BirthMom Retreat - Texas

 

 

When Kacey Weinkam was pregnant with a little boy, she felt lost and confused because she knew that she could not care for him at the time. Now Weinkam wants to help other birth mothers who have chosen adoption as a loving option by being part of “Everlasting Gift,” a retreat for birth mothers hosted by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

“Catholic Charities helped me find the right path. But I know other birth mothers may still need the positive healing that they did the right thing by choosing adoption for their child,”  Weinkam said.

It is scheduled for August 15 – 17 at the peaceful and wooded Cenacle Retreat Center, 420 N. Kirkwood Road.

 

More information about the retreat can be found on page 4 of their spring Newsletter.

Click Here

 

 

Good news from our friends at Birth Mother Baskets

Birth Mom Organization Focuses on Healthy Post Adoption Relationships

SPANISH FORK, Utah, April 15, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Birth Mother Baskets (BMB) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, created by Gina Crotts, a birth mom, to offer positive support, hope and courage to expectant moms and birth moms throughout the adoption process, especially post adoption. Women faced with an unplanned pregnancy have little to no knowledge on how to create an adoption plan. Often times, they are unaware of their rights. Creating an adoption plan is about creating a post adoption agreement that benefits the adoptive parents, the birth parents and the child in a healthy open adoption.

BMB started by providing gift baskets to birth moms, post placement, to let them know they are not alone. These gift baskets have now become a mere symbol of the post placement support BMB offers. BMB's website www.birthmotherbaskets.org provides adoption information, blog post by birth moms and a Hoping To Adopt page for adoptive parents profiles. Creating a safe and positive space for all birth moms to feel comfortable enough to share their stories and be heard without judgment is BMB's mission. They encourage birth moms to realize their self-worth, gain confidence and find their own voice. BMB works with adoption agencies and law firms, as a resource to mentor, support and advocate for their birth moms.

Gina Crotts and Birth Mother Baskets are big proponents of using Childconnect as part of a healthy post adoption plan. CAIRS Solutions developed and supports Childconnect. Developed as an online post adoption tool, Childconnect addresses some of the hassles that lead to post placement agreements breaking down, which can cause added grief and stress to birth moms. Adoptive parents and birth moms sign up for Childconnect through their adoption agency or attorney. Adoptive parents simply log on to their protected portal and upload photos, videos and letters for their birth moms to view any time. These photos and letters are also printed and bound into a hardcover Lifebook, which is mailed to the birth moms with every post adoption update. Giving birth moms reliable post placement updates has led to much healthier post adoption relationships.

Bundling Childconnect with a Birth Mother Basket, post placement Programs, Birth Mom Retreats and a community of birth moms; Birth Mother Baskets has built a powerful post adoption solution. That is exactly the vision Gina Crotts had when forming BMB thirteen years ago.

For More information on Birth Mother Baskets log on to www.birthmotherbaskets.org or contact Gina Crotts at 801.836.1716

CONTACT: Gina Crotts
         Birthmother Baskets
         801-836-1716
         gina.crotts@birthmotherbaskets.org
         www.birthmotherbaskets.org

Read more here: http://markets.financialcontent.com/mi.miamiherald/news/read/26938831/Birth_Mom_Organization_Focuses_on_Healthy_Post_Adoption_Relationships#storylink=cpy

A compassionate ear, a caring heart, the voice of experience

When it comes to unplanned pregnancy, believe it or not there are women who have walked in your shoes.  They are kind hearted and listen without judgment.  Because of their experience that can let you know their experience, the choices they made both right and wrong.  They can give you information that hopefully allows you to make decisions that are best for you.  Kim Noeth is one of those women.  Click here to read her story.  Her contact information is listed below

 

 

visit birthmomstoday.com; or email birthmomstoday@gmail.com.

 

Question: How has being adoptive parents affected the way you look at life?

