Birth Mother Matters in Adoption

Birth Mother Matters Podcast S2, Ep200: November is National Adoption Month November is National Adoption Month!  Learn how you can suport all members of the adoption triad.  Also, learn how and why the holidays may be difficult for and how you can help!  Keep on learning about all things adoption!

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Ep.59: Adoption & Abortion in the News Part 2 A parent may lose the right to object to the adoption of a child by failing, without justifiable cause, to make child-support payments “as required by law or judicial decree,” the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Feb. 26. Southwest Airlines made a beautiful tribute to a couple who adopted a new baby and was traveling home from Colorado to California.  They invited the all the paaengers to particpate by writting notes to the new adoptive couple on southwest napkins.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption 13: Grief & Loss in Adoption Part 2 of 3: Adoptive Families Adoptive parents may experience grief and loss to some degree both before, during and after the adoption process.  Understand that with adoption comes change; people deal with change in different ways; some easily acclimate to change, while others take time and may experience grief.   Adding a a new family member can take time, effort, acceptance and sometimes outside assistance may be helpful.  Change can be difficult and everyone deals with it differently. Resources for adoptive parents are more readily available now than 50 years ago.  Learn about resources that are available to you. Not all adoptive parents adopt because they cannot biologically have children.  However, for those individuals that cannot biologcally conceive have to let go of one dream to begin another.  Letting go of a dream of bearing your own biological children is a loss.  It is important to resolve issues surrounding the loss  of this dream before starting an adoption plan.   Remember, taking a different route in life isn’t always easy and may not have been your original plan or dream.  Adoption most likely is not the road your child’s birth mother's first choice either..  Adoption shouldn’t be looked at as plan b, it should be viewed as journey to parenthood, a blessing.  Life often reminds us that when one door closes another door opens.  Thankfully, life affords us opportunities and adoption is an opportunity to become a mother or father.   “We must be willing to let go of the life we had planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Season 3, Episode 223; "Not Alone" Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  Both men and eomen can be victims of domestic violence.   The U.S. Office on Violence Against Women defines domestic violence as "a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, or technological actions or threats of actions or other patterns of coercive behavior that influence another person within an intimate partner relationship. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone." Domestic Violence Hotline- 1-800-799-7233.  (If you are located in Arizona, you can also call 602-542-0435.)

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Season 3, Ep 222; Birth Mother Common Concerns  Facing an unplanned pregnancy can elicit a myriad of emotions.  Adoption is a beautiful choice but you may have some concerns about the process.  Listen and learn all about these concerns and how we can help. Remember that its normal to have concerns about any decision you are making, especially if you are new to the idea of something.  An adoption agency, like Building Arizona Families understands that you have concerns and we are here to help you address and remedy your conerns.   Listen.  Learn.  Love.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Season 3, Ep 221; Adoption News and Updates News Matters- On June 15, 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the circuit court's conclusion that Congress' power to legislate Indian affairs is well-established and broad; therefore, the ICWA “is consistent with Congress' power under Article I of the Constitution.”  Update Matters-  Learn about the latest adoption trends and what has changed.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Season 3, Episode 220; Growing Up Adopted Listen to Co-Host Kelly Rourke-Scarry as she discusses what it was like to grow up as an adoptee in the 1970s and 1980s.  Learn about the differences between then and now, how these changes are for the better and why it was so important for the changes to occur.  Learn more about adoption from the "Adoptee Angle" of the Adoption Triad.  Spread Adoption Awareness. Listen.  Learn.  Love.  Adoption.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Episode 3-219 Substance Use During Pregnancy Some pregnant women use drugs during their pregnancy.  Drug exposure prenatally in adoption situations may cause concern and anxiety for hopeful adoptive parents.  Learning more will help us understand and be able to make well-informed decisions. Every year, at least once on this podcast we like to look at the current research and dicuss any changes we have seen over the past year.  We are not a medical facility, nor are we medical professionals, so this podcast is to discuss the available research and what we have seen as professionals in the adoption world. Listen.  Learn.  Love.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Season 3, Episode 218; A Difficult First Step  Building Arizona Families and AZ Pregnancy Help is an Adoption Agency in Arizona.  We are an adoption center where we help build families.  When pregnat women contact us and want to make an adoption plan, we understand that the first meeting can be a very emotional step.  Since we are a private adoption agency, we go the extra mile to make our new clients feel as supported as possible. Our adoption office is located in Phoenix, Arizona.  We are located off of a major highway and we take pride that in our office we have a non-perishable food pantry and a maternity clothing closet.  Our goal is to be a resource for women making an adoption plan.   Listen.  Learn.  Love.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Season 3, Episode 217; Facts About Adoption Join us as we explore facts about adoption you may not know!  Learn more about adoption.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Season 3, Ep 215; Adult Adoptions with Logan Scarry In honor of National Adoption Month, today we will hear from our Co-Host, Kelly Rourke-Scarry as she and her adopted son, Logan Scarry discuss adult adoption.  Kelly adopted Logan at 19 years old, this year.  Logan discusses what it means to be adopted as an adult and why being adopted was important to him.  Kelly also discusses the importance of adult adoption and why its done.   Note: the state laws surrounding adult adoption differ from state to state. Listen.  Learn.  Love.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Season 3, Ep 216; 7 Adoption Issues In 1982 there was an article “Seven Core Issues inAdoption” by Sharon Kaplan Roszia and Deborah Silverstein in which 7 issues were brought to light. Listen and learn about 7 potenital issues that may arise in an adoption situtation.  These 7 issues are not exclusive to adoption but can also be present in adoption.  Learn how to watch for possible signs and how to address them.  Adoption is a beautiful choice. Listen.  Learn.  Love.

