The Lived Experiences of Mothers of Children Adopted from Bulgaria

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the experiences of mothers who had adopted children from Pleven, Bulgaria, with an added focus on their experiences of interactions with healthcare personnel. Design: An interpretive phenomenological study method was used to interview 5 mothers of children who had been adopted from Bulgaria. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed for thematic material. Findings: All except for one of the children had underlying physical congenital problems and all of the children were found to be severely damaged by institutional neglect. All of the mothers had other biological children. The themes that emerged included logistical challenges, priority of family relationships, emotional impact, and amazing improvement. The mothers identified two key aspects of their interactions with medical personnel: listening and respect from healthcare individuals and the importance of taking their child's unique history and situation into account. Conclusions: For mothers who had adopted children from Pleven, Bulgaria, life was not simple. These mothers found life following their adoptions both difficult and rewarding. These mothers desired that others listen to their stories in order to help improve healthcare interactions that they face daily, to encourage others to adopt children from the institution in Pleven, and to stop the abuses occurring at the institution.