"Distance Motherhood: Emotional Trajectories of Birth Mothers in Transnational Child Adoption and Shifting Family Dynamics across Borders"

This paper examines the emotional experiences of birth mothers in transnational child adoption, focusing on the concept of "distance motherhood"—a phenomenon where birth mothers remain emotionally connected to their relinquished children despite geographical separation. Drawing on in-depth interviews, this study explores how birth mothers' emotions evolve over time, particularly as their children are adopted into families across national borders. Themes of grief, longing, and hope characterize their early post-adoption experiences, which often shift as they come to terms with their children's absence or forge new forms of connection across distance.

The paper situates these personal narratives within the broader context of transnational families, exploring how cross-border family dynamics are reshaped by emotional ties, legal frameworks, and evolving societal attitudes toward adoption. In doing so, it highlights how these experiences contribute to the ongoing discussion of generational shifts within transnational family configurations, addressing how first mothers’ feelings and roles change as their children grow older.

By bringing attention to the under-explored emotional dimensions of transnational child adoption, this study provides new insights into how distance motherhood reshapes family practices and generational relationships across borders, contributing to the broader discourse on transnational family life and identity formation.