Birth Mother Matters in  Adoption Season 3, Episode 214; National Adoption Awareness Month 2022 National Adoption Month is an initiative of the Children's Bureau.  The National Adoption Awareness Month brings awareness to those lives who have been impacted by adoption and who assist in the facilitation of the adoption process. Throughout the month of November, the goal is to spread awareness and encourage society to learn about adoption. Throughout National Adoption Month, we celebrate all members of the adoption triad, including the families who have grown through adoption, additionally, we recognize the journey of the many children who are waiting for their forever families. Make this National Adoption Month extra special and help us spread Adoption Awareness!

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Season 3, Episode 213: The Benefits & Challenges of Open Adoption Listen & Learn about the benefits and challenges of open adoption.  Open adoption can be defined within parameters of open lines or line of communication.  Learn about how the past has shaped the current state of adoptions and why open adoption can be such a blessing.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption S3, Ep 212; Adoption Does Not Make You Pregnant There is a myth that if you want to become pregnant begin the adoption process. Listen.  Learn.  Love.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption S3, Ep 211; When Your Heart Tells You Its Time Learn about when the time is right to begin the adoption reunification process, what it looks like and how to begin.  Listen and Learn all about adoption reunification.

Birth Mother Matters Adoption Season 3, Ep210; The Wait is Over, We're Back With  Updates We are back and excited to get back to all things "adoption." Join us as we discuss the lates happenings in the adoption world- so many new things to talk about!  We will be dicussing topics such as the latest happenings in adoption, Safe Haven, abortion and so much more!!! Listen.  Learn.  Love.

Birth Mother Matters in  Adoption Season 3, Ep209:  Roe v. Wade Overturned The U.S. Supreme Court on 6/24/2022 overturned its landmark decision Roe v. Wade that had previously secured the federal right to obtain an abortion.  The Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade and leaves the practice of abortion in the states' hands.  "The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives,” read the majority opinion. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6/24/2022,  in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, that the Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion.  Under Roe and the court’s 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, states had not been allowed to enact bans on most abortions until after a pregnancy had reached the threshold of fetal viability, when it is believed that an unborn child could survive outside the womb.  The states that are predicted to impose an abortion ban are Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.  Three other states — Georgia, Ohio and South Carolina — are likely to ban abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy. Two other states — Arizona and Florida — have passed 15-week bans this year. Will this impact adoption?  What will happen next? Listen, Learn, Love.

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Episode 3-208 The Supreme Court Leak The leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court decision that would strike down Roe v. Wade signals the Court is poised to reverse the landmark 1973 case that guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion. Learn how this landmark case may affect adoptions. Listen.  Learn.  Love.

Birth Mother Matter Adoption Podcast S3, Ep207:  First Conversation With a Birth Mother Learn about the first phone call with a birth mother.  Learn about what to talk about and how to prepare. Adoption Matters. Live.  Learn.  Love.