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Adoption

I don't need to remake the wheel. There are tremendous resources about adoption already online. This section will feature a step-by-step checklist for the single parent pursuing adoption, as well as more detailed resources that are highly recommended by the Choice Mom community.

Posted September 1, 2010 at 8:05 AM

Finding an adoption attorney

filed under: adoption, foster care, legal

The relationship between a single woman and her adoption attorney is vital. This person can and should be your strongest ally for finding the placement that works -- and making sure the adoption is finalized in a timely way. This advice was posted to the Choice Mom discussion board by Holly, a wonderful resource for Choice Moms who use the foster care adoption route in particular.

Posted June 10, 2010 at 5:25 PM

AUDIO: Transracial adoption

filed under: adoption, transracial, parenting, Minnesota, international adoption, Choice Chat, podcast

If you're thinking of adopting transracially, or are heading a transracial family, listen here for insight. The experts we assembled at a recent Choice Moms event included two Choice Moms who were raised in transracial families, a woman who parented a young woman from a refugee camp, a representative from Children's Home Society, and several Choice Moms who are raising a transracial family.

Transracial adoption

At a Choice Moms networking event in Minneapolis, we gathered a group of women and experts together to talk about transracial adoption challenges and insights.

Part 1: Experts

Part 2: moms talk transracial adoption

Posted May 25, 2010 at 6:10 PM

My bumpy road to motherhood

filed under: profile, thinking, trying, adoption

submitted by WarnerMom
One woman's search for her child, weaving through many non-traditional options.

Read More... | 1 comment

Posted May 18, 2010 at 1:40 PM

Bumps after adoption

filed under: adoption, being, emotions, expert insight

Dawn Davenport at Creating a Family had a great radio show about the bumps that can occur after adoption.

Posted April 26, 2010 at 1:20 PM

Creating your own storybook

filed under: being, becoming, waiting, Choice Kids, Minnesota, growing up without a father, donor offspring, adoption, parenting, products, resources, telling and talking

There are several great options for creating your own storybooks for your adopted or donor conceived child. Here are some of them.

Posted March 30, 2010 at 6:50 PM

Coming to grips with birth and foster families

filed under: adoption, foster care, international adoption, birth family

This is an excellent response by my colleague Dawn Davenport to someone who was concerned about the level of affection her adopted child's foster family was feeling toward him.

Posted March 25, 2010 at 1:15 PM

A Colombian adoptee shares her experience

filed under: international adoption

Thanks to the CreatingaFamily.org website for alerting me to this great Newsweek article about international adoption, from the grown child's perspective.

Posted March 4, 2010 at 3:50 PM

Our 3 biggest regrets

filed under: podcast, thinking, trying, emotions, being, Choice Chat, Choice Kids, choosing doctor, commentary, daddy question, donor offspring, open-identity donor, open adoption, telling and talking

There are three things Choice Moms report in hindsight are their biggest regrets. What do you think they are?

3 Regrets in hindsight

What do women wish they had known before they embarked on the Choice Mom journey?

Regret #1: waiting (6.5 minutes)

Regret #2: doctor (11 minutes)

Regret #3: origin story (10 minutes)

Read More... | 3 comments

Posted February 18, 2010 at 9:10 AM

Blogs about the adoption process

filed under: resources, adoption, international adoption, policy

This is the start of a growing list to come about the adoption process:

Posted February 16, 2010 at 3:20 PM

Creating a Family website

filed under: trying, adoption, resources, emotions, donor egg, surrogacy, fertility

One of my favorite resources for adopting parents is CreatingaFamily.com, run by Dawn Davenport. Like me, she's developed a comprehensive resource for her community as a labor of love. She also has wonderful content for women experiencing fertility challenges. Here is some of her website content:

Posted February 11, 2010 at 2:55 PM

Adoption options

filed under: podcast, adoption, open adoption, international adoption

There are some creative and practical methods to adoption, even for today's single. Listen to this insight from single women who have adopted.

Adoption options

Listen to stories and insight about the adoption journey

Lee Varon tip: logistics

Shelly: open adoption

18 minute podcast (2008)

Varon resources

Posted February 2, 2010 at 1:50 PM

Identity in transracial families

filed under: adoption, transracial, research

A report by Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, titled "BEYOND CULTURE CAMP: PROMOTING HEALTHY IDENTITY FORMATION IN ADOPTION," was released in November 2009. It is the most extensive examination of adult adoptive identity to date, based on reports from adults who were adopted as children.

Posted February 2, 2010 at 1:45 PM

Cost of adoption

filed under: money matters, adoption

Dawn Davenport at Creating a Family is the source I trust for up-to-date adoption information. Here is some of what she's compiled about the various costs of adoption.

Posted February 2, 2010 at 12:00 AM

Single black women adopting

filed under: thinking, adoption, commentary

I've talked with a few professional single black women who have admitted feeling almost reluctant to take this step because of the long-standing stigma about single black parenting.

Posted February 1, 2010 at 8:25 PM

Create a Transracial Parenting Plan

filed under: adoption, transracial, tips

If you are considering building a transracial family, ask yourself these questions (as prepared by Children's Home Society and Family Services):

Posted January 30, 2010 at 7:00 AM

Can a white woman raise a non-white child?

filed under: adoption, transracial, hot topic, feature

A woman on the discussion board asked whether she would be capable of raising an African-American child, as a white woman. Here is one of the many great responses she got from Julia, whose child was adopted from Ethiopia, responded differently:

Read More... | 2 comments

Posted January 27, 2010 at 8:50 PM

Adoptive moms can breastfeed

filed under: breastfeeding, adoption

submitted by Choice Mom Kari
When I first learned that adoptive moms can breastfeed, as I was waiting to adopt, I presumed that these must be women who previously had biological children. Instead I found out that you can produce milk even if you have never been pregnant (men can actually produce milk too!). Breastfeeding has so many wonderful benefits, but the bonding and nutrition were the two that made me decide that I wanted to try it.