How to Tell Your Kids about their Embryo Adoption

The following situation is shared by many families who decided embryo adoption is right for their family.  Join us as we examine what is many couples’ story. 

Dad: When we first started thinking about embryo adoption, we thought we probably wouldn't tell our child until they were 18.  That seemed like a good age.

Mom: Yeah, I think we wanted to wait until they were mature enough to understand.

It can be daunting to think about telling your child their embryo adoption story.  Many parents don’t know how to tell their child or just don’t want to.  But it’s important to give your child the truth of his or her beginnings.  After this couple learned more about what gives children a healthy sense of identity, they chose to do things differently.

Mom: We realized it would be beneficial for our children to grow up knowing the truth.  We didn’t want them to ever feel like we were hiding something from them.  We began reading stories about embryo adoption to our children at a very young age.

It’s a good way for parents to practice verbalizing the child’s story too…the more comfortable with it the parents are, the easier it will be for the child to accept. There are a few books out there about embryo donation and adoption.  Our Wish for a Baby is one of them!  Another is Training Wheels.  

Seeing other pregnant women can be a great way to bring up their embryo adoption story.

Mom: You used to be in mommy’s womb!  You were placed in there when you were just a teeny, tiny embryo.  When you were a teeny, tiny embryo, mommy and daddy adopted you.  Then the doctor put you in mommy’s womb and you began to grow!

Of course your baby can’t understand your words but you are becoming more familiar with telling the story and he will always grow up knowing the truth.

Mom: When our children were just babies, we would show them pictures of the genetic family and tell them how grateful we were that they us to be their Mom and Dad.  We wanted them to grow up just knowing their story, so they would never feel like there was a time they didn't know.

We made them a book. I guess you could call it a Lifebook… it’s just their story really.  Here it shows their genetic family.  Then it talks about when the embryos were created and when Brian and Amy chose us to adopt them.  We have the transfer day in here and the day we found out we were finally PREGNANT!  It has everything… right up to their birthday!

Learn more about embryo donation and adoption here… www.EmbryoAdoption.org

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