Resources for Adopting from Africa

 The last time I wrote a post on Give1, I was basically retiring my Give1 password. Well, I’m coming out of retirement to do a post or two while Beth prepares little guy to come home (soon, we hope!). 

Meanwhile, my adoption process is going just as slow as everyone else’s. So while I wait (and wait and wait), I have been looking for adoption resources to arm myself with information.

Here are some gems I’ve found:

Medical Information. Orphan Doctor is a website that discusses medical issues common with adoption. This page, in particular, discusses orphan medical care in Ethiopia. (Last updated in 2007, so it’s a bit old, but it’s something.)

Hair and Skin Care. Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care is a popular site, but just in case you haven’t visited it yet, bookmark it now! 

Here’s another great site with a post about a basic hair routine. This post is fabulous: http://amateurian.blogspot.com/2011/11/basic-black-hair-care.html

General Information. I know we all get tired of the required adoption education seminars our agencies make us take, but I really enjoyed the seminar “Adopting from African Countries” from Heart of the Matter Seminars.http://www.heartofthematterseminars.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=119&Itemid=102

My favorite book about adoption is There is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene. It’s more of a story/historical account of this amazing woman who started caring for orphans in Ethiopia before adoption was common. Overall, it’s a beautiful—at times, heartbreaking—story. But I feel it’s great at depicting Ethiopian culture and situations orphans face. http://www.amazon.com/There-Is-No-Without-You/dp/1596912936/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346299782&sr=8-1&keywords=there+is+no+me+without+you

Government Information. Here is a link to the State Department’s page for Ethiopian adoption information. Major government announcements regarding the adoption process get posted here as they occur.http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=ethiopia

Here is also the link for the DRC State Department page: http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=democratic_republic_of_congo

Please add your favorite adoption resources in the comments. 

Babycakes

Hey hey, everybody! Today is part infomercial and part educational... well, worth your time. I'm kind of wild about the Babycakes product line-up for a bunch of reasons. Ready?



1. They are created by one of our Give1 mamas, Chrissy Jensen, and I always love to support our little family. But this product is way more than a shout out because -
2. The products are all natural, nothing weird, carefully researched ingredients.
3. It's all designed to be absorbed into the skin, not sit all greasy on top of the skin.
4. Kids with sensory processing disorders or autism find the products to be tolerable since they aren't slimy in texture.
5. Can be used on boys or girls (or moms as night cream)
6. Prevent scarring.
7. Has even been used to effectively treat scalp ringworm if your child flat out refuses to take their oral medication. That's good info to keep in your back pocket, right?
8. They can be used by just about everyone. Chrissy is mom of twelve kids, with hair and skin covering the spectrum. She's seen it all. Babycakes is geared primarily towards ethnic skin and hair, though.


So let's get down to the educational bit. This post is a wealth of info coming straight from an interview with Chrissy where she answered all my totally dumb questions about how we might find this new hair and skin to be different, and still handle it's challenges confidently.

Before we talk style (that's a whole other blog), let's talk basics. Many of our children are coming from Ethiopia, as Chrissy's did, and her children's hair and curl patterns varied much between her kids born in the north and in the south. Wildly different. So no one thing is going to work for everyone. She emphasized that nothing is magic, not even the $45 bottle of fancy pants stuff. But generally, African hair is going to be very brittle and fragile and prone to breaking. When brushing, never brush dry. Let's say that again. Never brush dry. A little detangler or even some olive oil and water in a spritzer goes on first. Then brush gently from the ends to the roots.

Another bit of advice for you mamas heading to the pool. Their hair is like a sponge and will soak up whatever it touches first. You don't want that to be chlorine water or salt water. So get it wet first, even if you're using your water bottle! Also, consider using a swim cap if they'll go for it.

Chrissy's favorite products include:
Kinky Curly Knot Today for detangling
Tangle Teezer brush for short hair
Africa Sleeps sleep caps for sleeping, traveling long distances, and keeping in your purse for impromptu sandbox stops. Sand is also an enemy! She recommends gently using a vaccuum to suction out sand if you really need to.
And of course, Babycakes (mint) for moisture, and Honey Butter for styling. Just dab some on top of braids or twists to help hold in place.

Head on over and stock up for your little one. I just got a bottle of Clementine orange scented babycakes. Heavenly. Can't wait. Now I just need the kid...

So anyhow, thank you so much, Chrissy for chatting with me. Ladies, aim your questions at Chrissy in the comments section. She's a safe place to ask totally ignorant questions. She's been there too. :)