3.5 rounded up to 4.
I listened to these on audio book and Mindy Kaling comes across as extremely personable and funny. It felt like i was listening to a friend tell me about her weekend.
I listened to these on audio book and Mindy Kaling comes across as extremely personable and funny. It felt like i was listening to a friend tell me about her weekend.
October 8, 2020
Another fun short story by Mindy Kaling, this one about becoming a mom and hiring a baby nurse.
October 14, 2020
mindy kaling: i don't know if i'll have anothe baby
also mindy kaling: i literally just had another baby and his name is spencer
also mindy kaling: i literally just had another baby and his name is spencer
Read
November 30, 2021Nothing Like I Imagined is an essay collection by actress, producer, and writer Mindy Kaling that explores different aspects of her life such as being a (I think) voluntary single mom who wants to makes lots of friends, but due to social anxiety, has learned that the quality over quantity is the better life motto. Being a celebrity, there's a lot of Kaling's life that is completely unrelatable but her opinions and reactions to the various situations depicted in the essays are very relatable.
Essay 3: Help Is On the Way (Not for Me)
This is the tale of Kaling hiring a baby nurse, which is apparently a specialized live-in nanny that assists new mothers during maternity leave.
Essay 1: Kind of Hindu (4 Stars)
Essay 2: Please Like Me But Keep Away (4 Stars)
Essay 4: Searching for Coach Taylor (Not for Me)
Essay 5: Once Upon a Time in Silver Lake (3 Stars)
Essay 6: Big Shot (3 Stars)
Essay 3: Help Is On the Way (Not for Me)
This is the tale of Kaling hiring a baby nurse, which is apparently a specialized live-in nanny that assists new mothers during maternity leave.
Essay 1: Kind of Hindu (4 Stars)
Essay 2: Please Like Me But Keep Away (4 Stars)
Essay 4: Searching for Coach Taylor (Not for Me)
Essay 5: Once Upon a Time in Silver Lake (3 Stars)
Essay 6: Big Shot (3 Stars)
October 24, 2020
Baby Nurse saves the Day
Review of the Amazon Original kindle eBook (2020)
Funny short essay about writer/actress Mindy Kaling's hiring a baby nurse when after giving birth to her daughter Kit.
Help Is on the Way is one of the six-part Nothing Like I Imagined collection of autobiographical short comedy essays by Mindy Kaling available through Amazon Originals.
Review of the Amazon Original kindle eBook (2020)
Funny short essay about writer/actress Mindy Kaling's hiring a baby nurse when after giving birth to her daughter Kit.
Help Is on the Way is one of the six-part Nothing Like I Imagined collection of autobiographical short comedy essays by Mindy Kaling available through Amazon Originals.
October 9, 2020
Nothing Like I Imagined
Since this is a collection of quick personal essays I’ve decided to review them all in one swoop anthology style.
Please Like Me (But Keep Away) - 4 Stars - This essay reviews the time when Mindy moved to LA to write for the office and had to find/make friends as an adult. A most daunting task indeed. She speaks of wanting a close group of girlfriends and even her experience in trying to join one and of how she somehow ended up with a male BFF. Making new friends as an adult is something I’ve yet to really be able to do though I will see my efforts have been less than minimal. I love my current tight knit friend group however I find being the only single, childless one to be alienating and I think it’s unfair to put more demands on their time than they already have but finding new people who I can demand spend time with is very difficult. I’ve said before that Mindy seems familiar and in this essay I see myself.
Kind of Hindu - 4.5 Stars - Something I’ve never considered about parenthood (because I haven’t had to) is religion. I’m sure as a member of a dominant religion I wouldn’t bat an eye at raising my child in a christian faith but what if said imaginary child had a father who was of a different faith. What would I do? So many questions that my mind starts to spin and I’ll save you the downward cycle but it’s an important responsibility. The story of her daughter’s Mundan ceremony is humorous from the outside but I’m sure traumatizing for both mama and daughter… and hair stylist. This is the kind of gem I’m happy she shared with the world. I feel like I learned something not only personal but cultural.
Help Is On the Way - 4 Stars - Admitting you need help is one of the hardest things to do as an adult. We make decisions and we feel like we should be able to handle the repercussions of these decisions. We follow the example our parents gave us and think we should be able to do it too. That is why Mindy struggles so hard with the decision of hiring a baby nurse. It’s nothing her mother would have done. It is nothing she was culturally raised to do but it turned out to be one of the best experiences of her life.
