Shameless Leadership 717: Rachel Nielson: Navigating the Evolving Ethics of Adoption
Rachel Nielson is the host of the popular parenting podcast, 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms. Each 30-minute episode gives 3 actionable takeaways to help women find more meaning in their unique motherhood experiences. Rachel lives in the mountains of Idaho with her husband and her two miracle children who arrived to their family through adoption and IVF. As a former high school English teacher, she loves to read, write, and talk about deep ideas...which has made podcasting a perfect career for her to do from home.
Rachel and I first connected as podcasters who shared side-by-side rankings in Apple Podcasts Kids & Family top charts. Some may have suggested we were competitors, but we immediately saw one another's work as complementary. When we had the opportunity to meet in person in 2020, we were able to see that as colleagues, friends, and confidants in this industry we could lean on each other and build a really special relationship that could support us as women, moms, and podcasters. I so treasure my sweet friendship with Rachel.
We have spoken about guesting on each other’s shows for years. To be honest, the challenge has been narrowing down what to talk about because we could talk to each other for days about so many things related to motherhood. But, I asked Rachel if she would be willing to talk about something deeply personal and special today - the adoption of her precious son, Noah.
Listen in to hear Rachel share:
- Her family's journey into open adoption
- How she honored and did her best to center her son’s birth mother, Katie, throughout the process of adoption
- The unfathomable grief she held for Katie the day Noah was born
- The trauma of adoption for adopted children, no matter how healthy relationships they have with bio parents and adoptive parents
- How she and her husband navigated building and maintaining positive and healthy relationships with Noah’s bio parents, Katie and Drew
- How Katie’s death by suicide shifted Rachel’s perspective on the ethics of adoption
- What her family’s relationship with Drew looks like - how he is so significant and special in Noah’s life
- What she wants prospective adoptive parents to consider before going through the adoption process
Links mentioned:
- Register for my 2023 Plan & Prep Pajama Party: shamelessmom.com/pajamaparty
- Connect with Rachel: 3in30podcast.com
- Rachel’s Podcast: 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms
- Get Rache’s Course, 5 Days to More Meaning in Your Motherhood: 3in30podcast.com/sma
- Rachel on Instagram
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