How to Connect with an Expectant Parent During Pregnancy - Weekend Wisdom
Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care
08/23/25
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Question: I have listened to hundreds of adoption-related podcast episodes, but very few of them have talked about talking directly with a potential birth mother. We were matched with an expectant mother who wanted to be able to communicate with us directly. We agreed, believing that it would help us form a better relationship. However, we were mentally unprepared for the wavering she expressed to us. Despite being so certain when we first met with her, as the pregnancy went on, she then had thoughts of parenting. The match ended with disruption, but I would love to hear a podcast about how to handle oneself in that situation. An episode of another podcast talked about how to handle that situation at the hospital during birth, but I felt something dedicated to communication throughout the pregnancy would be helpful. Thanks for such a helpful podcast!
Resources:
- Our #1 Secret Tip for Navigating Open Adoption
- Signs that an Expectant Woman May Change Her Mind About Placing Her Child for Adoption
- Understanding Expectant Moms Who are Considering Adoption
Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.
Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
- Weekly podcasts
- Weekly articles/blog posts
- Resource pages on all aspects of family building
Previous Episode
Understanding the Hague Treaty on Intercountry Adoption
August 20, 2025
•53m
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Are you considering adopting internationally? You need to listen to this interview about the laws and processes that you will be required to follow. We'll be talking with Kelly Dempsey, a partner with Fox Rothschild, who specializes in adoption and assisted reproduction. She is a fellow in the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys and an adoptive parent through both international and domestic adoptions.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption
- Purpose
- Key Elements of the Hague Treaty:
- Central Authority
- Determining the child’s eligibility for intercountry adoption
- Accredited or Approved Adoption Agencies
- Transparency
- Key Elements of the Hague Treaty:
- Purpose
- The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
- INA 101(b)(1)(F) I-600 “Orphan Route”
- Child must qualify as an orphan under US definition
- Only one parent – incapable of providing support
- Deadlines: I600A before child’s 16th birthday -- only have 180 days to file the I-600, after USCIS approves the I-600
- INA 101(b)(1)(G) I-800 “Convention Route”
- Work with CA Art 12, Art 16
- Eligibility decided by CA COO, but if consulate does an I-604 investigation that disqualifies child, then case will be denied
- Deadlines: Must file I-800A before age 16 and within 180 days of the approval of the I-800A, must file the I-800 (even w/o Art 16)
- Children adopted from other countries must first obtain a U.S. visa before they can travel or move to the United States. Visas are issued at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the foreign country where a child resides. Since a child being adopted abroad by a U.S. citizen parent(s) will usually be brought to live in the United States, that child will need an immigrant visa.
- INA 101(b)(1)(F) I-600 “Orphan Route”
- International Accreditation Act
- Process When Adopting from a Hague Country.
- Process When Adopting from a Non-Hague countries.
- Must qualify as orphans as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) before they can be considered for U.S. permanent residence or citizenship.
- Get more information at the State Department - Adoption Process/Non-Hague Visa Process.
- More information on the Hague Convention and other applicable Federal regulations
- US State Department - International Adoption
- US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- US Department of State has a section on their website on “Understanding the Hague Convention”
- US Department of State has a section on their website on “Immigrant Visa Process”
Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.
Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
- Weekly podcasts
- Weekly articles/blog posts
- Resource pages on all aspects of family building
Next Episode
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Are you educated and informed on the issues around weed and vaping, including THC, nicotine, and the signs of addiction? Listen to this interview with Dr. Krishna White. She is an attending physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with board certifications in Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine, and Addiction Medicine.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Can you explain why kids who’ve experienced trauma, prenatal substance exposure, or who are neurodivergent may be at greater risk for turning to substances like marijuana or vaping?
- How are kids typically using marijuana today? (edibles, vaping THC, traditional smoking, oils)
- Are kids generally aware of what they’re consuming, especially when it comes to the potency of today’s marijuana?
- What are some of the short-term effects of marijuana use in adolescents?
- What long-term impacts are you seeing in your clinical practice, especially for kids whose brains are still developing?
- Now let’s move to vaping – what it is, why it’s so popular, and what we need to know about how kids are using it.
- Can you break down what vaping is and what substances kids may be inhaling?
- Why is vaping so appealing to tweens and teens, even those who’ve never used another substance?
- What are some of the immediate health concerns tied to vaping in young people?
- And long-term—what are you most worried about when it comes to kids who are vaping regularly?
- What strategies can adoptive, foster, or kinship caregivers use to help buffer or “substance-proof” their kids?
- How early should conversations about marijuana and vaping begin?
- For kids who already have a higher vulnerability, what are some protective factors or environments that help reduce their risk?
- What are some signs that a child might be using marijuana or vaping—even if they’re trying to hide it?
- If a child has already started using, how can caregivers respond in a way that’s both firm and supportive?
- When does occasional experimentation cross the line into something that needs professional help?
- What are nicotine pouches – why are they appealing and what are the short or long term impacts we should know about?
- What would you say to a caregiver who’s feeling overwhelmed or ashamed that this is part of their child’s story?
- If you could offer just one piece of advice to a caregiver trying to navigate this with their teen, what would it be?
Resources:
- Prenatal Exposure, Part 2: Parenting Tweens and Teens
- Are Kids Exposed Prenatally More Likely to Abuse Alcohol & Drugs?
- Preventing Teen Substance Abuse - Center for Parent and Teen Communication
Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.
Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
- Weekly podcasts
- Weekly articles/blog posts
- Resource pages on all aspects of family building
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