The adoption process involves a lot of waiting. You expect it, but its tough. I’ve been going a bit stir-crazy between being stuck inside with this harsh winter (-21C? -40 wind chill?! What?!) and no activity from the agency.
So to fill the wait I’ve been trying to read up on all things baby/child care. I figured who has time to read through a 300 page baby book about how to soothe colic while holding a screaming infant? After a trip to the library, bunch of time on Amazon and asking an online adoption group, I realized that there seems to be no books on baby care for prospective adoptive parents. I wasn’t expecting many but still, even just one or two!
I can imagine all the things these books would include, all without having to pass over chapter after chapter of things that don’t pertain to you, or being scolded about things you have no control over (like the admonishment that breast milk is the only food your baby should be eating, but you know, if you have to formula feed then well okaaay, we’ll give you a very brief snippet about bottle feeding.)
Because I don’t have the expertise to write such a book (though it would be great if someone who does reads this!), I thought I would try to gather information for the prospective parent all in one place.
Please keep in mind things might be different depending on your location (things like buying expectant parents gifts is illegal here, even a cup of coffee), double-check with your practitioner, agency or doctor if you’re not sure.
The Wait
Parents.com: Surviving the Wait for Your Adopted Baby
IAC: Surviving the Adoption Wait
The Match Meeting
America Adopts!: Your First Meeting with an Expectant Mother Considering Adoption: Tips for Success
Adoptimist Blog: Tips for Meeting with a Potential Birth Mom
AdoptionStar: What to Expect When you are Matched (really comprehensive, covers a lot of the things I’ve mentioned above)
Baby Essentials
Ask the Adoption Doulas: What Do I REALLY Need to Bring Home Baby?
hellobee: Top 10 Adopted Newborn Essentials
Holding to the Ground: What Should We Take? Adoption Packing Lists
Scary Mommy: What to Pack for an Adoption Trip
Baby Care
Baby Center: Newborn Baby Care
Baby Center: Baby Sleep Basics: Birth to 3 Months
Baby Center: 12 Reasons Babies Cry and How to Soothe Them
Baby Center: Baby Diapering & Bottom Care
Formula Feeding
Fearless Formula Feeders: The FF Quick-and-Dirty Guide to Formula Feeding: Mixing bottles
Jezebel: Sorry – You Can’t Guilt Trip Me About Bottle Feeding My Kids
Adoptive Breastfeeding
Kellymom: Relactation and Adoptive Breastfeeding: The Basics
Lact-aid: Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing Adopted Babies
La Leche League International: Adoptive Breastfeeding
Bonding
Adoptive Families: Bonding with Baby at Each Developmental Stage
Adoptive Families: Attachment Answers
BabyCentre: Bonding with your Adopted Baby
Openness
IAAC: Navigating a Successful Open Adoption
America Adopts: 10 Things I’ve Learned in 10 years of an Open Adoption
Adoptive Families: Returning to the Well
(Book) The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption: Helping your Child Grow Up Whole Probably the best book on open adoption!
I expect I’ll probably come across more useful links as we wait, and would love to add to this list as time goes on. Please feel free to share links in the comments that you think would be helpful to be included!
The H in Home 
Thanks for sharing! Great resources.
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Thank you Sarah!
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