Pregnant and Thinking About Adoption ?

Just as every person is different, so is the adoption experience. Many things will influence this process including where you live, the personalities of the people involved and the type of adoption you choose. What you will find listed here are the basic steps that are common to the majority of adoptions.

What Birthparent(s) typically do:

What is a Birthparent?  Show || Hide

• Learn about adoption.
  This should be something you do throughout pregnancy and beyond. Adoption doesn't end when you sign the consent form. A wide variety of articles to get you started can be found here.
• Find an adoption professional to assist you.
  There are many ways to do this. Use the phone book, talk to a counselor or religious leader, or use an online directory such as Adoption Professionals.com.
• Find families you would like to adopt your baby.
  There are many ways to do this as well. If you have the help of an adoption professional they may have a list of families you can learn more about. You can also find families online at places like Adoption Online.com.
• Decide which family you want to adopt your child.
  It may take a while to reach this decision. You should read as many "Dear Birthmother" letters as you want until you find one or two that you feel comfortable with. In an open adoption, you would then contact the family either online, by phone or with the help of an adoption professional so that you can get to know each other. Eventually you must decide upon only one family to work with and let the others move on.
  What is a Dear Birthmother Letter?  Show || Hide

  Most families (especially in an open adoption) will write a letter of introduction for Birthparents to read. It typically contains insights into their lifestyle, hopes, dreams, religion and other things they think a Birthparent will want to know. (also known as a "Dear Birthparent" letter or adoption profile)

• Seek Support.
  No doubt about it. Placing your child for adoption may be the most difficult decision you have made in your life. You will need someone to talk to that can help you through this time. Seek the advice of someone with experience in adoption issues. It doesn't matter how you find them. The Adoption Professional you work with may be able to help, the family you have chosen may be able to make some resources available or maybe a school counselor, religious leader or through online services such as Adoption Professionals.com.
• Follow through with your plan.
  After you have signed the papers, you may want to take some time for yourself, or you may not. Either way it's fine. Then, be sure to follow through with your plan, especially if you have an open adoption and will be having contact with the adoptive family. Talking to them, finding out how your baby is doing, can go a long way to helping you feel comfortable with your decision and to get on with your life plans.