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All About Birth Mothers

Learning About Those Who Place Their Children for Adoption

By Teri Brown

Moriarity finds the main motivator that prompts a woman to place her child is the mother's belief that she is unable to raise the child in an appropriate manner. Most of the time, this perception is based upon the life stage or financial resources of the woman. Sometimes the father denies responsibility for the child, though statistics show that this is less of a factor than it used to be, because single motherhood is more socially acceptable.

"Those birth mothers who give up their children are often motivated by love for the child, genuinely believing that another adult will be more able to raise the child well and give him or her a good, loving home with opportunities for a solid future," Moriarity says. "Some birth mothers give up their children out of desperation, during a difficult period of their lives. After a failed relationship with the child's father or a rejection by her own parents, a young woman is especially vulnerable to making a decision to give up her baby for others to raise."

Counseling during the adoption decision is imperative for birth mothers to help them process the wide range of feelings they experience. Only with ful knowledge and reasoned consent should a birth mother place her baby for adoption. Birth mothers who are young, poor and/or emotionally vulnerable should receive the assistance of professionals in making such an important, lifelong decision.

Want to see more?

• Open Minds and Open Hearts: A Glance at Open Adoption
• Perfect Timing: When to Tell Your Child About His Birth Mother
• Maybe a Baby? Navigating the Infant Adoption Maze
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