In my last post, I introduced you to Lois Lodge, a home for women in unplanned pregnancies with nowhere to go. In this post, I’d like to introduce you to Leah, a young mother who stayed at Lois Lodge during her pregnancy.

In June of 2006, Leah discovered she was pregnant for the second time in her life. At sixteen, Leah experienced her first unplanned pregnancy and placed that baby for adoption. When she discovered she was pregnant the second time, she and her boyfriend, Mark were very shocked.... more

This week’s featured birthmom is Jamie. As a single mother to one daughter, Jamie knows all that goes into being a parent so when she found herself in a second unplanned pregnancy; she began to think about adoption.

Jamie had only been in a temporary relationship with her baby’s father when she found out that he was abusing narcotics and had been charged with assaulting a female and was not supporting the children he already had. After finding out that information about her baby’s birthdad... more

I’ve decided to bring back the BirthMom of the Week Segment as it was a favorite amongst many so I will attempt to spotlight a different birthmother each week. I’ll vary the age of the birthmothers and the type of adoption in order to give us a good mix of experiences.

This week’s featured birthmom is Tracy V. from Minnesota. Tracy is now happily married and parenting two elementary school aged sons. Tracy is also the birthmother to D. who is seventeen years old and was placed in a semi-open adoption directly following... more

“Aren’t ultrasounds neat? This was my first official picture of Charlie taken right after I first found out I was pregnant. I think it is neat to see this little, tiny person growing inside of your body.

Seeing that first ultrasound also made my unplanned pregnancy seem so real. I think I had been in denial that I was really and truly pregnant up until that point. But it’s hard to deny it any longer when you see your baby floating around on the screen. It was then that I knew I had to do whatever I could to protect my baby and give him all that he... more

This is a second interview in my series speaking with young mothers who experienced and unplanned/crisis pregnancy. Although the stories are different, each of these young women have some valuable insight because of the situations they experienced, and the decisions they ultimately made.

The second of these ladies is Amy and she is mother to one son who is now seven years old. When Amy found she was pregnant, she was just sixteen years old. The pregnancy was unplanned and when the father found out he became scared and ran. Amy was living... more

Some of you may be wondering what I am doing on the unplanned/crisis pregnancy blog. No, I have never experienced an unplanned pregnancy, or even a pregnancy for that matter, but I am familiar with two young ladies in my church who have, and I wanted to share their experiences with the readers here. Neither of these young ladies ended up making an adoption plan, both are successfully parenting their children and I have been able to witness them make the transition from a time of crisis and frustration, to a place of achievement and lessons... more

I was nineteen years old and I gave birth (unplanned pregnancy) to my son Noah. Noah (now 10) has cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

I did not know that Noah was going to have any type of special needs before he was born. I had a problematic pregnancy that resulted in me being put in the high risk unit of the hospital at about 28 weeks of pregnancy until Noah was born at 34 weeks of pregnancy. Noah was small (4 lbs.,... more

In my last post, I talked about the lessons I have learned as a birthmother. But I have also learned many things and lessons from the adoptive mothers and adoptees I have had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know on my adoption journey. The list below may not be things that every adoptive mother or adoptee will agree with or feels as well, but the things and feelings of the adoptive mothers and adoptees I have met along the way.

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My journey as a birthmother has taught me many things. Some of these things or “lessons” are things I already knew but have been reaffirmed in my walk as a birthmother while others specifically relate to adoption and I didn’t know as an outsider.

I’ve learned to be more compassionate. I was already a compassionate person but adoption and being a birthmother has taught me to be even more compassionate towards other people. I’ve learned to root for the underdog. I consider an expectant mother who is single and doesn’t have... more

This week’s Birthmother of the Week is a dear friend of mine, Leigh H. I met Leigh online about two years ago and we bonded first via email and now via late night chats on the phone – usually about the same daytime soap that we are both (unfortunately) addicted to!

Leigh is from the snowy state of Massachusetts and placed her daughter in an open adoption. Leigh’s daughter, J, will turn three on the 17th of this month.

1. How old were... more