#NationalInfertilityAwarenessWeek, Free Educational Events, & More

In April, we acknowledge National Infertility Awareness Week...

We invite you to read an excerpt from guest writer Shannon Haltom's article, Seven Years: A Fertility Journey :

“There are many of us who have to learn how to move forward knowing that our body can’t do the one thing that a woman’s is “supposed to do”. It’s important to see this reality, even if it’s difficult for some. Here are my words to you, dear couple, who are in the fight for a biological child: this burden that you carry does not have to be yours to carry alone.

• Find an amazing perinatal counselor to help you unpack this trauma,
• Set up boundaries where you can,
• Skip the baby shower if you need to,
• Remember that people who give you platitudes and generic advice just don’t get it,
• And lastly, if you choose to close this door, then that is okay. Sometimes the “never give up” rhetoric just ain't it."

For anyone coming to adoption from infertility, we highly recommend taking this Creating a Family course and immersing yourself in some of the adoption language and acronyms .

Upcoming Events

RSVP for our free educational events! Everyone and anyone is invited to attend.

• From Infertility to Adoption: Join us as we discuss and offer support on how to navigate the path from infertility to adoption with guest speaker?from the Utah Infertility Resource Center, Alison Brown, MSW, LCSW! RSVP for April 10th from 8:30 - 9:30pm EST.
• The Hospital Experience: Join Kathryn Russell for our FREE monthly event, Coffee & Conversations, where we'll discuss: ? The hospital experience - roles, rights, and responsibilities, ? What is a hospital plan and why it's important (and who should help create it!), ? Gifting at the hospital - what's appropriate and what isn't, and ? What happens when hospital plans change. RSVP for April 12th from 10 - 11am EST.
• Interrogating Your Motivations: Join guest speaker Torie DiMartile, adoptee & adoption educator, for an in-depth conversation on the motivations of adoption. We will explore several common approaches to and beliefs about adoption and their impact, including: ? Your own preconceived beliefs about adoption, ? Your motivations for adopting, and ? Sharing about adoption respectfully and ethically with friends and family. RSVP for April 25th from 7 - 8:30pm EST.

Adoption in the News

• Fertility in America by Rebecca Jarvis, ABC News
• No One's Children by Steve Inskeep, The Atlantic
• Utah Adoption Agencies Shut Down by Regulators Could Face More Scrutiny if They Try to Reopen by Nia Tipton, Your Tango
• Michigan Adoption Agency Reverses LGBT Policy by David Eggert, Associated Press

The Modern Adoption Podcast

Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to catch our latest two episodes!

“This Podcast is highlighting info that is so needed and overdue in our world. Fascinating, frustrating, but ultimately hopeful because of their work.” - Apple Podcast Review

EPISODE #3: In this episode, we are joined by Allison Olson, adoptee, adoptive mom, and author of the children’s book, “Surrounded by Love.” Today we’re talking about love in adoption and how Allison’s books can help you talk about adoption in your home. Listen Now

EPISODE #4: March is Women’s History Month and we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about the story of adoption in women’s history. This episode is dedicated to the incredible women who have made it their mission to change adoption for the better. Listen Now

The Latest Insights

Building Bridges to Birth Family by Guest Author Raquel McCloud

Navigating open adoption and reunion with miles in between can be complicated to say the least…logistically, financially, and emotionally. In Building Bridges to Birth Family , Guest Author Racquel McCloud shares practical tips you can put into practice today.

A Focus on Open Adoption

To an outsider, or if you’re just starting your adoption journey, open adoption is hard to understand…in fact, most of the Misconceptions About Open Adoption come from fear or lack of understanding. While it’s scary to imagine a lifelong relationship with someone you don’t even know yet, educating yourself and opening your heart to open adoption can make way for one of the most beautiful and meaningful relationships you’ll ever know.

Understanding & Navigating Open Adoption breaks down some of the complexities of open adoption and offers insightful, personal advice for navigating open adoption.

What's New at PairTree

Custom Profiles Videos on Connect!

Now adopting families can make a personal, unique first impression! For our?Connect Plus and Complete ?families, they now have the power to easily create custom profile videos. They can create their video on any device, and we help create a beautiful final version to add to their Connect profile.

And bonus...they can download and reuse these videos as many times as they like for additional outreach!

Seeking to give your adopting families the best in outreach tools? Contact us to learn more about Connect at [email protected].