The pros and cons of open adoption. Deciding to adopt? Here is what you need to know and expect with an open domestic adoption

One often scary, overwhelming and misunderstood part of infant adoption is called open adoption. This is where birthmoms and adoptive families have some type of ongoing communication and relationship. Listening to an open adoption story can help us all learn how others have successfully started and grown their relationship. On this episode of the Infant

The term open adoption can strike fear in the heart of every adoptive family. But it doesn't need to. Much of our ideas of openness tend to come from stories in the news the media has sensationalized, Lifetime movies, or our own assumptions and misconceptions. An open adoption describes the kind of relationship an adoptive family shares with the birth family of their child. This can mean anything from shared pictures and updates via the adoption agency or a non-identifying email to yearly…

10 of the most common myths about open adoption! Educate yourself fully, so you're able to embrace open adoption for your adopted children.

One of the first things Jeron and I talked about when first began our adoption journey was whether or not we would comfortable with an open adoption plan. Our first, and very uneducated, opinion was t

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This guest post is by Juliana Whitney, an adoptee. Open adoption is filled with uncertain boundaries which everyone involved has to be keenly aware of. It’s one of those situations where you really have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It requires an openness to vulnerability. In an open adoption, you deal with the boundary between the adoptive parents and the biological parents, the boundary between the child and the biological parents, and even the boundary between the adoptive…

This guest post is by Makena, a birthmother. As I look back on my adoption placement experience, there was a lot that fell into place. In the beginning, being 16, pregnant and a sophomore in high school, I thought my life was going to end up in the worst of circumstances. I struggled with faith and hope. But after I outlined the pros and cons of placing versus parenting and picked my son’s adoptive parents, one thing after another fell into place. First things first: I

‘You might look at these pictures, and feel uncomfortable. You might think, ‘I could never ‘share’ my child like that.’ She leaves the hospital with empty arms. Open adoption does not equal co-parenting.’ – Love What Matters

The stars of HGTV's Fixer to Fabulous open up to PEOPLE about the harrowing three-year process of bringing their daughter Sylvie home