My husband and I adopted a baby boy about four months ago. Much to our surprise, the birth father has decided to file an opposition to the adoption.
Questions About Being “Given Up”
Our seven-year-old daughter knows her adoption story, but, lately, she’s been asking a lot of questions about why she was ‘given up.’
Ask AF: An Unknown Birth Father
Our daughter’s birth mother says she has no idea who the birth father is. We don’t know his first name or even the color of his hair.
Ask AF: Explaining Kinship Adoption
My younger daughter adopted her sister’s child. My granddaughter’s now eight, and knows that she was adopted, but she doesn’t know that her “Auntie” is her birth mother.
Setting Boundaries in Open Adoption
In an open adoption, your child’s birth parents become part of your extended family. Here are some common questions when it comes to managing those relationships.
When Birth Moms Get the Blues
It may take some time for your child’s birth mother to work through her grief. But there are ways you can help.
“Googling Her Birth Parents”
Would it really be possible to fill out my daughter’s hazy memories by typing names into a search engine?
Keeping Up Contact with Birth Parents
An open adoption arrangement may be buffeted by passing time and changing circumstances. Here’s how to make your relationship endure.
“Welcomed By Our Daughter’s Birth Family”
I asked my family not to come to the hospital when she was born, then mourned their absence. Enter her birth relatives.
“A Past Without Pictures”
My daughter was eight years old in the referral photo we received during the international adoption process. That’s the oldest photo she will ever have of herself.
When Teens Find Birth Family Online
Got a Web-savvy teen on your hands? Here’s how to set safety guidelines for online birth family contact.
“Gifts to and from My Child’s Adoptive Family”
In an open adoption, what do you give to the person who means everything to you? Thoughts from a birth mom about the gifts that mean the most.
Letting Her Go: Chinese Birth Parent Search and Reunions
The first study on this topic provides fascinating insights about adoptees’ and parents’ motivations to search, search methods used, the initial reunion, and ongoing contact.
“The Day I Gave My Heart Away”
A birth mother shares her feelings and thoughts about making an adoption plan for her child.
What to Share in the Holiday Letter to Birth Family
It’s normal to think about your child’s birth family during the holidays. What should you share in a holiday letter?
Ask AF: Health History
What should I ask my birth father about my birth family’s medical history?
“Letters of Love”
Sometimes I read the warm, loving letters my birth daughter’s parents send and feel almost incapable of responding. But I always do.
“How to Be His Mother”
Twenty-six years after placing my son for adoption, we found each other. That’s when I started learning—the hard way—how to be a mom.
What Is Life Like for Birth Mothers After Placement?
On Your Feet Foundation’s national survey provides insight into birth mothers’ emotional experiences after placement and what can help them heal.
Ask AF: What to Say in a Letter to Birth Parents
I send letters with pictures to my children’s birth parents via our adoption agencies.