Every adoption story is different, and every mom’s reasons, emotions, and experiences are uniquely her own. But one thing these women share is courage.
If you’re considering adoption and wondering what it really feels like, hearing directly from birth mothers who have been through it can be one of the most helpful things you can do. Below, you’ll find four honest, moving adoption stories from women who chose open adoption for their children through Lifetime Adoption.
Table of Contents
- What is an Open Adoption Story?
- Adrianne’s Adoption Story
- Hannah’s Story: Choosing Adoption in High School
- Sarah’s Story: Breaking Her Own Heart to Do What Was Best
- Liz’s Adoption Story: “This Isn’t Goodbye”
- Talk to a Birth Mother Through Lifetime’s Peer Support Program
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Start Your Own Adoption Story with Lifetime
What is an Open Adoption Story?
An open adoption story is a birth mother’s firsthand account of choosing adoption and maintaining some form of ongoing connection with her child and the adoptive family. In open adoption, birth mothers often receive photos, updates, and visits. Their children grow up knowing they were loved by the woman who placed them.
Open adoption looks different for every family. Some birth mothers receive monthly updates and photos. Others visit in person once or twice a year. The relationship is shaped by both families and is written into the open adoption agreement before placement.
The birth mothers below share their adoption stories in their own words, including the fears they had, the families they chose, and what their lives look like today.
Adrianne’s Adoption Story
Adrianne chose an African American married couple with a strong faith foundation to parent her son. She describes the moment she met Doug and Cheryl as feeling like family instantly.
Today, Adrianne visits her son and his family in Atlanta every year for his birthday. She has no doubts about the decision she made.
In her adoption story, Adrianne reflects on what placing her child meant to her: that giving her son two loving, devoted parents was one of the greatest things she could have done for him — and that seeing his smile on those visits is enough to fill her heart.
What Adrianne’s adoption story shows us: Open adoption doesn’t mean goodbye. It means your child grows up knowing they are loved by everyone in their story.
Hannah’s Story: Choosing Adoption in High School
Hannah was a high school sophomore involved in track, school, and life with friends and family when she found out she was pregnant. She describes her first reaction as devastation.
But Hannah made a decision rooted in love. She chose an adoptive family she believed could give her daughter the life she deserved. Hannah found peace in knowing her daughter would be in a better situation than she could provide at that time.
What Hannah’s adoption story shows us: Birth mothers of any age can make a thoughtful, loving adoption plan. Choosing adoption as a teenager doesn’t mean giving up. It means choosing a bigger life for your child.
Sarah’s Story: Breaking Her Own Heart to Do What Was Best
Sarah was 24 when she became pregnant and quickly realized she couldn’t provide what her son needed, not because she didn’t love him, but because she loved him too much to settle.
She describes her adoption decision as breaking her own heart to do what was best for her son. Today, she watches him flourish in a family that loves him deeply, and she says she’s proud of the choice she made.
What Sarah’s adoption story shows us: Placing a child for adoption takes extraordinary strength. And as Sarah says, birth mothers can do anything.
Liz’s Adoption Story: “This Isn’t Goodbye”
Liz came to adoption without knowing the difference between open and closed adoption. She simply knew she was facing an unplanned pregnancy and wanted to do right by her daughter.
When she connected with Derrick and Lori through their adoptive family profile, something just clicked. The moment at the hospital that Liz returns to most is when Lori looked at her and said, “This isn’t ‘goodbye.’ This is, ‘I’ll see you later.'”
Today, Liz receives regular updates on her daughter and sees her in person a few times a year. Her greatest hope, that her daughter would never doubt she was loved, has come true.
What Liz’s adoption story shows us: The right adoptive family feels like a natural fit. An open adoption can give both the birth mother and child a relationship that continues to grow.
Talk to a Birth Mother Through Lifetime’s Peer Support Program
Sometimes the most helpful thing you can hear is another woman saying, “I’ve been there. I understand.”
Lifetime Adoption’s Peer Support Program connects you one-on-one with a birth mother who has lived through the adoption process. These women volunteer their time because they remember how much it would have meant to have someone to talk to.
Peer support is available at any point: while you’re still considering adoption, during your adoption planning, or after placement. You decide when it would help most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a birth mother’s adoption story?
A birth mother’s adoption story is her personal account of choosing adoption for her child. It includes the circumstances that led to her decision, how she selected an adoptive family, what the placement experience was like, and what her life and relationship with her child look like today.
Do birth mothers stay in contact with their child after adoption?
In open adoption, yes. Birth mothers often receive photos, letters, and updates from the adoptive family, and many have in-person visits. The level of contact is agreed upon by both families and written into the adoption plan, often in a Post-Adoption Contact Agreement.
How do I find adoptive parents for my baby?
Lifetime Adoption provides an online gallery of adoptive family profiles you can browse at your own pace. Many birth mothers say they “just knew” when they found the right family, much like Liz described her connection with Derrick and Lori.
Can I choose adoption if my baby has already been born?
Yes. Adoption can be arranged after birth. Lifetime Adoption has helped birth mothers create adoption plans at the hospital and even weeks after delivery. Call or text 1-800-923-6784 for guidance specific to your situation.
What support does Lifetime offer birth mothers?
Lifetime offers free adoption information, help choosing an adoptive family, a dedicated birth parent advocate, peer support from other birth mothers, and access to pregnancy resources.
Start Your Own Adoption Story with Lifetime
The four women above each have a unique adoption story, but they share something in common: they didn’t have to walk the road alone. Lifetime Adoption has been walking alongside birth mothers since 1986, providing guidance, compassion, and practical support every step of the way.
It’s never too late to create an adoption plan. Lifetime has worked with birth mothers who started their adoption plan from the hospital during early labor, and others who reached out after their baby was born. Whatever your situation, the choices are yours.
Call or text Lifetime Adoption at 1-800-923-6784 for free information on adoption, choosing a family, and pregnancy resources.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on August 14, 2019, and has since been updated.
As Vice President of Lifetime Adoption, Heather Featherston holds an MBA and is passionate about working with those facing adoption, pregnancy, and parenting issues. Heather has conducted training for birth parent advocates, spoken to professional groups, and has appeared on television and radio to discuss the multiple aspects of adoption. She has provided one-on-one support to women and hopeful adoptive parents working through adoption decisions.
Since 2002, she has been helping pregnant women and others in crisis to learn more about adoption. Heather also trains and speaks nationwide to pregnancy clinics to effectively meet the needs of women who want to explore adoption for their child. Today, she continues to address the concerns women have about adoption and supports the needs of women who choose adoption for their child.
As a published author of the book Called to Adoption, Featherston loves to see God’s hand at work every day as she helps children and families come together through adoption.
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