Welcome to Hot Topics! Gabrielle Crichlow talks to guest Sheila Chester about her experience with the adoption process.

In this episode, Sheila Chester and Gabrielle Crichlow delve into Sheila's personal experience with adoption. They discuss various aspects of the adoption process, including Sheila's struggles with infertility and the emotional challenges she faced. The conversation sheds light on the importance of discussing adoption and the difficulties that adoptive parents encounter.

Sheila shares her journey of infertility and explores the different options available for adoption, such as infant adoption, international adoption, and foster-to-adopt. She and her husband ultimately chose domestic infant adoption after undergoing a rigorous approval process. Despite experiencing heartbreak when a potential adoption fell through, they remained determined and eventually welcomed their son into their family. Sheila emphasizes the significance of open adoption and maintaining a relationship with the birth family. Through their discussion, the podcast highlights the uncertainties and challenges of adoption, as well as the need for support and understanding from adoption agencies and fellow adoptive parents.

Sheila also discusses her decision to become a foster parent and subsequently adopt her children. The conversation touches on the challenges of the adoption process, including the financial costs involved. It also addresses the topic of financial privilege and its impact on the ability to pursue adoption. Sheila mentions her decision not to pursue In vitro fertilization (IVF) due to a chromosomal disorder and her attempts at embryo adoption. The episode provides insights into the complexities and difficulties faced by individuals and couples dealing with infertility, as well as the various options available to them. It raises questions about the fairness and accessibility of adoption for those with limited resources.

Furthermore, the conversation delves into Sheila's experience with adoption and parenting. Sheila shares the challenges she has encountered as a parent and explains her decision not to pursue additional children. The discussion also touches on cross-racial adoption and international adoption, exploring the associated challenges and potential risks. Sheila highlights the importance of thorough research before pursuing adoption and recommends adoption resources for those interested. The episode provides insights into the challenges and considerations involved in adoption and parenting, particularly for individuals currently going through the adoption process or considering adoption.

Overall, the episode offers a glimpse into Sheila's personal experience with the adoption process. It explores the challenges, emotions, and complexities involved, shedding light on the realities of adoption and the need for support and understanding throughout the journey.

Who is Sheila Chester?
Sheila Chester is a self-acclaimed free spirit, the founder of Raising Grace Podcast, blog writer, and mother of 3 children. She spent over a decade dealing with infertility and struggling to build a family with her husband in any way possible. Their marriage struggled, and her mental health struggled, but they got through it. They adopted two children through domestic infant adoption and had one biological child through IVF (fertility treatments). Her family makes an effort to maintain an open adoption, which also includes a relationship with her adopted children's biological parents and siblings. She has written extensively about her experiences in the adoption process and going through infertility. On this side of infertility, life is chaotic, but it is the dream she had always hoped for. Mom's life is a whole new ballgame. She continues to learn and grow.

You can find Sheila:
On the web: https://www.sheilakchester.com
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaisingGracePodcast/
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RaisingGracePodcast/

Sheila has a podcast! Listen and subscribe here: https://www.sheilakchester.com/episodes

You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/S7NK8VOVcRc

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Original date of episode: April 11, 2023