Insightful question posed to guest blogger Shelley on the BMB website

A. Being a parent changes you, but when you layer it with being an adoptive parent – it’s pretty mind-blowing. The thing that I never could have expected is that by adopting my daughter, my husband and I weren’t just gaining a child, we were getting an entire extended family. That part has been an unexpected blessing.
I also wasn’t prepared for how much adopting a child of a different ethnicity would change me. I’ve always been pretty intolerant of racism and prejudice, but now, I am acutely sensitive to it. Things that would once roll off my back affect me deeply. Now, when people say things, even in jest, I realize that they are speaking about someone’s child – and it could just as likely be my child. I have become painfully aware that our attitudes and words can be powerful weapons to degrade and limit the future of others.

Adoptive Moms Get The Baby Blues Too

Here is an interesting column by Elizabeth Weiss McGolerick  on the reality of Post Adoption Depression

But there may be a little less empathy for the adoptive mother who didn’t carry a child for nine months and physically give birth. The reality is, every mother needs and deserves support, no matter how she came to have the title of "mom."

Some adoptive parents experience the gestation of all gestations, waiting months, even years, for their child to finally be in their arms and legally theirs. As a result, many mothers begin to feel like they’re not allowed to be anything but grateful for the child that is now in their life. And that great expectation can lead to post-adoption depression.

To read the full column click here

Why is Post Adoption support so important for birth moms? Hear it first hand

How did you find out about Birth Mother Baskets?

A.  I actually was a recipient of one of your baskets while I was in the hospital after delivery.  It meant the world to me.  I still have the soft purple blanket.  Words cannot express how touched I was that there was a person out there that I had never met who went through what I did and therefore wanted to let future women going through that experience know that they are loved.  When I got home from the hospital after placement, I wrapped the blanket around my body and I cried and I felt tremendous love.  It was like a hug. What you do is so important and I thank you for the love and dedication you have.

Questions answered by Birth Mothers touched by adoption

Here is another question posed to a birth mom who was interviewed on the Birth Mother Baskets web site

What would you say to help educate people on adoption?

A.  Adoption is such a hot-topic right now for the good and the bad, especially in the state of Utah.  I would challenge people who have strong feelings about what adoption is to do their research before they instigate a debate.  There is so much negativity and that’s unfortunate because adoption can be a blessing, and in my case adoption very much was a blessing.  I think there is a lot of ignorance out there and people ultimately want to defend their opinions.  Adoption is a topic that is sensitive and extremely personal and sacred.  It should only ever be approached with a desire to learn from the other person.  There is so much to learn and that’s the beautiful thing about all of it is that we can all learn from each other if we allow each other to have our own sacred experiences and realize that this is a topic where you shouldn’t try to convince another person of your standing.  If you are trying to convince someone that adoption is “good” or “bad” then you are missing the point.  There is a huge difference between advocating for something and trying to convince someone of the “goodness” or “badness” of your individual experience.

Sage Advice from a Birth Mom - Considering placing your baby for adoption?



I pulled this question from a guest blogger on the Birth Mother Baskets website.  Thought provoking wisdom from a woman who knows.

Q.  What advice would you give to expectant parents who are considering placing their baby for adoption?

A.  Research the crap out of your options!  There are difficult stories out there of adoption going wrong, and there are amazing stories out there of adoption going beautifully well.  Become familiar with them all.  But also know that the final choice is yours how you want placement to go, or if you decide to parent.  There is no easily wrapped up and convenient standard to what open adoption “is”.  It is truly a case-by-case situation and what has worked for other’s maybe won’t work for you.  I think it’s important to familiarize yourself with the good and the bad so that you know what questions you need to ask your prospective adoptive parents.  They are hard and potentially uncomfortable conversations to have, especially as you are just getting to know each other, but the conversations are vitally important. And ultimately, if you decide to place, at the end of the day it is your decision to sign the dotted line; make sure that you are doing it for the right reasons because there will always be “what-ifs” in the future, and it’s important to remember that it was your decision.  If you feel you are in a position where you are being forced one way or the other, then turn to someone you trust to advocate for you. 

