Those who have not been a part of the adoption community may not know appropriate terminology. Because of this, sometimes discussion about adoption can take a negative spin.
In this video, our panel of birth mothers and professionals discuss not only appropriate terminology, but also what terms feel comfortable to them, specifically.
Included in this discussion is how these birth mothers would like to be “labeled.” Terms such as “first mom” vs “birth mom” are discussed. Additionally, this panel talks about “gave up” vs. “placed.”
One of our birth mothers shares with us the reasons she prefers the term “placed” when talking about the choice she made for her child. “Placing is something you do gently and with your heart,” she tells us.
For those who are part of an adoption triad, it’s important to remember that people do not mean to offend when they use improper terms. When that occurs, it’s a perfect opportunity to educate one more person about the preferred adoption terminology.
