Two Types of Searches Birth Parents Can Do
If you want to search for a child that you once gave up for adoption, experts say to mentally prepare yourself first and then realize that there are two types of searches you can do.

First of all, read books about adoption, scour online information about searching and especially get in tune with the emotional impact of a reunion. Then decide: are you going to do an active or a passive search? Here is the difference between the two according to adopting.org:

• Active search: an active search is one in which you actively pursue avenues to find information about your birth child's current name and location. This does not necessarily mean that you will be the one to initiate contact, but it might give you the ability to do so, if you choose.
• Passive search: many birth parents believe that timing for finding a lost mother or finding a lost father should be left to the adoptee. This is called a passive search because you make every effort to place the information you have about the adoption in places where it can be found by your searching birth child and the child must make it happen.