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Christine Bauer, author of a memoir of her story as a birth mother, with her children

[EXCERPT] Those Three Words

Christine Bauer’s revealing memoir begins when she hears those three words (“You are pregnant”) and faces an unplanned pregnancy, and takes readers through her open adoption decision, and the ensuing three decades as a birth mother and mother. In this excerpt, Bauer relates the complicated emotions that accompanied her second pregnancy, 11 years after placing her daughter for adoption, and the birth of her oldest son.

A mother bonding with her child.

“How We Bonded with Our Child”

All prospective adoptive parents wonder whether they'll be able to attach to heir newborn baby before adoption. AF readers describe their concerns—and what they did to alleviate them.

A teen sister holds her new sibling baby brother in the park

From Only Child to Oldest

Preparing your child for a new sibling can be a challenge at any age, but especially when she is a sensitive teen.

An adoption social worker uses her laptop while her daughter naps on the couch.

“For Their Children”

Years ago, when my son and I were at the kitchen table, a work-related call interrupted our conversation. He said sadly, "Mom, you spend more time helping people have children than you do with your own."

A girl laughs at her mom telling jokes for bonding with her child.

“Fool for Love”

From the start, silliness and laughter have bolstered the bond between my daughter and me.

Author Louis De Lauro with his family on their adoption trip and now, with his teenage daughter

“From Then to Now”

I don’t think about adoption on a daily basis; I am just a dad, after all. But when I do, it’s these moments that rise to the surface, indicative of so much else along the way.

A pediatrician is an important figure in your child's life

“Bonding or Discipline?”

As I sit in the pediatrician's waiting room, all of my parenting skills are called into question. Do I focus on disciplining or bonding with my daughter?

A woman embraces three children on a heritage travel trip to India

Journeys of Discovery

A homeland trip can help kids connect "where I come from" to "where I'm going." Having traveled with thousands of adoptive families, I'm delighted to share my thoughts on the impact of homeland travel on identity formation.

“First Words”

We may not have heard our children’s very first words, but we’ve heard many others in our journey through infertility and foster adoption—and now, as family.

father's hand placing missing piece in wooden heart tangram puzzle, representing healing after older child adoption

“One of the Missing Pieces”

When older children argue and act out, it’s often connected to events from their past. How could any child move through 14 foster placements unscathed? But last night, another clash, followed by a heart-to-heart, brought us one piece closer to feeling like a solid family.

A festival for Ganesh seen during a transcultural adoption

“This We Believe”

We're committed to raising our son in our religion, but we won't let his adoption erase essential parts of who he is.

2017 Cover Photo Contest Winner Jesse, cropped

2017 Cover Photo Contest Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the 2017 Adoptive Families Cover Photo Contest! See the nine photos selected from more than 1,200 entries, and read stories from the proud parents.

A boy stands alone and thinks about adoption issues in adolescence

The Wrong Crowd?

An adolescent's peers may tell you something about their inner life.

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