Adoptees become mothers: Adoptees' experiences of pregnancy and new motherhood

This study explored adoptees' experiences of pregnancy and motherhood. Previous research suggests that some adoptees are more vulnerable to psychological maladjustment than non-adoptees, struggle with identity issues and have difficulties with relationships. These studies have tended to be quantitative in nature and focused on pathology, and have not considered adoption as a normal ongoing life-experience that carries additional developmental challenges, worthy of investigation for its own sake. In the current study it was hypothesized that pregnancy and new motherhood, being a time of turmoil and transition, might be a period when thoughts of adoptees' own adoption as well as adoption related issues would re-emerge.;This study employed a qualitative design in order to offer adoptees an avenue for their individual experiences to be seen. Ten participants, who were adopted by the age of 1 and had given birth within the last 8 years, were interviewed using a semi-structured format. Transcripts were coded by a group of three coders.;Each adoptee had a unique experience of pregnancy and motherhood, but there were common themes. Findings from this study indicate that all coresearchers felt that their adoption influenced their experience of motherhood in some way. The most frequently occurring codes included: greater curiosity about their birth family, an improved relationship with their adoptive mother, greater reflection on their birth mother's experience, greater empathy and gratitude towards their birth mother and also difficulty understanding their birth mother's decision to relinquish them. Less frequent, but noteworthy codes included increased feelings of belonging and experiencing having a baby as healing.;The finding that having a child triggers greater curiosity about one's birth family, often leading to a search for them, is consistent with prior research findings (Kowal & Schilling, 1985; Sachdev, 1992). Findings about the changes in feelings and attitude towards one's birth mother and the healing aspect of becoming a mother are new to the literature.;Knowledge of the issues that face adoptees as they become mothers would allow clinicians to better support their adopted clients who are negotiating the transition into motherhood.