Madonna's controversial adoption of David Banda, a 2-year-old boy from Malawi, was finalized this week. In granting the adoption, a Malawi judge reportedly called the Material Girl and husband Guy Ritchie "perfect parents."

I was curious about your thoughts about it, especially in light of another piece of news this week. A study of a 1994 law that made it easier for more white parents to adopt black children found that the law has not significantly increased the adoption of black children, and that black children adopted into white families struggle with issues of identity.

I'd love to hear from adoptive parents as well as readers who grew up in adoptive families of a different race.

(Photo of Madonna and David Banda last year by Karel Prinsloo, Associated Press)

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 8:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

According to a story in yesterday's New York Times, international adoption agencies are feeling the pinch of new rules and increasing constraints from some countries, causing some to close. In some cases, the story says, parents who were in the middle of the process were left in the lurch, and out thousands of dollars.

I'd like to hear from some parents who are trying to adopt from overseas -- or who have recently done so -- about how the process is going. Are you being told to prepare for longer waits? And how does that affect your decision-making about adoption?

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The Chicago Tribune reports that by tricking the body with medication, herbs, or pumping, adoptive mothers can breastfeed a child without giving birth. The newspaper included stories of mothers who made it work.

This Web site is dedicated to supporting the practice. Here's an older story about adoptive breastfeeding from the Web site of Mothering magazine.

Have any of you readers who've adopted tried to breastfeed? Were you successful? I'm interested in the pros and cons.

Posted by Kate Shatzkin at 3:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)