In the days leading up to a second adoption, a mother worries: Are we about to turn our lives upside down? How will our daughter handle losing her position at the center of our attention? Will I be able to make room in my heart for another child?
Baby Safety Tips
Take steps to babyproof your home now—before your baby is able to get into trouble.
Ask AF: Adoption Assistance Program
What is an adoption assistance program?
10 Lists to Help You Prepare for Adoption
A list of lists to help you through the adoption process and wait.
Waiting for Working Moms
Yes, it’s about your new family. But don’t forget to focus on your work life, too.
How to Prepare for Parenthood
After years of disappointment, adopting couples have a hard time believing that parenthood is just around the corner. But now is the time to get ready.
Planning for “the Call”
Are you prepared to receive the news that you’ve been chosen? If not, here are six things we wish we had known, before we became a family of three.
Domestic Adoption Travel 101
Tips for — and from — domestic adoptive parents on preparing for the emotional journey to meet your child.
How to Lobby Your Employer for Adoption Benefits
For working people who want to adopt, the need to take time off without pay may put adoption beyond your financial means.
What’s in a Name? For an Adopted Child, A Lot!
When a child joins a family with his own history, his own culture—his own name—parents may want to look beyond the pages of a baby names book.
Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda: Surviving the Wait
In hindsight, these veteran adoptive moms would have done some things differently during the wait — but not others.
Announcing Your Decision to Adopt
A letter can deliver the news to loved ones in efficiently and affectionately. The key is to communicate how thrilled you are about adopting.
The Reluctant Family
You’re ready to adopt, but your spouse is reluctant. How can you get your “other half” (and family members) on board?
Best Apps for Adoptive Parents
We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 expert- and reader-recommended apps for prospective parents and new families.
Ask AF: Do We Need a Lawyer to Change Our Child’s Name?
Do we have to use a lawyer (and pay attorney fees) to change our child’s name?
Ask AF: Lobbying for Adoption Benefits
Answers to your parenting questions.
Ask AF: Are Pets Problematic?
We have a cat and a dog. Will this pose a problem for our home study–or after we bring our child home?
Parent-to-Parent: The Hardest Part of the Adoption Process
Adoptive parents look back on the adoption process and share the hardest moments, from having to change routes to becoming parents overnight to seeing the birth mother say goodbye.
Preparing for Your Child During the Wait
The very best way to occupy your time while you wait for your child is to learn everything you can about raising adopted children, and to prepare for any eventuality.
Ask AF: Fighting for Health Coverage
Answers to your parenting questions.