Searching for Coach Taylor - 4 Stars - In this essay we explore single parent pity and what it means to have a husband or partner. Mindy handles it with her trademark wit and grace but makes some other really great points about the things you give up or have to negotiate about too.
Once Upon a Time in Silver Lake - 3 Stars - A short, weird tale of a night out with her best friend BJ. I’m not sure what we are supposed to derive from the story. It a good party antidote though.
Big Shot - 4 Stars - Mindy shares a lesson she learned about generosity and expecting gratitude. She gives her readers endless curiosity over who “Max Davis” really is. She also shares a day in her life as a kind of bonus essay.
Wow the quality of these reviews really diminish. LOL
Since this is a collection of quick personal essays I’ve decided to review them all in one swoop anthology style.
Please Like Me (But Keep Away) - 4 Stars - This essay reviews the time when Mindy moved to LA to write for the office and had to find/make friends as an adult. A most daunting task indeed. She speaks of wanting a close group of girlfriends and even her experience in trying to join one and of how she somehow ended up with a male BFF. Making new friends as an adult is something I’ve yet to really be able to do though I will see my efforts have been less than minimal. I love my current tight knit friend group however I find being the only single, childless one to be alienating and I think it’s unfair to put more demands on their time than they already have but finding new people who I can demand spend time with is very difficult. I’ve said before that Mindy seems familiar and in this essay I see myself.
Kind of Hindu - 4.5 Stars - Something I’ve never considered about parenthood (because I haven’t had to) is religion. I’m sure as a member of a dominant religion I wouldn’t bat an eye at raising my child in a christian faith but what if said imaginary child had a father who was of a different faith. What would I do? So many questions that my mind starts to spin and I’ll save you the downward cycle but it’s an important responsibility. The story of her daughter’s Mundan ceremony is humorous from the outside but I’m sure traumatizing for both mama and daughter… and hair stylist. This is the kind of gem I’m happy she shared with the world. I feel like I learned something not only personal but cultural.
Help Is On the Way - 4 Stars - Admitting you need help is one of the hardest things to do as an adult. We make decisions and we feel like we should be able to handle the repercussions of these decisions. We follow the example our parents gave us and think we should be able to do it too. That is why Mindy struggles so hard with the decision of hiring a baby nurse. It’s nothing her mother would have done. It is nothing she was culturally raised to do but it turned out to be one of the best experiences of her life.
Searching for Coach Taylor - 4 Stars - In this essay we explore single parent pity and what it means to have a husband or partner. Mindy handles it with her trademark wit and grace but makes some other really great points about the things you give up or have to negotiate about too.
Once Upon a Time in Silver Lake - 3 Stars - A short, weird tale of a night out with her best friend BJ. I’m not sure what we are supposed to derive from the story. It a good party antidote though.
Big Shot - 4 Stars - Mindy shares a lesson she learned about generosity and expecting gratitude. She gives her readers endless curiosity over who “Max Davis” really is. She also shares a day in her life as a kind of bonus essay.
Wow the quality of these reviews really diminish. LOL
September 16, 2022
Insightful! Mindy writes a short essay about her first pregnancy and the unexpected search for a "baby whisper." She outlines her hopes and fears in her own humorous and insightful way. 💕 🍼
👶🏾Book Quotes:
"Indian women don't really get postpartum, that's a White person thing,..."
(p. 7)
"I had no idea what's it's like being a mom. I had never met my baby."
(p. 8)
"I was a single working mom and I couldn't make enough milk?"
(p. 14)
👶🏾Book Quotes:
"Indian women don't really get postpartum, that's a White person thing,..."
(p. 7)
"I had no idea what's it's like being a mom. I had never met my baby."
(p. 8)
"I was a single working mom and I couldn't make enough milk?"
(p. 14)
January 1, 2021
A beautiful emotional short and first read of 2021!!
January 11, 2021
So real, so funny.
February 11, 2021
So relatable & funny!
Highly recommend this to all the moms out there! I know you can relate and wish you had/have your very own ‘Rose’.
Highly recommend this to all the moms out there! I know you can relate and wish you had/have your very own ‘Rose’.
June 22, 2021
Mindy faces the horrifying prospect of bringing home a newborn without her mother's help/advice, so she reluctantly hires a baby nurse.
I'm so glad my mom was alive when my boys were babies.
I'm so glad my mom was alive when my boys were babies.
August 17, 2022
Good story about Mindy and her baby nurse experience.
