Birthmother Review by Jazzie Fullwiley
Post by Jazzie Fullwiley.
Legacy of an Adopted Child
Once there were two women who never knew each other. One you do not remember the other you call mother. Two different lives shaped to make your one One became…
Love the Birth Mom
I heard a quote this week that really struck a chord with me:
“We are all just one circumstance away from really bad situations.”
It made me think, on many levels. It’s true for me. And probably true for you. And definitely true for the birthmothers we work with.
Adoption brings a child born to other parents into a new family. Birth parents have a number of reasons for placing children for adoption. In the end, it’s usually because they want better lives for their children than they feel they can provide.
Children who are placed for adoption come from many different circumstances. Still, we encounter people who think it is okay to say whatever they want about a child’s birth parents; the very people that gave your child life – and gave you the opportunity to be a parent. So, why do people think it is okay to speculate about the choices of birth parents? There are those who seem to believe that the only women who would place a baby for adoption are young, single, and poor. While that profile might fit some birth mothers, it certainly does not fit all.
Deciding Between Adoption or Abortion
Many women find themselves faced with unplanned pregnancies. When a woman is faced with the decision to have her baby and offer him/her up for adoption or choose abortion, this difficult decision is met with turmoil, uncertainty and a sense of overwhelming loneliness. The reasons these women should consider placing their child up for adoption instead of abortion include the following:
- Abortion – While studies show that four out of 10 pregnancies result in a termination, 88-percent of these pregnancies are concluded within the first trimester. Seventy-percent of women who report having an abortion say they look back with negative feelings and regret.
- Assistance – Instead of choosing to terminate and end a baby’s life, birthmothers can place their babies for adoption with reputable adoption firms, such as Heart to Heart Adoptions in Utah. Heart to Heart Adoptions is a national non profit adoption agency. They offer exceptional assistance for pregnant mothers, including free medical care, housing, financial assistance and counseling support. Adoption is considered a gift of life.
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20-Percent of Teen Births are Repeats
Statistics show that in the U.S., teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 who give birth, nearly 20-percent are not first time parents. The state with the highest rate of repeat teen births is Texas at 22-percent, though reports do show that more teen moms are beginning to use birth control. For example, New Hampshire’s repeat pregnancy rate is only 10-percent.
The highest repeat teen births were American Indian and Alaska natives at 21.6-percent, Hispanics at 20.9-percent and African Americans at 20.4-percent. The lowest percentage was among Caucasians at 14.8-percent.
The states with the highest rates, averaging 20-percent, included Arizona, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Nevada. The states with lower rates, less than 15-percent, included Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, Vermont and Wyoming. (more…)
Teen Pregnancy: Abortion Alternatives
The first thought that goes through a woman’s mind when she may be pregnant with an unplanned pregnancy is panic and anxiety. There are a number of options for teens facing this upward battle and Heart to Heart Adoption offers valuable advice.
- First, confirm the pregnancy. A number of clinics offer free pregnancy tests. There is no sense in a teen panicking over something that may not even be a reality.
- Second, if a woman is indeed pregnant, often women wonder if the pregnancy actually constitutes a baby. Science has shown that, even as young as two months, fetuses look like tiny, miniature human beings. While their skin may be transparent, they have developed fingers and toes, including delicate arteries and veins.
- Third, consider that there are billions of parents in the world, so this is a natural process. If a teen is in a position where she cannot support a child, adoption may be a natural alternative. (more…)
Choosing Adoption for Your Baby
Heart to Heart Adoption Utah has been helping birth mothers for years with practical things like good medical care, housing assistance and daily needs. They also provide counseling and emotional…
Pros and Cons of Having Contact with Adoptive Parents
Sometimes life takes an odd turn and we find ourselves in a unique situation that we never dreamed we’d be in.Suddenly, you find you are pregnant and as a single…
I Want to Give My Baby Up for Adoption
Even with so much sex education and birth control available today, women occasionally find themselves in a situation where they are pregnant and not ready to become a mom. If…
Where’s the Handbook? Manual of Directions? Guidelines?
There isn’t one! There aren’t guidelines for learning how to instill pride in a child who has been adopted transracially.
When my husband, Mat, and I first looked into adoption, we were laser focused on how to adopt a baby rather than how to parent a child who would create our transracial family. We read everything we could find about successfully adopting, and spoke to anyone we could on the subject. We had dear friends who had adopted transracially, and were aware of some of the challenges that would arise, but less aware on how to tackle them. (more…)