There’s a new article in the About.com’s Adoption section all about adoption agencies. The article is geared towards expectant mothers considering adoption and hopeful adoptive couples each looking for adoption agencies to work with. It contains advice from a birthmother and an adoptive mother. It tells you warning signs to look out for letting you know that a particular agency might not be so good and positive signs that point out... more

The other day I stumbled across a site called GirlMom: Support, Community and Education for Young Mamas. If you’re a young woman in an unplanned pregnancy, I’d suggest stopping by for a visit.

Now, the site itself isn’t all that well-organized--it’s not easily navigable, and you have to wade through a lot of material to find what you’re looking for. And it may also be new, because several areas don’t seem to be built out just yet.

But I love the idea, and the feisty attitude. And already, there are some... more

We briefly touched on what open adoption is in the Types of Adoption Post from Friday. Since open adoption is so widespread currently, I feel like we should spend some time on it, so I'll do a short series on it. Not everyone has the same definition of open adoption and not all parties involved in an open adoption may want the same thing as another group of triad members involved in an open adoption. Open adoptions have to be tailored made to fit each... more

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers of every kind. On this holiday, I want to send my sincere good wishes to all the expectant mothers now going through an unplanned pregnancy. Please celebrate today, and do something nice for yourself. You are a mother, and always will be, no matter what your ultimate decision.

Today also seems like the right occasion to share a candid and inspirational story I came across. It's called "Parenting on a Dare: My Decision to Accept Teen Motherhood."... more

So, have you had your ultrasound yet? Have you seen your baby’s first picture or listened to his or her heartbeat? For many pregnant women, that’s the moment their baby becomes truly real to them. I encourage you to savor that prenatal appointment and to be sure to keep a copy of your baby’s ultrasound picture and/or video. It’s something you will always treasure.

Which reminds me: if you’re like most pregnant women, you are curious to know everything that’s happening with the baby growing and developing inside you. That’s why I wanted to pass along the news that the National Geographic... more

Whooo-hoo!

A respected legal journal has addressed the issue of just how terrible most states' laws really are when it comes to obtaining surrender consents from brand new mothers. (Not sure what I'm talking about? Well, adoption laws are different in every state, and some states take advantage of relinquishing mothers by attempting to get their signatures as soon as possible after birth, and by making the rushed decision an irreversible one.)

Ethical states don't do it that way. Ethical state laws have the mother signing away her rights in a courtroom, not a hospital... more

I read two particularly thought-provoking posts today.

One was from the excellent blog, Twice the Rice, in which a woman adopted from Korea discusses her visit to a Korean maternity home. Her account of the gut-wrenching visit, entitled “Juice & Cookies With A Birth Mom,” perfectly captures a scenario that plays out all around the world: the pressures (subtle and not-so-subtle) put on vulnerable women to give up their children for adoption…usually from agencies or... more