I talk about being a birth mom a lot. It’s something I am passionate about because I long to see human dignity stretch into adoption from all sides of the triad.

I believe deeply in the inherent value of people. So, talking about adoption and my experience as a birth mom comes naturally, and sometimes I assume I am the only birth mom in the room. Most of the time I am.

This letter is intended to reach birth-mothers who don’t quite understand their emotions yet of a new placement or even an old one.

I hope it reaches someone who needs to hear that they’re not alone in these times; I know I would have welcomed a “letter” from someone who has been able to sort through and know these similar feelings of the turbulent waters of becoming a birth-parent.

Meet Allie! She's one of our newest contributors to the Being A Birth Mom column...

Hey there, I'm Allie!  I am a birth mother, wife, daughter, blogger, manager and dog mom. My favorite nickname I have is "Mama Allie" which was given to me by the most precious little boy I've ever laid eyes on. I placed my son 6 years ago as of December 2017. I am a manager and artist for a pottery studio in West Texas.

As I am writing this, it is exactly 3 days after from Mother’s Day and a day away from my daughter’s birthday. Talk about a birth mother “double whammy”?! 

This is my second time sharing with BraveLove, and I appreciate their love for birth mothers and birth parents. Corinne will be turning 4 years old this year. While it feels as if time has flown by, it also feels like there has been enough time to grieve and grow. As many birth parents know, the grief comes in waves. It can hit us even when we are most satisfied and fulfilled in our roles as birth mothers (and birth parents).

Meet Chelsea (again)! She's our next Being a Birth Mom contributor... 

Hello there! My name is Chelsea. I am a proud birth mother, having placed my daughter Corinne for adoption 4 years ago. I am the domestic adoption coordinator for Journeys of the Heart Adoption Services, near Portland, OR. Besides these titles, I am a sister, daughter, cat mom, fisher women, gardener, blogger and avid lover of the outdoors and the Northwest. I am a Texas girl at heart!

Let’s just be real for a second…”Birth Mom” is not exactly a box that someone would eagerly check when creating their dating profile. Because being a birth mom is not a regular trait that you would find in a lot of women, it’s hard to believe that it would be high on any man’s “must-have” list when choosing a mate.

When considering the idea that adoption and being a birth mom can be uncharted or possibly uncomfortable territory for some people, how do we navigate dating and gently drop the Birth-Mom-Bomb on the men in our lives who choose to pursue us?

The more time I spend reaching out to others about the truth in adoption, I find the skewed words and ideas many individuals have on the placement of a child, from a mother and father that love him/her so dearly. 

I encounter comments, and vocabulary that cuts deep into the being of who I really am as a birth mom. These statements that people throw around pertaining to adoption is crippling to my heart and to the hearts of many others. As with any sensitive topic, I think it is important to understand the truth behind the words we are spitting out of our mouths.

Jessica is an amazing woman with a whole lot of wisdom to share. She's our next contributor to Being A Birth Mom. Meet Jessica... 

Hi There! My name is Jessica; I am a wife, friend, Realtor, sister, blogger and birth mother. While these labels don’t perfectly define who I am, I do wear them oh so humbly! Being a birth mother has been one of my greatest and most favorite “labels” to take on.  

I made an open adoption plan for my son in 2009. Making this choice lead me to some of the brightest and some of the darkest phases of my life.

Hey friends! I write to you with such joy in my heart. This week I have several friends with children having birthdays. It’s such a joy to celebrate life! And it got me thinking…how do you celebrate your child’s life?

My amazing, loving husband and my children have a bit of a tradition for my son’s birthday. We get a sweet treat, put a candle in it (each of us have one), and we each say a silent prayer or wish for him. Then, we sing Happy Birthday to him and blow out “his” candles. I did it on my own at first, but now that my family is getting old enough to understand more of who this child is, my son and their half-brother, I get to share this with them. It is great to let them ask questions and celebrate him too. I love that my daughter made him a birthday card this year!

If you ask me about myself; I will tell you I am a wife, and a mama to 4 kiddos, I will say that I love Jesus and journaling, and making reclaimed wood art.

At some point, I will probably mention my affinity for Dunkin Donuts and Harry Potter; and most likely I will tell you that I'm a birth mom, too. These are a few parts within the story of who I am.