Before you start your search
If you are looking for your birth mother, birth father or birth relatives, here are some things you should think about, including how intensely emotional it will be.
Birth fathers
Many birth fathers feel the loss of their child in a similar way to mothers. Many birth fathers also wish to find out about their children placed for adoption. As birth fathers who were not married to the birth mother were usually not named on the birth certificate, adopted persons are dependent on their birth mother for information about the identity of their birth father. This information may be difficult to obtain if the birth mother felt hurt or betrayed by the birth father.
Birth fathers do not always know that a child was conceived or born as a result of their relationship with the birth mother, or that a child was placed for adoption. Nevertheless, experience indicates that many birth father respond positively to contact from adopted persons.
Although some adopted persons are initially interested in finding their birth mother, once this is achieved and their relationship is established, it is common for adopted persons to become interested in finding their birth father. Some adopted persons start their search with equal interest in both their birth parents.