Childconnect.com for Birth Parents

Childconnect was designed to maintain the connection between birth parents and adoptive families. There’s no longer the worry about updating your address after each move or fear you’ll lose precious photos of your child.  Birth Parents have easy and lasting access (up to 18 years) to their pictures, letters, emails, etc. sent by the adoptive family.

Childconnect for Adoptive Parents and Birth Parents

Childconnect has the ability to manage multiple adoptive children from multiple birth parents under a single adoptive family account. The system automatically creates Lifebooks for adoptive families to upload pictures, videos, letters, and documents for their birth parents to view. Adoptive families, birth parents, and agencies communicate through a secure communication messaging system that protects both the parents.

I'm Pregnant, Now What?

You find out you pregnant. 

There is a jolt to your system. 

Your world has changed. 

What can you do? 

What should you do? 

If you can’t speak with your family, who can you speak with in confidence?  

Who will listen without judging? 

Those are legit questions. 

Take a step back, take a deep breath and know you aren’t the first woman to be in this position. That means there are other women who know what you are going through.  Listing to their stories and experiences may help you to decide what is best for you. 

We can put you in touch with those women – email me

We can put you in touch with those women – email me

Childconnect.com & Birth Mother Baskets

Birth Mother Baskets {bmb} is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that delivers gift baskets to birth mothers who have recently placed their babies for adoption.

Their baskets contain unique, high quality, hand picked items that are made to pamper a birth mom. bmb is a gift from one birth mother to another that offers hope, support and courage.
CAIRS Proudly supports this organization. 
If you are an Adoptive Parent we encourage to visit their site and send a bmb to the birth mom in your life.
Click here to visit their site

Childconnect.com - automatically generates photos and lifebooks



The system is centered on the concept of a Lifebook. These custom Lifebooks contains letters, pictures, documents, and videos that are shared between parties.  In addition, the system automatically generates Lifebooks based on the agreements reached between the parties so everyone knows what is due and when.  Childconnect also facilitates confidential communication between the parties, freeing agencies/attorneys from having to be the go between.

Adoptive Parents and Foster Parents

Adoptive Parents and Foster Parents can upload photos, videos and documents and publish albums to birth parents, from the comfort of their home. ChildConnect also sends alerts for important deadlines through emails or text messages.

Childconnect.com - Post Adoption photo printing

 

 

Just because Childconnect is online doesn't mean the birthparents don't get printed photos.  If adoptive parents sign up for Childconnect, we handle the printing and delivery of LifeBooks.   Not only do the Birthparents get a printed LifeBook, they get4 x 6 prints as well.

Why? 

We found Birthparents were cutting photos out of the LifeBook and framing them.  We quickly understood there was a need for separate photo prints.  So we added that feature.

Email Greg to find out more

Childconnect.com - Membership Plans



Membership Plans

Childconnect will support any type of post adoption plan or agreement.

Our standard plans include:

• 5 year plan which includes 10 LifeBooks with optional 4 x 6 photos.

• 18 year plan includes 23 LifeBooks with optional 4 x 6 photos.

For more information click here to contact Greg

How does Childconnect.com work? Watch this short video

Childconnect.com is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It tracks and reminds families when

updates are due. Our portal supports pictures, video, and letter updates.
To find out more click here to watch a short video

Childconnect.com - safe, confidential, and secure

 

 

 

Childconnect offers your family a safe, confidential, and secure online place where

you can provide updates to either single or multiple birth parents. We automatically

print and send updates to your birth parents while guarding your privacy.

Childconnect creates LifeBooks that allows your family to store and share videos,

photos, and updates. Birth Parents can create and share their own LifeBooks with adoptive

families.

Introducing Childconnect.com

The inspiration for Childconnect came from an adoptive father who wanted to ensure the

birth parents that gave his family their precious gifts knew they made the

right decision. Childconnect is highly configurable and can support any type of post adoption

agreement safely and securely.

 

For information on how to get started email Greg