Adoption: What is the Difference between an Expectant Mother and a Birth Mother?
There are certainly a lot of ways to refer to a pregnant woman when talking about the adoption process. When it comes to adoption terminology, Adoption Choices of Arizona has you covered. For some, it might be difficult to tell the difference between an expectant mother and a birth mother in the adoption process, but there is an important distinction between the two and other, similar terms like them. All of them might seem to refer to the same thing, a pregnant woman, but their specific usage is important to understand when discussing the adoption process. If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 1-480-900-5520 or visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona.
So then, what is the difference between an expectant mother and a birth mother?
What is a Pregnant Woman or Expectant Mother?
An expectant mother, also referred to as a pregnant woman in more generalized terms, is used in adoption language to refer to a woman who has not chosen adoption. This doesn’t necessarily mean she won’t choose adoption, nor does it mean she isn’t considering it at the moment, but it does mean that she is currently undecided and not yet working with an adoption agency. If you have not decided what to do with your child once they are born, you are considered to be an expectant mother or just a pregnant woman. Once you become affiliated with the adoption process, however, this title does change.
What is a Birth Mother?
The term, “birth mother,” is also used to refer to mothers who are expecting or just pregnant women, but it is a more specific term in this case, because it refers to pregnant women who are currently involved in the adoption process. This can be, at any stage of the pregnancy or adoption process, from a mother who has just begun her adoption journey to a mother who has already placed her baby with his or her new adoptive family. All of these mothers are considered to be birth mothers, because it is a term specific to the world of adoption.
Why does it Matter in the Adoption Process?
The language we choose to utilize in our everyday lives actually means a lot to those around us. For those of us in the adoption writing process, the language we use is meant to reach a wide, but appropriate audience. The words we choose to write with are geared towards helping pregnant women from all backgrounds, and involving them with the adoption process is how they become referred to as birth mothers. We work towards creating an inclusive environment where people can feel they are appropriately represented in their involvement with the adoption process. Establishing the difference between an expectant mother and a birth mother serves to create specificity within the dialogue about adoption.
Similarly, the language you choose to use to refer to yourself as a birth mother is important as well. You can be proud of the fact that you are now a birth mother, working towards a positive future for both you and your child that gives him or her the best opportunity at experiencing a good life possible. It is something to be proud of, and if you are currently an expectant mother or pregnant woman considering adoption, know that you will be welcomed with open arms as a birth mother. Adoption Choices of Arizona wants to make your adoption experience a positive one, and that starts with helping you understand all of the great things that you’re doing for your child by choosing adoption. Becoming a birth mother is, in some ways, the first step of the adoption process, and it is a title well-earned.
The Difference between an Expectant Mother and a Birth Mother
Ultimately, the biggest difference between an expectant mother and a birth mother is simply how involved in the adoption process you are. An expectant mother isn’t involved at all or is merely considering, while a birth mother has taken a first step into the world of adoption. It is important to remember that birth mothers are birth mothers no matter what, whether they are pregnant with their first child or whether they have already completed their adoption process and happily seen their child grow with an adoptive family in a healthy environment.
The language we use is important in so many ways, and the difference between these two similar terms is actually important in distinguishing a mother’s involvement with the adoption process as a whole. They are both important terms that signify compassion and care in the life of a mother, and should be treated as such when used, hopefully now in the correct context that each term deserves respectively.
For adoption resources or to begin your adoption journey, birth parents can visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona or call or text us at 1-480-900-5520. If you are an prospective adoptive family hoping to adopt a baby, please instead, visit us here!
Meet the Author: Josh Drogemuller is a Senior at Grand Valley State University and has interests in writing and digital studies. A relative newcomer to the field of professional writing, Josh has spent the last eight years of his educational career honing his skills on the page. Josh is currently working towards a Bachelor of Science in Writing.
Living in the Midwest, Josh looks forward to long baseball games and longer sentences.
