I don’t think I fully understood open adoption until I began researching open adoption online. Through the magic of the Internet I was introduced to a remarkable woman who was not only a birth mother, but who has opened her heart and talents to other birth parents and adoptive parents in Canada through her website AdoptionConnections.ca. It is here birth and adoptive parents come together to form a unique online adoption community where birth and adoptive parents can share their stories, offer support and exchange resources.

What makes this website special is that birth parents and hopeful adoptive parents can interact with a birth mom. A woman who genuinely knows what it is like to have a child placed in an open adoption. A woman who selected her son’s adoptive parents by reading their profile and meeting them in person. A woman who has opened her heart to those interested in learning more about adoption and actively interacts in the discussion forums.

The owner of AdoptionConnections.ca is one of the hardest working people I know. She works hard to not only ensure people are aware of the website’s existence, keep her website up-to-date and stay on top of current adoption events and happenings, but she also offers assistance with profile writing (something adoptive parents can agonize over for hours – I know!) from both a professional (she has a degree in social work) and personal perspective (remember, she’s a birth mom who read through many profiles).

I am not one to plug products or websites unless I truly believe in them and I truly believe AdoptionConnections.ca should be one website bookmarked by Canadians looking to connect with information on adoption – whether you are a birth parent, hopeful adoptive parent or adoptee.