Motherhood Silenced: The Experiences of Natural Mothers on Adoption Reunion

The mother who relinquished her child through adoption has long been the forgotten part of the adoption circle. Until recently, it was expected that these mothers would forget about the child whom they had relinquished and that they would continue with their lives as if their child did not exist, it was presumed that they would never want to know what happened to their child, nor ever want to meet their child again. For many mothers this was not their experience. They were unable to forget their baby and their wish was always that they would, sometime in the future, have a chance to meet and have a reunion with their child. This book examines the experiences of a group of mothers who have had a reunion with their child who had been placed for adoption. The emotional experience of adoption and reunion and how it impacted on their lives is told through the mothers’ own accounts. All of the mothers had their reunions facilitated through an adoption agency. Issues in relation to the practice of adoption agencies and the services offered to the mothers are examined. The policies and practices of agencies which the mothers found helpful or unhelpful are outlined. Adoption goes beyond the legal life of the contract signed at the time of relinquishment. For natural mothers it has life-long consequences which impact on reunion and beyond. This poignant study records these experiences from the point of view of natural mothers.