Finding my birth family has never been an attempt to replace anyone else, but simply an effort to find myself, a desire my adoptive family understands.
“Prison Baby”
In this personal essay, one adoptee describes all the questions she wanted to ask her birth mother when she visited her birth country: a jail.
Double The Love — Anaïs & Sam
A set of identical twins who were separated at birth and adopted by different families — not to be reunited until age 27.
Searching for Birth Families
Parents who look for their child’s birth family abroad are ushering in a new openness in international adoption. Many say the decision to search requires careful thought.
“Our Canadian-Colombian Family Reunion”
After returning from a trip to my son’s birth country, my heart — and journal — was overflowing.
“From Adoptive Mother to Birth Grandmother”
An adoptive mother prepares to become a birth grandmother.
Contact with Biological Grandparents
Should we create a contact agreement with our children’s biological grandparents? What are our legal rights?
“Running to Mommy”
I knew it would be hard for my daughter’s birth mother to give her up. But I didn’t think I’d feel so guilty for taking her.
“Someone I Will Never Know”
I had never met my child’s birth mother. Could I learn to love her?
Birth Parent Fantasies
Your child’s birth mother looms large in her imagination now. What’s your grade-schooler really thinking?
“A Complicated Privilege”
Was hiring someone to search for our daughter’s Guatemalan birth mother the right thing to do? We decided we had no choice but to try to meet her.
“Our Kids Are All Right”: Birth Siblings in Open Adoption
Was moving from a semi-open adoption to a fully open one, with visits, the right decision for my birth son and for the daughter I was raising?
“Meeting the Parents Who Would Adopt My Grandchild”
My daughter “gave up” nothing when she became a birth mother. She lovingly placed her precious baby girl in the arms of parents who would prove eager to embrace us all.
Ask AF: Explaining a Birth Sibling’s Adoption
Answering your parenting questions.
Adoptees Speak Out About Adoption, Birth Parents, Race, and More
Adolescent adoptees offer first-person wisdom to fellow adoptees.
“Open Adoption Is…”
For our family, open adoption is peach roses, scrambling to buy bottles, and feeling out our relationship with the birth mom.
Legal Guide to Naming Your Child
What do we need to know about naming our child?
Other Brothers (and Sisters!)
Six families share their amazing stories about the power of birth sibling connections.
“Why Don’t We Ever Visit My Birth Parents?”
After three domestic adoptions, we have three very different levels of openness with each of our children’s birth families.
“Beating the Odds”
My prison birth could have set me up for a life of failure. But the love of my families has led me to one of resilience and hope.