The adoption journey for the adoptee does not end the day they are placed in the arms of their adoptive parents. It is actually the beginning of a lifelong journey of self discovery and the beginning of the adoption journey. Our experiences have not always been clear nor have they been simple.

The decision to search for natural parents is a personal decision as well as the route you want to take in conducting your search. This blog, the internet mailing lists, the forums at www.adoption.com, search and support... more

It is my understanding that most maternity homes that existed in the closed adoption era did not instruct about pregnancy, labor, delivery, and were left totally alone during labor and delivery and were not allowed contact with the new mothers, were not provided information about welfare and aid to families with dependent children, child support and other government programs if they existed at the time.

Girls forced to live in maternity homes were in some cases made to use ficticious names or first names and last initials only. They... more

There was a point in my life that I wondered how I got to where I was. Finally at the age of 21 I took an active step in finding out and initiated a search for my natural family. I knew virtually nothing about what had happened to me the first four days of my life and why. Through search I had hoped to find the answers.

When I initiated my search the internet wasn’t what it was today and it wasn’t until I was into my search that I had a computer or access to email. I wasn’t able or didn’t know how to search for books written on... more

13 If you are an adoptee and do not know how long your natural mother kept you, try contacting the primary newspapers in your town of birth to try to get your birth notice. Often, if it was known the natural mother intended to relinquish a child the hospital would not give the birth info to the newspapers -- some actually would stamp "DNP" on the records (Do Not Publish) so no mistake would be made. HOWEVER, if no decision had been made at the time of your birth it is possible it made it to the paper. A long shot, but worth a phone call... more

13 If adopted, find out if your hospital had birth journals -- small handwritten books of births, often called ob/gyn logs. You can try the records dept, archives dept, or the birth registrar's office, division of medical records. Wherever you go, try not to say the word "adoption" but try "genealogical research". Keep in mind that hospitals are not required to keep your actual records forever. 14 Natural mothers should contact the hospital and doctor and billing departments of hospitals to get their records. Who knows what... more

Adoption laws, agency attitudes and practices have been changing the past few years. Some of these changes may be very significant and meaningful to a triad member searching for birth family. If it has been a few years since you checked agency policies, you might be pleasantly surprised to find some positive differences. These changes could be reflected in both differences in policies and attitudes of the agency workers.

Check your state laws to determine if any important laws have changed. Some states have made important changes in the past few years that could make an... more

7 Whether you are a natural parent or an adoptee, file waivers of confidentiality. This is to reassure record keepers that if the persons you specify come looking for you, you WANT them to get your identifying info. There are no guarantees, but it may very well help. You want to file these with the agency, attorneys, but especially with the county court in which the adoption was finalized, which is usually the county the adoptive parents lived at the time of the adoption. If you are a natural parent and do not know what county your child... more

3 Register with the International Soundex Reunion Registry (ISRR). Information regarding this registry can be found at www.isrr.net 4 Adoptees should talk as much as you can to your parents. They may know more than they would volunteer, but might share with you if you ask. It is understandable to be scared of hurting them so you may want to explain that your searching has nothing to do with them but everything to do with yourself.

Also talk to other family members such as aunts,... more

1. Organize yourself. Get files and notebooks, keep a sheet accumulating the info you have learned, and a log showing what you did, when, and the results. Not only will this keep you organized, it will show you where you are and have been which comes in handy during those down times. It also gives you an area in which to brainstorm.

Under a tab heading in your binder, make a place for all the documents you have accumulated in your search. This should include copies of (always place originals in a safe place) your birth certificate,... more

For starters, no matter who you are, you will more than likely be working without an original birth certificate, unless the adoptee is born in one of the states that are providing copies of the original birth certificate. If you were not born in one of these states it is highly unlikely you will get one. In a majority of the states the records are closed to adoptees wanting their original birth certificates, but it never hurts to try Natural parents cannot find out their "child's" name after adoption either from the birth... more