This month on Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat, join host Chloe Belk and author Leah Outten as she shares her story of open adoption from the birth mother’s point of view.
Leah is the author of The Sixteenth Year, a birth mother in a fully open adoption, and a mother of five whom she parents with her husband. She is a speaker and passionate advocate in the adoption community.
Leah shares her story as God guided her through it, from finding out she was pregnant as a teen, to making an adoption plan, to growing her relationship with her daughter over the last twenty-plus years.
Leah shares her unique perspective on open adoption and the beauty that has come through it:
“I would say it’s mostly been beautiful, and the beautiful parts are what has really helped me cope through the hardships and the challenges and the grief. But I still have all these incredible memories that I do get to make with her. We have a bucket list of the things that we want to do and have done and have gotten to experience together, and all of that just makes it worth it.”
In a hurry? Skip to the section that’s most relevant to you:
- 00:32: Leah’s Introduction
- 1:47: Emotions She Felt as She Found Out She Was Pregnant
- 3:44: Her Decision to Place for Open Adoption
- 8:45: Did she face any pressure in her decision-making process?
- 11:00: “Leah Shower”
- 15:16: “Soda Bottle” Analogy for Grief
- 17:08: How Her Community Made Her Feel Supported
- 19:10: What beauty and difficulty has come as a result of her open adoption?
- 23:59: How She Hoped for the Best with Her Relationship with Her Daughter and Protected Her Heart
- 27:14: Would you recommend writing a letter to your child during your pregnancy?
- 29:45: Resources for Adoption
33:18: Leah’s “Why” for Serving in the Adoption Community
About Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat
Meet the podcast that’s here to equip you for what’s next now that Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat. Hear from The Pregnancy Network staff and guest experts in their fields on topics like mental health and loneliness, what to do when you don’t know what to do, caring for yourself holistically, and making empowered choices.