Recently I’ve been focusing on the bigger-picture issues in crisis pregnancy, but now I want to turn your attention to more practical details. As you struggle with your decision, you’re sure to want to know what Web sites to visit, what books to read, and how to find current birthmoms you can talk to about what living with adoption is really like. Fear not: this is a topic we’ll return to again and again. For today, I’ll begin by listing just a few Web sites.

The first site I recommend is from Brenda Romanchik, an adoption educator and birthmother. Brenda has a terrific open adoption and a great lifelong relationship with her son Matt (now an adult) and his birthfamily. She has many, many good ideas available through the Insight: Open Adoption Resources and Support Web site, including a page especially for for expectant parents considering adoption, which you can visit by clicking here.

Brenda’s pamphlet, Your Rights and Responsibilities: a guide for expectant parents considering adoption is very good, as are her booklets entitled Birthparent Grief and "What Is Open Adoption?” (also available on Amazon.com).

I’d also recommend that you visit the Web site of Concerned United Birthparents, or CUB.

CUB is a national organization for birthparents, focusing on support and on adoption reform. They publish a newsletter called The CUB Communicator, and they also publish and host my pamphlet, “What you should know if you’re considering adoption for your baby.”

CUB is a good place to find older birhtmoms to talk to—-women who’ve been living with adoption for decades and know all the consequences of the decision.

Social worker Bill Betzen keeps a page of advice for parents considering adoption. You can read his advice here (skip over the plug for my pamphlet and go straight to his words beneath).

Finally, if you want to begin hearing the voices of the experts, today's birthmoms, you can stop by Lifemothers, a site written by and for birthmothers.

This is just to get you started. There are many, many more resources for you to turn to, and we'll be talking about them all in time.