Lifetime Adoption Podcast Library

Some of the best answers to adoption questions come from people touched by adoption. By listening to the adoption podcasts offered here, whether you’re still thinking about adoption, or you’ve already decided to create an adoption plan for your child, it can help to hear real-life adoption stories as you learn more.

Lifetime offers one-on-one counseling and peer support, as well as recorded interviews with other birth parents who share their thoughts and experience through their own adoption stories. If it would help you to speak personally with a counselor or another woman who chose adoption for her child, contact us online or call 1-800-923-6784.
 
 

Parenting or Adoption?

Adrianne, an African American woman, speaks about facing an unplanned pregnancy at age 19.

After considering her options of parenting, adoption, or abortion, Adrianne decided to place her baby for adoption. While seeking loving parents for her soon-to-be-born baby, Adrianne had a lot of support from her friends, family, and fellow church members. Find out how she came to choose the couple to be the parents to her child.

What is important in an adoption decision and what about the future? Listen to one woman’s compelling story. Learn as Adrianne shares her practical advice for other women facing an unplanned pregnancy and adoptive families seeking to adopt. She offers guidance to other birth mothers with how to tell their parents of their pregnancy, the pros and cons of the other options to consider, and how to tell the father of the baby. Adrianne encourages women to give themselves a reality check and ask themselves if they have the resources and time to parent. She also speaks about the concerns of an unplanned pregnancy unique to the African American community.

This two-part series will enlighten you to the many aspects of parenting or adoption. With open adoption today, birth parents have many choices, including choosing their child’s family, the level of future contact, even what they wish their child’s birth certificate to say.

Parenting or Adoption Podcast (Part 1):

Parenting or Adoption Podcast (Part 2):

Is Adoption the Right Choice for You?

What is it like to place your baby for adoption? How might you feel afterwards? Birth mother Tammy Rowe shares with listeners her experience and how it affects her life today. Learn what she looked for in an adoptive family and understand the peace she has found through open adoption. Today, Tammy is a birth mother mentor and advocate. She’ll share intimate details of her experiences, the challenges she faced, and how she made the decision to choose adoption for her second child. Tammy offers valuable insights and tips she’s learned from the many birth mothers she has worked with.

In her work as a birth mother mentor, Tammy speaks with birth mothers who need to know whether adoption is the right choice for them, what they can expect with adoption, what type of adoption plan they would like to create, how to find a support system, and how to heal after the adoption placement. Tammy encourages birth mothers to trust in their decision, because they have chosen a better life for their child. She finds her work in helping other women to be very rewarding.

Is Adoption the Right Choice Podcast:

My Child is Pregnant. What are My Rights?

When a family is facing an unplanned pregnancy, what legal rights do grandparents have? Adoption attorney Felice Webster answers questions about the legal options available to grandparents. Felice is an experienced adoption attorney who has been practicing adoption law for over 20 years. She has many years of experience helping families with adoptions, guardianships, and foster parent and relative representation.

Even though the ultimate decision regarding the future of the child is up to the birth mother and father, many birth grandparents are being included in choosing the adoptive parents who will raise and nurture their grandchild. Some birth grandparents have the option to remain in contact after the birth, through photographs, letters, and possible visits.

Learn the advantages and disadvantages of adoption and guardianship, the legal rights of birth grandparents, the birth grandparents’ relationship with the birth mother, and birth father’s parents’ rights. Felice observes that it is vital for all parties to keep in mind what is in the best interest for the child. In the adoption process, it is important for birth grandparents to keep an open mind and an open heart.

My Child is Pregnant. What are My Rights Podcast:

She’s Pregnant: A Guy’s View of Adoption

Blaine Hall shares thoughts on fatherhood, from his point of view as a birth father. At 17, Blaine found out that his girlfriend was pregnant. After considering their options, they chose to place their baby for adoption.

Blaine discusses with host Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P., the process of adoption and what he was looking for in an adoptive family. He also chats about how men view the responsibility of fatherhood and encourages other young fathers to take responsibility by learning more about the option of open adoption. Placing a child for adoption is not “giving them up” but giving them a better life.

She’s Pregnant: A Guy’s View of Adoption:

What is Open Adoption Like?

Birth mother Shawna and adoptive mother Elaine speak about their open adoption story. Shawna shares her experience, including how she told her mother and boyfriend of her pregnancy, how she decided to place her baby for adoption, and how she chose Elaine as the adoptive mother.

Many women don’t have support when facing an unplanned pregnancy, but Shawna had the support and encouragement of her mother and friends. She was able to choose the family to raise her daughter, and the amount of contact she desired after the adoption. Elaine tells listeners about her struggle with infertility, how she was drawn to adoption, and how she and her husband determined what type of adoption they desired.

Shawna and the adoptive parents’ first phone call and initial visit together is discussed, along with the emotions that came to light when creating an open adoption plan. Today they have a close relationship, and their daughter is able to connect with her biological history. Both Shawna and Elaine feel that God called them to adoption and drew them together.

Open adoption is a blessing to both birth and adoptive families in so many ways. The end result, is more people in the child’s life who love them. Open adoption is about love, honesty, trust, and communication.

What is Open Adoption Like? (Part 1):

What is Open Adoption Like? (Part 2):

 
If you need answers right now and want to speak with someone or request more information please call or text our 24-Hour Answer Line: 1-800-923-6784