The sentence in question reads “The Cradle is also the only private adoption agency in the country to have an on-site nursery, Jaeger says, and every baby it receives in its care gets adopted.”

What I meant to say when I wrote it was that every baby The Cradle receives for adoption gets adopted, not that every baby in the nursery gets adopted. The nursery is intended as a safe haven for any baby, whether the birth parents are trying to decide what to do next or whether they have already decided to place the baby for adoption. Babies in cases where a decision is still being made are not put on a fast track for adoption; the staff simply provides the same care to babies in both situations. In many cases, a baby that gets taken care of at the nursery returns to its birth parents. I’m sorry that the sentence was misleading.

Thanks for bringing it up. Hope I clarified it!

Question: In describing the onsite nursery, it is mentioned that “every baby it receives in its care is adopted.” I see no mention of help available for mothers who choose to parent. It makes me a little nervous to read that once a baby is entrusted to The Cradle’s nursery, even those whose mothers “may not know what to do next,” he/she is on track to be adopted. I’d feel more comfortable if unsure mothers were pointed to available resources for help in parenting if they’re not absolutely sure what to do.

Comment: As a grandmother of an autistic child, I can’t help but wonder whether Grayson’s “mental retardation” isn’t perhaps autism. Many autistic children appear to be perfectly “normal” until about Grayson’s age.

However, I’d like to make a small point. When you said, “a birth mother who gave up her baby 14 years ago” I’d have liked to see you use the words “made a plan of adoption for her baby” rather than “gave up her baby”. No birthmother “gives up” her child lightly. It is always a thoughtful, positive action with much heartache.

Thank you again for a really great story.

Sue Petersen
Development Coordinator
The Cradle Foundation