I had the privilege this past Monday evening of facilitating a workshop for prospective adoptive parents..the topic was Adoption Through the Eyes of the Birth Mother..I call it a privilege because two very special woman both birth mothers I worked with through the years bravely told their very personal journey of placing their infants at birth for adoption…both woman spoke candidly about the joys and the pain of making the decision and how they have coped through the years with the choice they each made..both addressed the love they had for not only their birth child but for the adoptive parents who were raising their children.. both had close and loving open adoptions with their birth children as well as the adoptive families.. the audience of prospective adoptive parents were riveted to their seats as these woman spoke…. Tears flowed through out the evening, but because of the courage displayed by these two woman, who so openly shared their stories , they were able to humanize and accurately portray who birth mothers really are. In doing so they dispelled any myths that birth mothers forget or don’t love their children… as I drove home that night thinking of these two brave and loving woman I was reminded of a poem written by a birth mother titled.. “We are a Legion”..Click the link below to read these powerful words..
http://www.openadoptioninsight.org/html/birth_mother_s_poetry.html
I absolutely love that poem. Thank you so much for sharing it.
I felt so priviledged to be present to hear these women share their stories. I wish more people could have the opportunity to understand the emotions and feelings that birth parents experience over the years of their child’s life. Thank-you!
Thank you Melissa for continuing to bring real faces to light when we educate our parents about the birth mothers that we work with so often. Having the two brave and loving mothers present their stories to your group is exactly what helps our adoptive families see the other side of their child and builds empathy which always builds the bonds of attachment to all…
Birth mothers are so very brave and loving to make the loving sacrifice of placing their child for adoption when they are not in a place to provide for this baby. Brenda gives many wonderful insights to her experience.
I remember how much the workshop (Adoption Through the Eyes of the Birth Mother) impacted my husband and I. We attended that workshop almost 5 years ago but it was so powerful that I remember it like it was yesterday.
The birthmothers of my 2 sons are my heros. The sacrifices and strength that birthmothers have is an amazing and beautiful thing.