Articles Book III - Pg 300-560 (Birthparents) - triadoption

PAULA, 27, WAS 19 AT THE TIME OF HER SON'S BIRTH IN
OCTOBER, 1968. SHE SURRENDERED WITHIN TWO MONTHS.
"I had only boen out of high school for about six montlis when
I bocamo pregnont. I hod just begun dating tho birthfotlior who
had just returned from Vietnam end I guess he hod problems of
his own to work out for he would wont to marry me on0 minute
and change hls mind the next. I finally was so frustrated that i
gave up on him. I was glven abortion information but alter a while
I decided that my child should be given a chance at life. I did not
feol any maternal feelings much at the beginnlng of my prognoncy,
but as time went on, the maternal feelings completely
took me over.
My parents found out about my pregnancy by reading a letter
written to ma by a friend. They refused to lot me stay at home
since it would be a bad influence on my younger sisters and
brothers and they were very religious and it would look bod to
the people they knew. As I had not developed any maternal feelings
yet. I agroed to go to tho Salvotlon Army Home in Florida
and release the child for adoption. Later, though my meternal
feelings had changed my mind about adoption, my parents refused
to let me return home.
There were approxlmatoly 30 to 40 other young girls at The
Home while I was thore for throe months. The care thot the girls
were glven was very good. I felt st many times though that I wes
on an assembly line and that I was baing used as a baby machine.
Even though the pregnancy was very speclel to me, the oflicials
didn't treat me as a special person . . . to them, it was en everyday
occurrence.
While I was thore we were never counselled on our feelings
about giving up our first born children or offered any alternatives.
Even though I sold I was going to keep my baby while I was at
the Home, when the baby finally come, I was hit hard with the
reelization that I had no way to provide for the child. I hod boen
living in a droom for several months in order to ovoid loclng reality.
The Chlldron's Home, Inc. In Florida did not provide much
counselling. All they did was got background information end
other facts. There was very little counsoillng regarding the
mother's feelings. The counsellar was well aware thot I wonted
to keep my baby but all counselling wos towards adoption and no
other alternatlvos were talked ebout or oflerod.
I feel thet I was ,not given a fair chance and even today
eight years later, I iiavo many bitter feelings towards tho people
FAMILY INVOLVEMENT