November 8, 2020
A treat to listen to Mindy 😍
January 31, 2021
Mindy’s honest take on single mom-hood was refreshing. She first describes her reluctance to get help in caring for her baby. I liked that instead of trying to do it all on her own, in the perfectionist manifesto women are led to dedicate their lives to, she hires help. She gets outside help, because single moms are not terrible parents for doing so. With the absence of her mother, Mindy also receives maternal advice and tenderness from her baby nurse. The two’s intimate relationship showed me the emotional and physical needs of not only the baby, but also the mother post childbirth.
As I reflect on my relationship with my own mother, or the lack thereof, this book consoles me that I don’t have to figure it out all on my own. That I can find help for tremendous life milestones like giving birth and child care.
That getting help in raising a child from someone outside your blood relative is OK and not shameful or lesser than.
Sure, it might be nice if my future child could have a loving relationship with his or her grandmother. But if that’s not possible, an alternative is still good and can be great.
As I reflect on my relationship with my own mother, or the lack thereof, this book consoles me that I don’t have to figure it out all on my own. That I can find help for tremendous life milestones like giving birth and child care.
That getting help in raising a child from someone outside your blood relative is OK and not shameful or lesser than.
Sure, it might be nice if my future child could have a loving relationship with his or her grandmother. But if that’s not possible, an alternative is still good and can be great.
March 21, 2021
Quick. Funny. Light.
This is a novella by Mindy Kaling that caught my eye because I've seen her in interviews and she's hilarious, and I got the book for free, so that's a win! With only 17 pages, it is very quick (read it on my lunch break), light and funny. I think people with kids would be the target audience for this, but I (no kids) also had a few good chuckles.
Definitely recommend (especially if you can nab it for free)!!
This is a novella by Mindy Kaling that caught my eye because I've seen her in interviews and she's hilarious, and I got the book for free, so that's a win! With only 17 pages, it is very quick (read it on my lunch break), light and funny. I think people with kids would be the target audience for this, but I (no kids) also had a few good chuckles.
Definitely recommend (especially if you can nab it for free)!!
December 10, 2020
Rose sounds AMAZING
I know nothing about being a parent. The whole idea of parenthood overwhelms me. I do not understand how people can be responsible for someone else when I barely manage myself.
My mom is Filipino so I understand the oddness of having babysitters and other help. I'm hoping Mindy and Rose could be a team again with the second child she had.
I know nothing about being a parent. The whole idea of parenthood overwhelms me. I do not understand how people can be responsible for someone else when I barely manage myself.
My mom is Filipino so I understand the oddness of having babysitters and other help. I'm hoping Mindy and Rose could be a team again with the second child she had.
January 24, 2022
This is just the sweetest essay about Kaling's love, admiration and huge respect for her baby nurse. As I've found with some of her other essays, it's annoying that she doesn't mention her privilege at ALL (how many people realistically can afford this type of round the clock care?) but I tried to ignore that because she speaks about this woman with so much love and appreciation. It's very adorable.
September 11, 2022
I love Mindy Kalings writing style. It's so real and you feel like you could be her best friend. She's having her daughter, her first child, and believes she's going to be a super mom and do it all as a single parent, until her friend tells her she really is going to need help. Mindy seems like she should be every girls best friend!
November 3, 2020
I love Rose!
This essay was just so sweet. I love Rose! I love that she was exactly who Mindy needed, like it was fate that she was the one who helped her. I hope now that Mindy had another baby, that Rose is back to save the day.
This essay was just so sweet. I love Rose! I love that she was exactly who Mindy needed, like it was fate that she was the one who helped her. I hope now that Mindy had another baby, that Rose is back to save the day.
March 17, 2021
I don't know who Mindy Kaling is, but I like her writing style! In this book all about her pregnancy, about her culture/family, and more. It was really fun to read and I enjoyed it. I am definitely going to be checking out the other short stories in this series.
December 22, 2021
2.5
Kahling has a very breezy, accessible style, and this was a nice enough story about how a nurse maid helped her after she’d had a baby.
The whole thing seems a bit weird though. Do people do that? Just Americans? Just rich people? Just rich Americans? God knows you need all the help you can get but I don’t think I’d love having a person working for me and living with me 24/7.
Kahling has a very breezy, accessible style, and this was a nice enough story about how a nurse maid helped her after she’d had a baby.
The whole thing seems a bit weird though. Do people do that? Just Americans? Just rich people? Just rich Americans? God knows you need all the help you can get but I don’t think I’d love having a person working for me and living with me 24/7.
December 19, 2024
Honestly, having a baby nurse live with you during the first couple of months is absolutely genious. While I get it's not ideal for everyone, it doesn't shy away from the fact that every new parent needs help in the beginning.
October 6, 2020
Heartwarming.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews