In this episode of Choosing Adoption, host Donna Pope speaks with McKenzie, a 24-year-old mother of three who traveled from Ohio to Utah for an adoption placement. When her blood pressure spiked at 32 weeks, she experienced seizures and faced an emergency C-section, delivering baby Grace prematurely and beginning an unexpected NICU journey.

Emergency Delivery Tests Adoption Plans

McKenzie navigated a premature birth while building trust with adoptive parents Jeff and Christine, teachers who had struggled with infertility for years. She gave Christine one of only two hospital wristbands for NICU access, demonstrating confidence in them as Grace's parents during the crisis. McKenzie chose Jeff and Christine specifically because they had never had children, wanting her daughter to be someone's completing piece.

When Support Systems Unite for Birth Mothers

McKenzie's ex-partner Randy and current partner Damien maintained a cooperative relationship focused on her three daughters' wellbeing. She traveled to Utah to create distance between placement and her daily life, allowing her to grieve away from home. Financial support from Heart to Heart Adoption gave her space to heal without economic pressure, and the Hearts Connect app maintains ongoing communication with Grace's adoptive parents. She left Utah with fullness in her heart, knowing her choices blessed everyone involved.

Listen to McKenzie's complete story on Choosing Adoption podcast with host Donna Pope.

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